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I made a random sale on eBay after having made just one in 2025. My low sales are because I haven’t been listing and the eBay algorithm rewards frequent listing, which made this sale a surprise. (Also, my inventory’s completely stale.) The above teddy bear is off to Japan and perhaps I’ll grab a thing or two from around the house to list. Click HERE to see the listing.
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I curb picked someone’s random collection of fake plants, which normally wouldn’t interest me, but I had a specific plan for them. My house has a built-in window box on the second floor that has been a source of frustration since we bought the house in 1996. It’s West facing and there’s no running water upstairs, which is apparently the ideal recipe for plant death.
This faux greenery is now taped onto a window box liner and from a distance looks remarkably like actual vegetation. I just hope no one questions how I grow cattails under such harsh conditions.
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My husband and I celebrated the completion of our taxes by treating ourselves to a nearby Mexican food cart we’d been wanting to try. I think the total was $20 including tip for his tacos and my quesabirria, and since I brought my own water and it was walking distance from the house — a very frugal date!
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Portland’s lovely weather has meant our backyard clothesline is back in action, a necessity as my husband plays hockey, baseball and soccer!
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I didn’t destroy the economy due to hatred of others and my own personal insecurities.
Five More Frugal Things
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1. I went to the movie theater last night to take advantage of $6 Tuesdays. I got a kiddie combo for $6 as well which includes a small popcorn, drink, and a pack of fruit snacks.
2. I bought some Sensodyne toothpaste I have to use due to ongoing dental issues. It was $4.99 at Ross. Normally $6.50 – $7.50 at any other store.
3. Asked the allergy doctor to write a prescription for Zyrtec instead of over the counter which saves $11 dollars.
4. I put 6 audiobooks on hold on my Libby app.
5. I am stopping at Trader Joe’s after work today because it’s on my way. Going to get eggs $3.49!, BIG bananas 23¢, and 3 Asian meals that my daughter requested for easy dinners before swim practice.
I too have been hitting Trader Joe’s a bit more often recently for the $3.49 eggs, plus their frozen spanakopita (which is the next best thing after my late SIL’s spanakopita, which was the best this side of Santorini) and the largely post-consumer-recycled-paper TP. But in my neck of the woods, I do better to buy bananas for 49 cents/lb. at Wegmans. Since I prefer smaller bananas, I do better to pay by the pound than by the piece.
Ooh . . . now I need to try their spanikopita.
LOVE TJ’s spanikopita!
We’ve been going to TJs more often as well. As the only non-plant based eater in our house (thanks IBD), I stock their $3 macaroni and cheese in the freezer for our weekly freezer meal night, and to travel with as well. DS uses the fish gummies for ride food on long rides, which is cheaper than sport gummies. I also keep the $4 Japanese Fried Rice and $2.49 vegan chili on hand for DS to take to work if for some reason we don’t have enough leftovers, which happens 1-2 times per month.
I love your toothpaste savings — small amounts add up!
I don’t know where you live, or if you have access to a Costco (or a friend who will let you shop with them), but I can get a 12 month supply of Kirkland’s brand of Zyrtec for less than a 3 month supply of branded Zyrtec. I don’t notice a difference between their effectiveness.
1. picked up free compost, got blood drawn, bought butter on sale in a convenient loop of errands.
2. Had free inspection at Les Schwab, brought my travel cup and filled it with free coffee to bring home to my husband (I can’t stand the stuff) and ate a free bag of popcorn while I waited.
3. Submitted receipts to FSA account for reimbursement. It appears there’s a chance I can use FSA money for gluten free bread since it’s for a medical condition. I requested a letter from my doctor and will submit it and see.
4. Received free masks from BN. Why people don’t hold onto these is beyond me-there’s always going to be a need for them. But I’m happy to take them. Another person on BN made it known there’s a group in our town that gives our free N95 masks so I have a meet scheduled for tomorrow to receive 20 of them! I’m immune compromised so I appreciate masks. Kaiser keeps me pretty well supplied but I like to keep my own stash in case Kaiser becomes less generous with masks.
