Five More Frugal Things
by Katy on July 9, 2025 · 73 comments
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My friend texted asking if I’d water her garden, as she’s in NYC and the person who’d agreed to do so backed out at the last minute. She doesn’t live too far away, so I let her know I was happy to lend a hand.
I then offered to connect her with my sister, who works with the American Museum of Natural History. It turns out that it’s a full family trip and my sister was able to hook her up with eight free tickets, which’ll save her $328! As I’ve written before, I love saving money but I especially love when I can help other people save money!
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My sister and I took a long evening walk through the neighborhood. There were lots of people hanging out at the local bars and restaurants, but we were happy to just get out of the house without spending any money.
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We invited our mother over for an afternoon of Scrabble and snacks, which was great fun. We munched on crackers and cheese; hummus, pretzels and spicy pickles. All from the fridge and pantry, but still tasty.
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I helped myself to a handful of raspberries from my friend’s garden when I went over to water her plants.
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I continue to live my life without sending my money to that Schmeff Schmezos guy!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
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Awesome save on great NYC tickets for your friend!!!
1. I just ate a cold baked bean sandwich for breakfast and leftover potato salad. My reasoning is that there is an egg or two in my homemade potato salad. Also, The British have baked beans (I think) for breakfast sometimes so I thought why not? It uses up leftovers.
2. I walked 30 minutes in my neighborhood late yesterday evening.
3. I brought a pbj sandwich for lunch along with grapes.
4. I cut my hair. I did a better job than last time which was the worst haircut I have ever given myself in the 13 years I have been cutting my hair.
5. I slept with my windows open (they are screened because mosquitoes will eat you alive) and the air off. I had a fan going with a frozen water bottle in front of it. My goal is to use my new air conditioner as little as possible. That is not easy with temps of 94 and a heat index between 100 and 105.
Our air conditioning quit during an awful heat wave a dozen years ago. Our elderly dog was in his final illness and we kept him comfortable with a fan blowing on huge bowl of ice right across from his bed. He was a smart boy and stayed in his own cool zone.
The British eat more baked beans than the rest of the world combined. But the beans have to be served hot on hot toast. If desired, you can sprinkle cheese on top and then melt it under the broiler for 30 seconds or so.
You may or may not butter the toast, and the British love their version of Heinz baked beans which is totally meh to me, used as I am to delicious American baked beans.
It’s certainly a matter of taste because I was raised on British baked beans and I can’t develop a taste for American baked beans.
Along the lines of British food, my health-nut mother was absolutely horrified to see that I’m England the highly nutritious meal of canned spaghetti -O’s on white toast was served to me in the hospital after I gave birth to my first baby. I guess one needs carbs, but that’s a meals that’s otherwise nutritionally void.
A British friend of mine told me that as her daughteir had done so well at her exams, her reward was her favorite spaghetti hoops on toast. Which made me think, how does toast improve the meal in any way? Also? THE WAR IS OVER.
Cold baked beans – what madness is this? As Rose said, baked beans, preferably Heinz, have to be eaten hot in the UK. Not just at breakfast time on toast, we have them for lunch or dinner with mashed potatoes and sausages or fish fingers, with chips (or if you must, fries), with pies, with fry-ups. Beans go with most hot meals. You are making me hungry lol.
Came to Australia as a 10 yearold in 1958( from Northern Ireland) and always assumed my favoured meal of mashed potatoes, sausages and baked beans must simply be be a familial preference, as Aussie friends thought it was odd, so now I see that it is, in fact, a UK thing! It was always a comfort meal for me.
All my life experience as a 77 year old tells me that starting the day with a healthy vegetarian breakfast is a good idea, so I had carrot cake, and I really think I’m feeling healthier already!
Thank you for the much needed laugh, Coral!!
Patricia
1) DH and I are sitting at the dealership where we bought our car. State inspection is FREE as long as we bring it here. They offer free bottled water, coffee, applesauce cups and strawberry jello cups, and pudding cups in the waiting room fridge, as well as fresh popped popcorn and fresh fruit while you wait. We brought our own coffee from home, so we’ll be sure to refill our coffee cups before we leave. The inspection isn’t due until the last day of August, but I can get it inspected as early as June 1 (2 months prior to the expiration date). I like to get it inspected early, so, if it doesn’t pass for some reason, we have time to get it fixed by our regular mechanic.
