Five More Frugal Things
by Katy on July 1, 2025 · 16 comments
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I went to Winco and dropped $99.12 on a tremendous amount of food. I won’t bore you with a specific list, but it included lots of produce, a bit of meat, a few treats, plus stock items such as salt, yogurts, cheeses, rice and bulk popcorn. The clearance shelf held nothing of interest, but I took a gamble on the Lindy’s brand Italian ices, as they were priced at $1.98 per six-pack! We gave them a try this evening and gave them an A minus.
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Popcorn may be dull, but it’s a straight up bargain all day long!
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I had a scheduled dental cleaning and asked the hygienist to give me “as many flosses as you’re allowed to give.” Two, the answer was two. Still better than one though.
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I met up with family at a restaurant across town, but left early to enjoy the library’s air conditioning and book selection. I arrived to find the branch was closed for renovations, which left me an hour-and-a-half early on a 93° day. I thought about depositing myself inside a cafe, but instead walked to a nearby park and located a shady bench. I had a book to read, but instead enjoyed an extended phone conversation with my older sister. I’m old enough to appreciate that long distance phone calls are no longer a financial splurge!
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I’m readying for Amazon Prime Day by reminding myself that Schmeff Schmezos has enough of our money and deserves not a penny more.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
1. I was able to source a couple things from Ebay that I would normally buy on Amazon. Not exactly frugal since it probably cost a few dollars more but worth it.
2. I sold enough items on Ebay last week to pay my electric bill and phone bill.
3. I’m going for a walk this morning with a friend. My free exercise and amateur therapy.
4. I printed out my Menards rebate receipts for the river rock I purchased online and picked up at the store. They now give you a year to send in your receipts, so I have a small collection started. I have a reminder in my phone for next year to send them all at once.
5. I’m doing all the usual things. Hanging my laundry to dry, mowing my own lawn, cleaning my own pool, reading library books, drinking coffee at home….
Awesome #2!
love pics of folks’ groceries / refrigerator contents–to see what I’m missing! ha
1. topped my homemade plain yogurt this morn with some clearance rack granola that I’m not crazy about but will eat anyway.
2. ate out with family last night & since it wasn’t my fav restaurant, I resolved to find the cheapest foods on the menu: a cup of chili and a sweet potato. I’m inspired to become a cheap date (wink) by reading back through posts of NCA Five Frugal Things. I’m at September 2017.
3. Micro-frugal: I made sure the faucet was turned to cold water before rinsing my hands.
4. I ran out of oat milk yesterday but just figured out I’m fine with water instead in my morning pick-me-up espresso/cacao drink. I’d talked myself out of running to the store & seems the wait will save me money daily in what I no longer buy.
5. I’m wearing an overshirt with a little butterfly brooch strategically placed to cover a small stain. otherwise perfectly fine shirt that I don’t want to ditch.
I loved your 3 and 5! Never would have thought of that!
That’s quite a Winco haul Katy. I saw Winco brand crackers at Grocery Outlet the other day. As far as I know Winco is not in the Mid-Atlantic region.
1. I cut another $3.99 watermelon. It’s still a lot of fruit but I will share with a neighbor. The rind went in our compost bin.
2. I was treated to lunch for some volunteer work that I did. It was a nice gathering with other volunteers. They are caring people and some of them really step it up in the volunteer department. I was seated next to somebody that also volunteer tutors at a shelter and works with an organization for ill children. We were encouraged to take home leftover food.
3. We cut back on the amount we donated to an organization that we are not as interested in supporting going forward. I think the funds can be better deployed elsewhere and DH has come to the same conclusion. It will not save us money but it feels like we will be better stewards of our money.
4. We watched Trainwreck: Poop Cruise on Netflix. I never imagined going on a mega cruise ship and after seeing the documentary I know my instincts are spot on. I was very turned off by the party, party, party atmosphere of passengers from the moment the cruise began. I won’t bring up what a poop show things were once the ship lost power.
5. It looks like I might have a lot of tomatoes this year. I love them but I am too cheap to pay for them at farmer’s markets and produce stands.
I considered Poop Cruise but I decided I’d be better off reaading, heh. I’ve been on once cruise (girls’ trip) and had a blast for a very low price so I’m open to another one day.
What else? I am taking part in an online focus group for our local electric company. When I signed up, I was told “up to $200” pay but since I’m online, I’m only getting $150 in an Amazon gift card. What was the game show where you got to pick out your prize and then the rest of the winnings was on a Spiegel gift certificate? As a kid, I had no idea what a Spiegel gift certificate was.
Main entertainment around here is watching my three dogs absolutely lose their minds pawing at a glass window while our resident baby bunny calmly sits and munches grass on the front lawn. I told the bunny to rub it in by lighting a bunny cigarette, but it did not.
@K D – no Winco on the eastern seaboard that I know of. I live in Pennsylvania. Closest Trader Joe’s are 1 hr and 45 minutes from me. I think there MIGHT be a Costco somewhere in PA, not sure. We mostly have Sam’s Club. No IKEA near here either.
https://www.amazon.com/How-Resist-Amazon-Why-People-Powered/dp/1648411231
I am proud to have resisted the lure of Amazon for several months. Last weekend’s extravagant display of excess (aka wedding) makes me even more resolved to avoid Amazon.
The book “ How to Resist Amazon” was an eye opener for me – particularly about its impact on the publishing industry.
I love that someone can buy a book titled “How to Resist Amazon” from Amazon!
1. Early morning walk for free physical & mental wellness, plus some refreshing cool air.
2. On walk, I found a $5 bill on side of road, rescued one camp chair with storage bag from park pavilion trash that needs minor stitch repair & collected 13 aluminum cans ($0.10 deposit/each).