5. I keep planting seeds and ‘scratching in my garden’ (as my aunt would say). I hope it’s my best food crop year ever.
The fake plants are a great idea. I generally don’t like them but for select places they are perfect. I had small pot that my daughter had painted when she was 2. It had been broken and repaired so it could no longer hold soil. I bought a small fake succulent at the dollar store and it looks great in the little pot that has too many memories to throw away.
In my rental cottage, I put a bust of a Grecian maiden on a bookshelf with fake succulents cascading down like green hair. I probably could have use real succulents but I didn’t want to bother with live plants in the rental.
Okay, that is amazing!
Aww . . . that is so sweet! I still wear a mask when grocery shopping or go to other crowded places and I love that I haven’t even had a cold in ages!
@Kara – kudos for keeping a stock of masks. And thankfully breathing issues don’t make it difficult to mask up. For some it does and it is tough.
I’ve been tracking no spend days and I’ve had 7 no spend days.
I went to Costco for gas as it is the cheapest around at 4.65.
I went to Winco too before I picked up my husband at infusion. the place was crazy busy. But the prices make me shake my head as to why places like Bel Air or Raleys or Safeway charge double for a 12 pack of soda. Normally we don’t ever buy soda but because my husband is getting cancer treatment, he needs to get calories in. Since he’s not eating alot, drinking a soda at least helps.
No eating out. Just home cooked meals.
If you are looking for another way to shovel in the calories, my husband will drink milk shakes, which seem to go down easily.
Sending a big virtual hug your way!
2nd the milkshakes. DN has had radiation and has been on been on chemo for 2 + years and will continue to be. Daily milkshakes are essential to keeping weight on him. Good luck on your journey!
Even better, if you can find pasteurized eggs, throw one or two in the milkshake. Or try powdered eggs.
3rd the milkshake suggestion. You can make a “calorie bomb” milkshake with Boost and ice cream. Add in some banana or PB or both.
1. Using carcass from rotisserie chicken and frozen vegetable scraps, I made a large pot of broth for the freezer. I had used my last quart a week or so ago and I hate to not have some on hand.
2. While running other errands that put me near Costco I stopped to fill up with gas and also bought the above mentioned rotisserie chicken. I already had my meals planned for the week so I deboned the chicken. After chopping, I measured out the chicken into 2 cups portions, just the right size for adding to a casserole, soup, or salad, then into the freezer for future meals.
3. I’ve been killing weeds in the dividing lines of my driveway with boiling water. It works like a charm and costs nothing except the time to boil a pot of water. I also use it on the beds that are covered with large chunks of basalt. Those sharp rocks tear up my gloves and a dose of boiling water kills the pesky weeds that crop up.
4. I got a last minute call to fill in at a community game night, usually it costs $5.00 to play, but if you are a substitute it is free. I got to see friends and neighbors and had a good time, plus enjoyed yummy snacks.
5. Remembered to take time to call to check on friends who have had health issues. It costs me nothing, not even the (ever increasing) cost of a stamp. It is a blessing for both of us.
Thanks for the reminder about boiling water. I have a couple places where I do not want weeds. Crabgrass in particular. The rest of my weeds I am actually cultivating for my chickens to eat.
You can also buy what is called gardener’s vinegar. It is much more acidic than the usual vinegar and kills weeds pretty well. Lowes carries it, last I checked.
Be sure to take care with vinegar idif your pathways are real stone instead of brick or concrete. Vinegar will damage stone and slate.
My house has slate, marble and granite in it, and cut slabs of crab orchard stone for the outside walks. Can’t use vinegar on any of it, but boiling water does work a treat on weeds.
Thank you for the reminder about boiling water for weeds, I might try that on my parking strip which is weed-a-palooza!