2) Because we’re near the local farmers market (which is only open on Wednesday’s), we’re going to stop there and see what they have to offer. I canned pickled beets for my husband last year as I hate beets. We bought a 25 lb bag of beets for $25 and I got 26 pints of beets that have lasted him a year. He just opened the last jar, so it’s time to replenish his stock. I have everything else I need at home. All I need is the beets…and time.
3) Passed a 7-11 on the way to the dealership where gas is $2.75. I also have $.10 off gas with my grocery store card, and, I can get a few more cents off by using the Upside app. Guess where we’re filling up our car on the way home? (Gas at home is $2.97.)
4) A good friend who doesn’t drive just moved closer to her daughter, about an 90 minutes away. She would periodically ask us for rides to appointments and such. She would either give us gas money or take us out to eat somewhere. I hate to say it, but I’m happy she moved. Less wear and tear on our car, which adds up to savings.
5) Our wedding cost us $2,000 tops. We’ve been married almost 31 years. The “wedding of the century” costing hundreds of thousands of dollars? I give it 5 years tops. What a waste!
Melissa, re: your #5, I repeat A. Marie’s Law of Wedding vs. Marriage: The happiness and stability of the marriage are in inverse proportion to the cost and general eclat of the wedding. DH and I got married in 1979 at my hometown county courthouse with only immediate family in attendance, and we never regretted it.
Melissa and A. Marie,
I agree 100% with A. Marie’s law of wedding vs. marriage, and I’ve been saying something similar myself for many years. Another case in point: Princess Di and then-Prince Charles’ wedding/marriage. Methinks they spent oodles of time and money planning the wedding, and hardly any planning the marriage. With predictable results.
On the other hand, my parents married in a preacher’s study during WW2 after Mom ran away from her parents’ home and took a cross-country train ride to get to where Dad was stationed. No guests, just 2 attendants/witnesses and the preacher and his secretary, I think it was. Might have been his wife, not sure. That marriage lasted 55 years until Mom’s death did them part.
I had a cheap wedding in 1989 ($2000) and my husband dumped me in 2013.
I had a charming low-cost church wedding followed by a reception in my sister’s home, where we served punch and hors d’oeuvres we prepared ourselves. The marriage lasted 14 years and in hindsight I think he cheated on me the whole time. So you never know!
Im sorry…
We eloped in 1999 after 9.5 years of dithering. $63 for the license.
We got married by Scotland’s version of the Justice of the Peace. Back then (1983) you had to post your names in the town square for two weeks before the wedding. We had two witnesses, no one else. I had to stop the official twice to insist that the obey portion of the vows be removed before I would repeat them. We wore clothes we already had. No reception but our lovely landlords hosted a scrambled eggs with smoked salmon breakfast after the ceremony, for us, the witnesses, and them. They had also given me a bride’s bouquet to take to the municipal building for the wedding—an old horseshoe with purple heather tied to it.
Hundreds of thousands? Costs have been estimated at $50 million.
I haven’t been paying close attention to tje amount. My parents were married just DAYS after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in December, 1941. Dad was in the Army. His leave wasn’t going to be granted initially; however it was granted with thd condition he was on 24-hour alert. Married in my patetnal grandparent’s living room. Grandparents, pastor & wife, 2 witnesses. My parents were married 34 years before dad passed in 1976. I showed up a week before their 22nd anniversary (when my oldest sister was a sophmore in college and my other sister was a junior in high school).
And, yes, I agree. Couples plan for the moment of “stardom”, but not for the life that follows.
I don’t know. I’ve always found the cheaper the wedding, the better the marriage pretty simplistic.
My parents had their Wedding of Shame with no guests and random witnesses. (I was always envious of friends who had elaborate framed pictures of their parents’ wedding in their living room. Now I find it tacky, TBH.) They were happily married for 53 years. My maternal grandparents were married for 52 years but they bickered and fought nonstop. My grandfather’s last words, to his wife, was “Get the hell away from me.”