3. Free lunch at library for kids today, in addition to enjoying outstanding free program & connecting with stellar staff at historic air conditioned building before heading to free beach with crisp cool water.
4. Closing windows, using blackout shades & sun zero curtains (all came with house) to block sun for high temps today. This easy task typically keeps our south facing, no shade house to about 72-75 degrees.
5. For too hot to heat up the kitchen for dinner, kids will claim free pizza (first of three/kid) from BookIt program for summer reading & we’ll pick it up on route home from outing today. Spouse & I will have refried beans from freezer stash with pantry supplies. Dessert will be free pint of frozen custard from local business for my donating blood the other week.
I’m glad the Bookit program is still going! My kids took part when they were in school, and they are in their forties today! One is a great reader and the other “wishes he had time.” Thanks for prodding nice memories!
1. I ordered my free OTC products via my Medicare Advantage plan — coq10, Always Discreet, and Beano.
2. Until the pads arrive, I will use cloth substitutes, since I’m out. Old washcloths. With frequent changes, I think it will work.
3. Heading to Aldi today to spend $20 on groceries. On the same trip I will return library books and check the little free pantry.
4. Used up leftovers last night to make a macaroni salad — Mac & cheese, peas, mayo, pepperoncini. Will have another serving today.
5. Calculated my spending for the month of June. Despite paying for passport renewal and Geek Squad services, I came in under budget overall.
FMFT, More NYC Stuff Edition:
(1) On Friday morning 6/27, JASNA BFF was babysitting again, so I did a little walking and thrifting by myself. I hit two Housing Works shops (the one at 96th and Broadway and the one on Columbus Ave. in the 70s); several interesting misses but no hits. I also stopped by Apthorp Cleaners on Amsterdam Ave. in the 70s, which always has a window display of vintage Barbie (and friends) dolls doing various things. The current theme was, appropriately, summer fun.
(2) I then met up with BFF and a mutual JASNA friend at the New York Historical (formerly the New-York Historical Society). This is one of the few NYC museums where BFF is not a member, but the friend very kindly got me in for free with her membership. Highlights included the exhibit of photos and memorabilia titled “The Year of Flaco” (the Eurasian eagle-owl who thrilled raptor fans worldwide between his escape from the Central Park Zoo and his death), where we had the unexpected privilege of meeting two of the eight contributing photographers. (This wasn’t a scheduled event or anything; they just showed up with a bunch of family and friends!) And the display of Tiffany lamps on the top floors was jaw-dropping.
(3) Apart from our lunch at the NYM cafe with this friend, our lunch on Thursday (after our morning visit to the Morgan) with another friend at the Scandinavia House cafe, and our dinner on Thursday night, BFF and I ate all our meals in.
(4) The train home was at full capacity, so it wasn’t as enjoyable as the train down, where I had a seat to myself the whole way. However, the family in the row behind me (two kids directly behind me, and Mom and Grandma across the aisle) provided the following free diversion:
Kid 1: Let’s ride this train all the way to Niagara Falls. I want to go swimming.
Mom: No. We don’t have our swimsuits, and they won’t let you go swimming at Niagara Falls anyway. It’s dangerous. Some guy went over Niagara Falls in a barrel once and got killed.
Kid 2: What’s a barrel?
(5) Finally, as I have now been a proud Amazon boycotter for two years now, I can safely say I did not contribute one red cent to Schmeff Schmezos’s bloated and tasteless Venetian circus of a wedding.
1. Have laundry in the “solar dryer” and praying it dries before the forecasted storm arrives this afternoon.
2. Frugal Save: While removing laundry from washer, found a tinted lip balm stick in the bottom of the washer. Cap was tight, no red tint on clothes.
3. A loaf of homemade bread rising in the toaster/convection oven.
4. Still using slivers of bar soap towash my hair.
5. Stopping at salvage yard to cash in aluminum cans (mostly free from friends…we don’t have canned beverages often) and the recycling center to turn in plastic, glass, cardboard, paper, and tin. Also stopping at thrift store to look for a metal tray big enough to set our coffee maker in. It kerps leaking (and I think it’s because my husband is filling it too full). Coffee maker still works, so going to keep using it.
Lucky number 2!!! Whewww!
My Great Aunt always made popcorn using bacon grease. It’s a game changer!!!
Rebuilt the fly swatter using 2 pieces of gorilla tape.
Sent in the forms to go on DH’s health insurance. Used my free, puddle stamps. Mine is terrible, so hopefully this will fill in the holes until I quit my job this winter. Gearing up to quit my off farm job this winter. Working two jobs is wearing. My son is 7, I want to participate in his growing up. It sucks coming home just in time to tuck him in, saying hello to DH, and then heading out to do evening chores until my bedtime. Up the next morning before DS rises and chore again. DH takes him to daycare.
Paying extra on farm note.
Elsa the cow calved yesterday! I told her she was doing a great job, she does not need my approval and was unimpressed by my praise. Her twin sister Happy, has a swollen foot and will be doctored today. I checked it last night, hoping it was a turned ankle, it does not appear to be. She will need antibiotics.
Landlord called and offered to let me gaze his wheat crop residue. The man who plants crops on that half of the farm isn’t going to put it in soybeans this year. Rode the 4 wheeler over to scout it out. Looks like it has a dandy crop of summer annuals peeking through the stubble, plenty of water, and the fence is workable. Trying to decide how many extra head it will feed and where to source them? Markets are all shut down for the holiday, so I’ve got time to think. I really need to come up with a least cost solution!
Brought home some more dumpster derived plywood. Removed the screws and stored.
Today’s project is to repair the range shelter for the meat birds. I shouldn’t have to purchase anything.