I wonder if boiling water would kill invasive bamboo. We have it on a banking overlooking a cove in back of our house. When it gets tall, it blocks the view. A mixture of vinegar, salt and a drop of dish detergent keeps it low but I would love to get rid of it altogether. Whatever I put on it trickles into the cove so I have to be very careful.
I’m not sure anything kills bamboo, except maybe a herd of pandas. At my previous house the next door neighbor had planted it and I watched it march inexorably to my yard all the time. One stalk pierced the stone patio I had over there.
I am a selective user of Round-Up but if bamboo was an issue, I’d be all in.
https://roundup.com/en-us/specific-weeds/how-to-get-rid-of-bamboo-in-your-landscape.html
Invasive plants are quite the pain in the posterior.
I have been known to mutter about Agent Orange when dealing with bamboo.
I might have to rent some Pandas!
Call US Customs and ask what the tariffs are currently on 8-10 pandas.
Leaving aside the legal and ethical and practical problems of owning pandas (all pandas on earth legally belong to China, including ones in zoos), it would be a fun business to have. “Bamboo problems? Our troop of pandas will get rid of your problem adorably!”
Whoa, that’s a pretty expensive little teddy bear!
Yet it’s a Steiff with the original tag, which makes it collectible.
Nice! I should probably put fake plants in the flower bed in front of my house. It’s a difficult spot because it gets full sun, and also because it is adjacent to the sidewalk near a dog park, so whatever I plant there gets doused in dog pee. I don’t understand dog owners who let their dogs pee on flower beds, when there’s a fire hydrant steps away. Rude. I wish there was some sort of magical fake plant designed to make the pee splash up onto the dog owner. Don’t get me started on the baggies that litter my neighborhood. It must be the MAGA dog owners!
Yesterday, I curb picked a sweatshirt in my daughter’s favorite color. It had a stain on the front, which is probably why it was up for grabs. After an overnight soak in oxiclean, the stain is gone. Yay!
I saw some light fixtures on the curb, but they weren’t my style. Katy has all the luck!
I went to Trader Joe’s to get eggs and saw that there’s still a huge rack of the viral mini tote bags. There was a sign that was supposed to say, “Limit 2 per customer”, but one of the employees had altered it to say, “Limit 12 per customer”. Portland is great that way.
Stain removal skills are such a frugal super power, well done!
I saw that Trader Joe’s still had a crate of the mini totes yesterday and their sign said “Limit 8 per customer!”
@Katy – EIGHT is the limit – wow.
I’m betting that the Portland Trader Joe’s will give them away free at some point.
I love it when I make an unexpected sale of something that’s been waiting a while.
1. I followed up on an order that was shipped and never arrived. I ended up getting a full refund of the original amount and placed a new order where they waived the shipping fee. If this one actually gets here, I will have saved nearly $10 over what I originally paid.
2. I stocked up on several pantry staples that were on sale last week.
3. I also shopped at the dollar store for groceries, which I don’t normally do, but I found some good deals there. I was particularly impressed that they had good quality jam for a third of the price of other store brands. I also got my Easter candy there for a very low price.
4. I baked my own bread, biscuits, and muffins. I also made a meal plan for the next few days that will use up some odds and ends before I buy any more groceries.
5. I reused ziploc bags for my baked goods and large shipping bags for trash can liners, and I used every inch of a piece of scrap paper to write lists on before recycling it as a bookmark.
Homemade bread, biscuits and muffins? Your house must smell amazing!
FMFT, Miscellany Edition:
(1) We’re having a light spring snow this morning–the last, I hope. But to cheer myself up, I moved 22 “Cut and Come Again” zinnia seedlings from their starter container into two eight-packs and a six-pack that I’ve fished out of recycling bins over the years and sterilized. (In our county, those aren’t supposed to go into the recycling anyway.)
(2) And I may light myself a fire in the woodburner this afternoon, now that my broken rib has healed and I can haul a load or two of wood up from the old attached garage.