So you know, I hate generalizations and I don’t think a lengthy marriage automatically implies happiness. Nor do I think a divorce implies unhappiness since I was always happy in my marriage. Life just isn’t that simple.
Re 4. I completely understand. I love helping people, but it can have general wear and tear tax on you as a person and with your time.
We are married 37 years today. Not an expensive wedding: The luxury I wanted was a feather plume pen for the guest book, which was a nicely bound book I had used for other things as well. It was nice, not expensive. The table decorations were branches from the cotoneaster bushes in my parents’ back yard which sister cut, and of course, Mom’s church lady friends served the afternoon reception.
It is about the people, not the event.
The wedding license cost something like $20, but required a tax of $40 that went into a fund for battered women. Not sure if that was progressive or sad or just one of those subtle reminders of the life one is committing to. Don’t know if Minnesota still requires that.
Our 44th wedding anniversary was last Sunday. We got married in our friends living room with a mariachi band and home made food. Still going strong.
Love the mariachi band!
The waste of all that money. This isn’t the “golden age” ,as billionaires built great things and stayed out of politics. I don’t buy a thing from shmezos. I believe that marriage will end sooner than later. I wanted a backyard wedding, but my mom dreamed of a church wedding. He passed 2.5 years later and I absolutely cherish those memories! Of course my wedding cost roughly 2000.00 not 60 million!
Very well done on helping your friend with the museum savings! That is an absolutely huge win for her!
1) Made caprese for dinner last night, using basil & tomatoes from our garden. (The mozzarella was from Costco, alas.) Always a delicious seasonal dish.
2) Our insurance cards came. These ones are odd, and have all four of our names on the same card, and only two arrived. There are four of us on the plan, so I went online & ordered an additional card for everyone. This way, the teens can keep one in their wallet, and DH will also have one. The dental insurance card also arrived, which is great, as I’d just scheduled everyone for cleanings. (We were paying for COBRA, but had opted to skip dental coverage for a few months.) Dental maintenance is long term frugal!
3) Picked strawberries, grape tomatoes & regular tomatoes from the garden.
4) Avis found DS18’s Air Pods, which he left in the rental car last week. He is paying for them to be shipped back ($35, which includes their transit company, etc). Not frugal to lose your stuff, but definitely a smarter investment than buying new ones.
5) Used tomatoes, basil, & jalapenos from the garden in DH’s daily salad.
5)
@Hawaii Planner – My daughter arrived in Honolulu last night. Sent me a picture of her “large fry” from McDonald’s and said it was the equivalent of a small fry here in the continental 48. I said, well, you wanted to lose some weight, so…
Oh yes, the food in Hawaii is so pricey! I mean, it makes sense with the cost of transportation, but it’s still painful. (We are in California, btw, but had originally dreamed of retiring in Hawaii, hence the blog name.)
DS18 is heading to Hawaii for his senior trip this morning, and they have a plan to keep food costs under control. Let’s see how they do. They do have one teen who cooks, which should really help.
OOF! Just finished reading “Careless People” about faCEBOOK, from my free clooud library. Absolutely made me want to immediately delete my profile and account,BUT I don’t know how to stay up to date with some social groups I belong to that ONLY use fb groups to communicate events,dates,volunteer activities,etc.So I went into my ipad settings and amde it so I can only go on fb for 30 minutes per day and I am NOT going to POST there anymore. READ THE BOOK! Not really all new info but very sobering none-the less.
I have a book on hold by Scott Galloway about the other “big” companies we all are trying to avoid.. not sure I can handle it..but I must!
It’s hard to consider all these things we never had to think about. .FB and elections, google and lack of payment of taxes, all the lack of privacy.. I am not sure just what to do.. but am being very mindful lately….. I have to say my husband hates driving and he uses amazon to purchase all his supplies for household repairs, pool maintenance, etc.. I am not shopping for much besides groceries,so I have no need..
Your evening of playing games and snacks is my FAVORITE way to have a good time right at home!!!!
I too read Careless People and it made me want to do the minimum with Facebook. You sometimes need to use it to look things up but I do not intend to put anything personal on it.