(3) At Wegmans yesterday, in addition to picking up two prescriptions and returning $6.50 worth of NY State deposit bottles and cans, I was delighted to find another package of “salmon trim for stock” at $2.99/lb. But the heck with stock: There’s enough meat on these babies to make the purchase well worth it for Fun with Salmon, so I’m decadently treating myself to a day of it. I had some gently sauteed salmon scraps by themselves with a banana on the side for breakfast; I’m having more of the same with some sliced tomatoes and a piece of toast for lunch; and I’ll probably do some more for scrambled eggs with salmon and spinach for dinner. Just call me Ms. Kodiak Bear. 🙂 And all this should send my omega-3 levels through the roof.
(4) I got my NY State check for $40 for my one day down at the courthouse talking my way out of jury duty on March 27. I’ll try not to spend it all in one place. 😀
(5) And I just got a call from the home care aide that my NDN has gotten to know and trust: The aide has just persuaded NDN into (a) having a shampoo and (b) getting a load of laundry done! I’m over the moon!
Love “Fun With Salmon!”
You are the best NDN.
Fun with salmon is awesome, and that your NDN is agreeable to a shampoo and laundry is the best news!
Your #5… so great to hear. I don’t know why folks with cognitive decline fight the help being offered but I’m sure slowly losing their independence has a lot to do with it. They must be trying so hard to hold onto it. Glad things are starting to shift a little.
Speaking of the experience with my mother – the person is just *not* running on all 8 cylinders (yes showing my age). I truly don’t think s/he has any clue about losing independence, they just don’t have a clue and don’t know why. It sucks, it sucks the big one. I truly hope if that is my fate, I am able to recognize it early enough to end my life on the upside of dirt on my own terms.
I agree with your last statement Selena. If it’s my fate, I’m hoping for something shorter and gentler to take me to the other side. I watched my father sink into it and it’s not something I would wish on anyone. Okay friends, enough sad talk from me!
The jawbreaker term for what Selena is referring to is “anosognosia,” or unawareness of one’s own decline. It’s an aspect of the various dementias and of other neurological disorders.
And if anyone thinks I want to go the way my DH went–only with no loving partner to help me through it–they’ve got another think coming.
1) DH’s 16 year old Sonicare toothbrush broke, and he wanted another Sonicare due to his perfect dental record. He tried to buy it last week and I sent him to put it back on the shelf since I knew it would be $30 off this week. For $32.33 I figured he could use a free dentist toothbrush for a week. The manual toothbrush will now be pressed into service to scrub gunk around sink faucets.
2) One of my dogs now needs to eat soft food. After looking at canned food (both the price and the ingredients) I started hydrating his kibble in the morning and pureeing it at night in a small thrifted food processor — it’s much cheaper than wet food and he is really healthy on this specific kibble. This stopped his random food regurgitation. Wanting an easier method for travel, I found out a brand that sells “dehydrated” dog food that is soft and ready to eat in 3 minutes after adding water. I decided to try whirring the dry kibble in the food processor, then rehydrated it with hot water and waited 3 minutes — it worked perfectly! Not only will it be easier for travel, but easier at home as well. I whirred up several batches of pulverized dry kibble and stored it in an empty protein powder container (DS is an elite competitive athlete and while I usually give away the containers on BN, I had saved one just last weekend). His high quality kibble costs us 47¢ per day, switching to canned would have been $4 per day, and the dehydrated food would have been $5 per day!
3) After a very busy and exhausting 5 days of racing and volunteering, I cooked dinner using food from the freezer rather than agreeing to DH’s suggestion that we eat out. DS was too tired too enjoy a restaurant meal anyway. The guys had tater tots and vegan corn dogs, and I had some leftover beef with my tots. Total cost was about $7. The chain burger restaurant DH wanted to go to would have been $70 even drinking plain water. I’m not against eating at restaurants to celebrate some special occasions, but this was not the case.
4) I read two books on Libby: Earth Abides, which Katy recommended, and The Spellshop, which was a cozy read. I also borrowed several paper books from two different libraries (I have access to both my city library and my county library system).