I remind myself that no matter what these companies think they know about me, they know far, far less than any village postmistress a hundred years ago, and she knew much less than those around us knew for most of human history.
Still hate it.
If your husband is open to the concept, suggest he use Amazon to search for the items he needs, then go to the manufacturer and see if he can order the same item direct. From what I am finding, usually I can get a discount coupon somewhere and the price is often the same. Also, encourage him to check the local hardware store and see if they have a delivery option. Doesn’t hurt to reduce the use of the A-word for actual purchases, even if you can’t find everything.
However, it does take a bit more commitment and mindfulness to not take the easy route.
This morning I carefully mended a tiny hole in the toe of a much loved pair of gray canvas sneakers. I just about live in those shoes because they go so well with my summer clothes.
I recently joined the local Buy Nothing Group, but so far nobody wanted anything I had. Today, however, somebody needed a hard cone for their cat who had an eye injury. We had a cone which our cat refused to wear (but recovered anyway). She came by to pick it up. The whole transaction took 15 minutes and was accomplished before 7 in the morning!
What a great introduction to this group. Thanks for introducing me to it, Katy.
Yay, I’m so happy that your cat cone has a second life!
I also recently joined my Buy Nothing Group, and right away, a panicked mother on Sunday night, needed a shoebox for her kinder child’s school project the next morning. I could so relate to this mother and offered a shoebox as my first ‘give.’ Her husband drove across town to get it, so I left two boxes on my porch.
1. I’ve been bit by the decluttering bug and I’m trying to ride the wave for as long as possible before I get overwhelmed or exhausted by it. So far I’ve purged our very excessive blanket collection and have reached out to a group called Project Linus, they support kids who would otherwise go without a blanket; I’ve filled an entire Rubbermaid style tote of toys, my children haven’t noticed so far so fingers crossed haha there is a kids consignment shop about an hour away from me that I like to use when I have enough stuff to make the trip worthwhile; and I’ve gone through their clothes and added them to the consignment collection, a large diaper box FULL of stuff. I’ve also decluttered my own clothes, they’ll be donated to a clothing drive in the fall that hosts a $2 clothing sale that directly benefits Women’s Crisis Support Team which helps women in abuse situations. We’ve gone to the sale before and it is amazing. A warehouse size building turned into a $2 per item shopping spree.
2. My husband is inspired by my efforts and has some computers that he’s going to wipe and resell.
3. Made an easy dinner by heating up some prepped food from the freezer and have enough for lunch today!
4. Helping my sister-in-law look for a good deal on a toddler bed, trying to keep her from giving her money to shmezos.
5. Used a coupon and a 50% off sale to get a couple items from Old Navy to replace some of mine that are getting pretty threadbare, and some jammies in the next size up for my oldest daughter. I’ve discovered I only really wear the same couple of things over and over so I felt okay with getting two tank tops of the same color and some all black socks, yay for always matching socks! She’s been growing like a weed and jammies are always the first thing she outgrows.
Shyla – your #2, I wish you lived close to me. My laptop is still working, but dying a slow, painful death and a new one is nowhere in the budget currently or anytime soon. I could really use a better laptop (provided it is a PC, not Apple). I would cook for your family (for a very long time) in exchange.
This heat is killing me, I would absolutely LOVE for someone else to do my cooking! 😉
Tonight we are enjoying roast chicken without heating up the house at all-it’s out in the solar oven!
I’ve never used a solar oven before, that sounds genius!
I picked up a couple of tunic tops, quite cheaply, to refresh my summer clothes. The buttons are cheap and nasty. I am going to replace them with wood buttons, which, I think, will elevate the look.
I broke my 3d printed niddy noddy (for hand spinning) almost immediately. I have strengthened it with some duct tape and, hopefully, it will live a long life now.
No garden put in this year due to a country and house move, but I did sow a couple of pots of peas and they are a nice addition to our salads.
I was planning to have the last hard boiled egg in a wrap, for breakfast. Discovered that it had been consumed as a snack, so made do with the end of a bit of cheese and some mango chutney. I have completely rejected the idea of “breakfast foods” and just eat what I feel like. It wasn’t amazing, but I feel like frugal sometimes means eating the thing you have, even if it wasn’t your first choice!