5) One of my favorite pillowcases was frayed at the corners, so I sewed a new seam. The pillowcase is now 1/2” shorter, which isn’t noticeable, and should provide a few more years of service.
That is so smart with your dog food!
Does anyone remember when I bought a used Sonicare handle off eBay in 2022? We’re still using it.
https://thenonconsumeradvocate.com/five-frugal-things-567/
Heads for my son’s 20ish year old Sonicare are $10-18 each, change every three months. Horrors! Every time I think of doing the frugal math and getting a new one, (with the smaller heads), I find some heads on clearance, either name brand or store generic.
Would appreciate NOT having this cost.
It’s big trash pickup week in our neighborhood. So I got:
1) 2 heavy duty tomato cages which I schlepped home on my dog walk.
2) the next day I found a child’s bike which I wheeled home for my husband to refurbish
3) and the next day I found a tween size bike which I also wheeled home. My husband refurbishes used bikes for the refugee community in our city.
4) not frugal for me, but I’m dog sitting out of town for my daughter and her husband while they travel. It’s a little silent retreat for me.
5) I didn’t alienate any of my friends or neighbors
Love your #4! Not only are you getting a silent retreat, but you’re saving them the cost of a dog sitter!
Your husband sounds like a real keeper!
He is!
What a lovely man! I’m retired, and live in sub tropical Brisbane Australia. When A large group of refugees were released into community housing after years of detention in Nauru, before being allowed medical evacuation iti Australia, I asked if any would like bikes, and half a dozen said “ Yes, please!”. I was able to find donors, and bought bike locks and helmets to gift with them. Free transport, healthy exercise, and enabled continuing connection with fellow refugees..Outdoors exercise is great for depression, pretty much standard in refugees, and NOT losing friends, again, is SO important for them.
Kudos @Coral Clarke – more people should have empathy and compassion for those whose lives have been through the ringer (for lack of a better description). Especially when it comes to minor children – they had no choice in the matter.
I have taken a pause on shopping for most things and instead have been decluttering. I am slowly reclaiming my space to give myself more peace of mind.
1. This week I gave away about 50 frangi pangi/plumeria plants. This will help regreen my neighborhood (and clean up my yard). I also gave away some spider plants and jade plants.
2. I gave a bag of my son’s too small t-shirts to a friend with younger and smaller sons.
3. I brought a bag of adult clothes to goodwill.
4. I cleaned out my bathroom closet and let go of a box of candles to a neighbor who likes them.
5. I avoided the grocery store for most of the week. However, I will make up for it now that Easter is upon us. =)
I love that you’re regreening your neighborhood! That’s a great perspective!
FFT – winter sports and spring allergies edition!
1. Spent a long weekend in Utah to ski before all the snow melts. Stayed with my cousins for no cost. Splurged on their dinner at our one fancy dinner night as thanks.
2. Skiied all resorts we have access to on our pass. By my DH’s calculations I have used $1300 over the value of the pass this season. Not too shabby!
3. Flew standby on DH’s airline for free.
4. Ate breakfast and lunch at home/brought along to avoid resort prices.
5. Not frugal – got bronchitis from sneezing and coughing at all the things I’m allergic to in Utah in April. Frugal – made chicken soup from some tired carrots, onions, and parsley that survived the weekend in the fridge and chicken out of the freezer. I am on the mend!
1. I had jury duty yesterday in a city about 18 miles away, the city I grew up in. The first parking garage I came to offered parking at $7 a day. Being the frugalist I am, I drove around the block to check out the other two garages. $15 at each of them. So back to the $7 deal.
2. They offered free bottles of water at the courthouse.
3. I didn’t get picked and was dismissed at 10:45 am. Driving home on the highway took me right by Market Basket, the least expensive grocery store around. I popped in to pick up some needed items.
4. The fitted sheet on our bed ripped beyond my ability to mend it. Normally I would try but this was bad, huge. DH thinks it’s his rough heels but I’m pretty sure it’s his toenails! Sorry if this is TMI. Anyway, I’m glad I saved the bottom sheet of another set in which the top sheet ripped. Who cares about colors matching? No one sees them but us. Now we have a whole set again.
5. I did not defy the Supreme Court.
Christine, I will say this for my one day of jury duty (or, rather, talking myself out of jury duty): We were offered a jurors’ discounted rate of $4.50 for the whole day at our county’s convention center’s parking garage. So my net gain for the day was $40 – $4.50 = $35.50. As noted earlier, I’ll try not to spend it all in one place.
Nice that NY state gives you $40 for showing up for jury duty. Massachusetts doesn’t offer that, unfortunately. I’m happy to do my part but I wouldn’t turn down $40 either! Or in your case, $35.50!
I call my husband Edward ScissorToes for the damage his nails do to bedding.
Yes! That name definitely applies to my DH too. LOLing over that one Lindsey!
I wonder if you folk with rough footed partners can convince them to wear sox in bed?
Getting ready to move some furniture to new abode. Next door neighbor loaned us his trailer. Husband has a truck w/ hitch & a friend who is strong as an ox. We are set (I hope). Will furnish home with furniture we already own & thrifted items from curb picking, next door neighbor, and donations from my BFF.
1. Made pudding out of milk that was at the end of its lifespan. Chocolate pudding mix will cover a multitude of sins.
2. Defrosted some Dover sole and cooked it in a little leftover wine, chopped it up and made fish tacos with tortillas and a quick cabbage slaw from ingredients I had. So good.
3. I moved my EBay stock out of my office and sorted out some items, then took over the sunroom upstairs with all of my stock. The light is good and I can take better photos up there. I continue to mail out orders using packaging I have received/recycled.
4. I’m on day 94 of my free German lessons through Duolingo. I don’t care if I have to listen to ads. I tried their one week free no-ad version, which they promised they will tell you two days ahead so you don’t get charged? They didn’t tell me and they charged me for a year anyway. I fought it and got my money back. Don’t fall for their shenanigans!
5. I am delighted to find my various tomatoes sprouting, as well as herbs and veggies, like my brand new asparagus sprouts. I cannot wait for all the food I’m going to eat this year that I grew myself.
This morning I cleaned the inside of the fridge, which turned up three slices of bacon that I chopped up and added to my lentil soup. Also grated and froze a few ounces of extra sharp white cheddar no one was eating. It’s really good mixed with a little mozzarella on a homemade pizza.
It’s pollen season here, which due to the mountains, forests and being in a river basin, means the entire world outside looks like someone shook a can of mustard powder over it. I spent three hours today dusting all the furniture, doors, and blinds in the house with disposable dusters, which I wash out and hang up to dry for reuse. The first dump of wash water off them was green with pollen, and that’s from the inside of the house. Mercy!
There’s a spot on the edge of our mid-century laundry room sink where the white enamel is worn away. Every so often I touch it up with white nail polish from Dollar Tree. Today was that day. It will last for months.
Also washed all my cloth shoes this morning, stuffed them with cotton cleaning rags to restore the shape and let them dry outside in the sunshine,
Ruby, I get it about your local pollen season. My #1 sister suffered horribly from allergies–so much so that my dad chopped down a tree in our yard that he and my mom thought was causing these, but even that didn’t work. I’m sure that the pollen situation there is even worse than it was back in the 1960s. And the unusual topography of our city as you describe it doesn’t help either.
That was before there were really any antihistamines — your poor sister! It’s just awful now. My nose burns constantly and I keep mopping and rinsing the porches to keep pollen from being tracked inside.
My sweet little longhaired dachshund and our awesome male cat both developed horrible allergies after we moved here 13 years ago. They both had to get custom allergy shots from a veterinary allergist.
That nail polish trick is epic.
Katy, please say more about how you handle not having running water upstairs?!
Our one bathroom is downstairs.