Continue to socialize locally by hanging out at the communal tables and benches in the village green space. It’s free, there’s no pressure to drink alcohol, we bring snacks and it helps us feel more like a member of a community.
We recently left our snack bowl behind when we left. A neighbour took it for safe keeping then, as we were away, decided to take it on some adventures and record this for us, whilst messaging in real time! It was quite fun, and I might reciprocate at a later date.
Went to knitting group today. A blanket I made from a jacob sheep fleece (washed, spun, crochet), is going to be shown at a local stall highlighting local fleece. It was a huge project, so I am very happy it will see a larger audience.
Nicola, a big yes to “frugal sometimes means eating the thing you have, even if it wasn’t your first choice!” I love the snack bowl adventure story.
Nicola, your “cheap and nasty” in your first item reminded me pleasantly of a line from my all-time favorite BBC sitcom, “The Good Life” (or “Good Neighbors,” as it was called for some reason when PBS showed it here in the US). Margo Leadbetter, the next-door neighbor, proclaims an expensive frock she’s just bought “cheap and nasty” and gives it to Barbara Good–whereupon Tom Good puts it on the scarecrow he’s just constructed and Margo has a hissy fit. “Good” times!
And the blanket you mention in your last item sounds impressive indeed.
My mom started eating soup for breakfast as she got older. It was warm and filling and it’s so cheap to make! Plus she loaded hers up with vegetables.
1. Saved $10 filling up both of our vehicles with gas using a coupon for 20 cents off per gallon.
2. Received an extra local newspaper so I have an additional coupon for 20 cents off each gallon of gas.
3. Went out with friends for appetizers and drinks and one of them took care of the entire bill.
4. Helped a friend declutter her mom’s place and gave away many things on Buy Nothing. I took a nice basket and a purse to the consignment store.
5. Had a marathon baking/cooking session: Carrot walnut bread, peanut butter cookies, egg salad, roasted carrots, roasted potatoes, caramelized onion and carrot hummus, smoothies.
Oooo, what’s your carrot walnut bread recipe, if you don’t mind sharing?
Andrea, I would if I could! I just follow a basic zucchini quick bread recipe and substitute shredded carrots in place of zucchini.
I am completely appalled at the adult price for the AMNH. It does have pay as you will pricing but I bet a lot of people are too scared to plunk down a 20 and say, “Five please.”
We went there all the time when I was kid, and my kids and I went there all the time when the kids were little. (I remember my poor son getting scared of the Neanderthal Man diorama and also of the blue whale, even when I pointed out blue whales have baleen, not teeth.) It’s an amazing resource. My friend from Seattle said there were many more totem poles than she’d ever seen in her life there. Etc. (Son’s favorite exhibit was extinct giant mammals, like the Irish elk.)
Pay what you will is only for New York residents.
Hmmm….I guess if you can afford to go to NYC you can afford to pay? My main concern was the many New Yorkers who couldn’t afford the entrance fees, which is a huge shame with such an amazing resource on their doorstep.
Ugh. I wish all museums could be free and then people would visit them more. I have a friend who goes to London 15x a year or so and has never been to the British Museum. I nag him every time but he “isn’t a museum person.” FFS—-the Parthenon marbles! The Rosetta stone! Come ON. Take an hour out of your schedule and see some of the most important achievements of humankind!
@Rose I must say there is *something” about extinct species.
1. Watered the heck out of the herb garden before leaving on a short trip and came home to some beautiful plants. Good lesson in leaving them the heck alone!
2. Travel home last night prompted a takeout dinner plan – ate leftovers for lunch and supplemented with a small quesadilla out of ingredients in the fridge already. Stretching that expense was a relief.
3. Only shopped in thrift stores while abroad and found some real unique gems. I can’t wait for someone to compliment the vintage watch I got for $7 and say “Thanks, I got it in Scotland!”
4. Brought our water bottles on our trip to avoid paying for drinks out. Now that I’m back at work my trusty water bottle has one new sticker and is back in action on my desk.
5. Took the subway home from the airport to avoid taxi fares. I am fine biting the bullet on this when we have a ton of luggage but our carry on bags rolled onto and off the train just fine.