@Katy – be grateful that the facilities are on the main floor. Far easier to turn an area on the first floor into sleeping quarters then adding a bathroom (even if 1/2 bath and if that, do at least a 3/4 handicap). There are a huge number of farm houses in my area with only 2nd floor bathrooms.
I need a john on every level. I need to go twice a night like clockwork and me + groggy + stairs = NG.
Often, the bathroom was added later, and was upstairs for the family. Guests could use the little building outside, a friend with an older house told me.
1. Only one spend day this week (groceries and fuel).
2. Prepared some thrifted, vintage crap I am taking to our flea market booth in May. This will be our second time doing the flea and we made out really well the last time. Turns out people like weird stuff and I have a lot of weird stuff I am letting go!
3. Doing a lot of decluttering in preparation of getting the house ready for the market (not sure when but I feel the winds calling that change is coming). I am planning to give the bedrooms (especially my older teen’s room) a fresh coat of paint.
4. Hmmm, I am struggling with my 5 today. It’s becoming so ingrained to be frugal, it’s hard to pick them out. 🙂 I am doing the boring usual stuff like taking my coffee, water and lunch to work; staying home when I am not at work; not eating out: using what I have already; on and on…I am also not violating anyone’s rights and then disgustingly lying about it.
5. Started a new book that I picked from a neighborhood Free Little Library. It’s called Providence Noir and is a collection of short stories. I have a stack of books to take around to the LFLs on my village walks.
1. Partner and I walked to a municipal building (1.9 miles each way, but via a lovely bike path) so that he could get his new parking pass, and saved a $3.00 convenience fee. I had stupidly paid for mine yesterday, including the $3.00 convenience pay. I’ll get $0.94 back on the credit card, but still….
2. Tonight’s dinner was almost entirely free built around a mystery shop and free CSA box: farro, ramps, spinach, carrots, shiitake & oyster mushrooms, radishes. Tomorrow will also almost be free: burgers on English muffins & beet salad.
3. I indulged for an after-dinner snack on a small chocolate bar sent to me by my financial advisor.
4. Partner and I split the leftover pork bahn mi sandwich for breakfast. I’m not a big fan of “breakfast” food, so I was delighted. We ate it with free Satsuma mandarins that were in the free CSA citrus share.
5. I wore a hand-me-down sweater (thanks, mom!) along with patched pants, and sneakers that I got free from when the airline lost our luggage (for 10 days while on vacation), and I was able to replace the sneakers on the airline’s dime.
No offense but truth be told, I’d never think those are cattails.
Not been a frugal week but because we’re frugal, we had discretionary dollars for a fundraiser. Due to a literal luck of the draw, better half scored a prize worth about what we spent at the fundraiser. Plus I won one more silent auction item than expected due to someone scratching off his/her bid. I try to bid at least as much as the item is worth (or I think its worth). Not always successful but I’m not looking for bargains at a fundraiser.
Better half has had a good streak on buying marked down meats. Luxury of time which most don’t have.
Thanks for the link to your ebay! I’ve actually been wanting to ask you about it.
I just started listing on ebay and have been starting to feel disappointed that nothing has sold and the low views. Maybe it’s completely normal. My mother in law successfully sells high brand clothes and jewelry. She’s been helping me a lot and I know it might just take time. Any tips are welcome!
1) Finished picking up a few small items for the teens Easter baskets/eggs. I went to CVS, where I had a $10 reward, and a few other coupons. I also checked iBotta first, and added both the CVS cash back option, as well as the offer for Advil, which I needed to get.
2) Received our Costco rebate. I remove the cost of the membership fee from the value we get back (for tracking purposes), and was happy to add the $224 total side hustle/random money for the year.
3) We’ve eaten so many leftovers this week. We’ve also done a few splurge meals (one night of Greek takeout, and Subway, using gift cards). The Greek takeout yielded several extra lunches, and I kept the other half of my sandwich. I used a coupon at Subway as well.
4) Continued feeling out surveys on Prolific.