A reuse from Frugal Girl: The big house renovation project continues, so we are spending money as if someone were paying us to do so.
1. We did take our two free labor guys out for a fancy meal; since they are doing all the labor for free, we do want to treat them. They selected the restaurant and we ordered family style and there was SO much food leftover that we brought home two sets of leftovers, one big box for the dogs and four big boxes for the humans. We all ate leftovers for both meals the next day, so $154 at the restaurant was worth it.
2. We have been very careful to unwrap things so that the boxes are not destroyed and anything that does not work can be returned to Home Depot. There has not been a huge amount to return, but we have saved several hundred dollars that way.
3. Because we estimated things out and bought Home Depot gift cards before actually going there to shop, we have earned enough gas points for $1.25 off every gallon of fuel for the end of June, all of July and have a good start on August. And we got them during a 4X point sale, so even better.
4. If we could order an item on line (so things like painting supplies and the flooring we knew we wanted but not like lumber where you want the stuff with no knots), we did it through My Points, using gift cards, but also earning some My Points points for other gift cards available through My Points. We don’t make a huge number of points, but it all counts.
5. Husband has lost weight. There is a guy in his singing group that has gained weight and his performance shirts look like sausage casings. He was talking to my husband about how embarrassed he is but he feels like he needs to keep pulling at the front of his shirt to help his straining buttons not pop off, and the husband suggested they exchange shirts. It was the perfect solution and cost them each zero dollars.
LOVED the shirt exchange, Your husband obviously shares my belief that, if you want to live ina village, you need to sign up to be a founding member!
1. I am slowly making progress on my saving envelopes. Not a lot, but slow and steady.
2. My friend and I went to a walk at the paved walking path this morning before it got hot. I took her some of my flowers in a cute glass pop bottle.
3. Ate leftovers for lunch.
4. Found my granddaughter an Eric Carle book I had never seen in the LFL at the River Walk.
Pop bottles, extract bottles, and other food containers make really cute vases!
If I had a flower shop, I would have a collection for sale in empty medicine and vitamin bottles that would only cost a dollar or two, made with flowers cut off too short.
Before my mom died, she would often pick me bouquets from her yard and send them back to work with me when I had lunch with her. One of my most favorite things is a hot sauce bottle that I keep at work for random flowers that came from her.
Before my mom died, she would often pick me bouquets from her yard and send them back to work with me when I had lunch with her. One of my most favorite things is a hot sauce bottle that I keep at work for random flowers that came from her.
Heidi Louise, I think that is a delightful idea!
How lovely of your Mom to do so!
I just love reading everyone’s frugal endeavors. Thank you, all, for posting!
1. I am running low on my iron supplement. Target is having a sale, so I stocked up and got a nice little discount. I also managed to not buy anything else at all.
2. Leftovers for lunch today – a random assortment of a small helping of ramen, potato salad, and a small green salad.
3. My grandmother’s 94th birthday is next month. She doesn’t like doing much, and she doesn’t use consumables (she has soap that was gifted to her 10+ years ago, but she likes cats and plants. I found a vintage kitty planter on FB marketplace for $10 and I have a plant at home that I’ll pot for her.
4. My partner works for a dairy company and they were giving out free yogurt today. I had just added it to our grocery list, so that’s a huge win.
5. 2/3 of my outfit is again thrifted!
Flowers are also a nice idea for older ladies who put things away to save.
1. Went to my CVS which is closing and got some good deals on clearance items along with ECB and coupons. I spent .44¢ I got four bags of tortilla chips, a small bag of popcorn, a pack of gum, and a package of M&M’s. I walked too and from to save gas and get footsteps.
2. I redeemed a $5 reward from Shopkick and used it toward groceries.
3. I ventured to Target and found 1/lb of meat on clearance for $3.50 a package. I picked up three packages.
4. My DS16’s phone died and I am shopping around for the best price for a Google Pixel. Mint’s website listed them in the $700’s, Prime week however is finding them on Amazon between $4-500. Sadly Mr Schmeezo’s will likely get my money this week as I attempt to honor my budget this week.
5. I purchase special vitamins and am ordering a years worth in bulk at a steep discount compared to buying them at the doctor’s office. Still a hefty sum upfront, but not as much as if I bought them in smaller increments with an upcharge.
Being an adult is so exciting…
My Google Pixel 7A came refurbished from backstreet. Nice guarantee, nice price, nice phone. Good luck!
1. I Check my local Facebook groups in the AM. People often post their free piles! So I zipped out in the car to one about 10 blocks away. It was sooooo worth it.
I got, multiple stands of electric white Christmas lights. I use them in my porch all year long, Some battery twinkle lights, a small wooden stool, two small trash cans, two seasonal tablecloths (red/whitw/ and blue for summer and a fall one) , new in box. cuisine art coffee maker (retail $149, I’ll post it for sale), a heater that I’ll save for someone who needs it this winter, some storage containers, a box of tissues, a roll of paper towels, fabreez, two wooden crates for storage, I small plastic set of drawers, plastic ivy, and some other small things I can’t remember. I met a nice man also going through the free pile. We had a fun chat and we got to talk to the home owners that are moving. There was a lot more there but I just took a small amount. I’ll check back tomorrow to see if anything is left.
2. Dinner was rice with Japanese bbq sauce, salmon that was half off, roasted cauliflower and green beans. Very yummy! And I made chicken for hubby who is allergic to fish. All bought on sale or clearance. And there are leftovers!
3. Sold 2 dozen backyard eggs at $4 each. Gotta get those girls to earn their feed lol.
4. Hung laundry on the indoor line as it was rainy today.
5. Did not kidnap anyone off the street or terrorize children playing soccer.
1. Went to a doctor appointment today on the train, using my ride-free card.
2. Restrained myself from getting lunch at any of the cute little restaurants in the area.
3. While waiting for an overdue train home I walked in circles on the long platform. I am walking at least a half hour a day to earn rewards from my Advantage plan.
4. I checked the Coke machine that had $1.25 in the coin return last time. No dice today! But I didn’t buy a Coke.
5. Lunch at home was yogurt and a bowl of granola and raisins. Dinner will be a hard-boiled egg, pickles, and applesauce.
I love how much time you spend with those you love!
My frugal five are detailed here: https://practicalwalk.com/2025/07/09/frugal-five-8/
But the short version:
1. Bought cheaper pickets for a fence
2. Bought cheaper 2 by 4s
3. Ate weeds from the yard
4. Watched free fireworks
5. Ate cucumbers from the garden
I really love that the weather for you is nice enough to go out and walk in the evening. We have been experiencing really early heat waves in Florida this year and with the humidity and the mosquitoes honestly it has not been worth walking outside whatsoever. But I discovered last summer, when we had these heatwaves, the best place to walk is your local grocery store. I have a fairly large one up the street and they are so used to me walking in there, the various managers know me by name. And, I will tell you it is a very good feeling to be able to walk in that kind of air conditioning and spend no money and walk back out the front door. This particular grocery store is the highest priced grocery store chain in the entire state. I rarely ever shop there unless chicken is on sale. And I want to thank each and every one of you who participates on this blog for all of your wonderful tips on being frugal. Even at my age, 68, y’all are teaching me valuable lessons on being frugal.
I have a friend who walks in the Lowe’s here in town.
My normal life frugaluties….
1. Sold 3 dz of my free range chicken eggs. Gave another 2 dz to friends.
2. Collected yard mowed grass clippings, fed to pig.
3. Milked goat. Another gal in frig
4. Made 2 qt ricotta from excess milk in frig. That’s $12 in store. Added to freezer. Next week I make mozzarella
5. Canned garden tomatoes.
I have a friend who walks in the Lowe’s here in town.
I was doing so well not funding Venetian weddings, I needed a few repair parts that aren’t available where I live locally, so I decided to check eBay.
I found just what I needed from three different sellers, but then an Amazon package landed on my front doorstep. I was caught off guard by a drop shipper using Amazon fulfillment. I am very annoyed and will send negative feedback labeling him a drop shipper using Amazon. He has 99% positive feedback but all the negative feedback mentions drop shipping from Amazon.
So be sure to double check that negative feedback! 🙁