5) We received a couple of toll violations, despite having a FasTrak pass that was in our car. Filled out the appropriate forms to get those credited back ($25 in fees).
*4) – “filling” out surveys. 😉
First, I got rid of my Facebook account almost a year ago (too much time wasted on mindless scrolling, not enough human interaction). I never did have Instagram…wish there was a way to subscribe to this group by email. I stumbled on it by accident.
Five Frugal Things:
1. My husband and I STOPPED buying paper towels, paper plates, and paper napkins. Rags, regular dinnerware (there’s only the 2 of us, so washing dishes isn’t a big deal…no dishwasher), and cloth napkins for the win.
2. Rebate apps: I use the following mobile apps to save money: Cash Out, Fetch, Frisbee, Ibotta, Receipt Hog, Re eipt Jar, Receipt Pal, Trunow (gas only), and Upside (gas and restaurants). The rewards aren’t huge, but every little bit adds up over time. I leave it build as long as I can until I cash it in. Our supermarket also has an app for ecoupons.
3. Kitchen sponges: Rarely use them…I get the king that’s scratchy on one side and spongy on rhe other. When I do get them, I cut them in half. Twice as much sponge!
4. Foaming Hand Soap. I looked on line how to makemy own lfoaming hand soap from regular liquid hand soap. Makesa refill bottle of liquid hand soap go A LONG WAY!
5. Bar Soap: I don’t buy body wash, or shampoo (never did buy conditioner). Growing up in a poor family, we washed our bodies and our hair with bar soap. My husband and I both have our hair “clipper cut” and we cut each other’s hair. .another savings! Very easy to was short hair with a bar of soap. Lasts longer and costs less than body wash and shampoo!
A couple of bonuses:
6. Cut down on food waste. If we have leftovers from tacos (specifically taco seasoned meat, tomatoes and cheese), taco pizza is on the next day’s menu – just add a few slices of pepperoni, some diced onion and bell pepper…and of course more cheese! I just finished chopping broccoli to make broccoli salad for Easter dinner. Chopped the stalks up and put in a freezer bag in the freezer to use to make Wisconsin Cheese Soup for another meal. (Think broccoli cheese soup, but in addition to the broccoli, it contains carrots and cauliflower.)
7. TV: Got rid of it! Cable and Sattelite very expensive and you get a gazillion channels that only a handful are fit to watch. Also, my husband is psychiatrically disabled and many programs, particularly the news, negatively affects his mental health. About $1,800/ year saved!
Katy, I want to express my appreciation for you making your values known and standing by them as well as encouraging discussion of the mess we are dealing with in this country right now.
In this emergency, I don’t see how there is anything such as “nonpolitical” in speech or action.
Human rights are not “political.”
Agreed!
Here my five:
1. Went back to Aldi after a year (I had been grounded after a car accident; I finally have wheels again.) Anyway, I was blown away seeing low prices I had forgotten! I didn’t need much, but I got butter, flour, egg noodles and fresh mushrooms for less than $10.
2. Went to library and parked underground, which is always crowded, but free if you stay less than four hours.
3. Washed my car at the $3 car wash, which is now $7. At least I got free vacuuming, which is what I really needed
4. Bought birthday gifts for a friend at Goodwill for less than $12.
5. Picked up my beach pass — free — so I can walk there this summer and read on one of the benches.
We need one of those “like” buttons for this site!
So much to like in what people are doing and how they are navigating these scary times.
Happy Passover and early Easter to those who celebrate.
For our family Easter get together I made a eggless (vegan) chocolate cake which is our go-to cake. It’s moist with a great crumb and inexpensive to bake. Also made a whipped feta and charred scallion dip. Will be nice to enjoy with our DD,SIL and extended family.
Spring has not sprung here in central Maine but know it’s on its way but still running the pellet stove for part of the day. We heated entire house with 3 1/2 tons of pellets for the year and no oil Very satisfying.
Still making coffee at home, hanging laundry on the line or rack and batching errands. Works for us.
That dip sounds amazing!!!