Five Teeny Tiny Frugal Things
by Katy on January 11, 2025 · 9 comments
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I got a free spicy McChicken sandwich through the McDonald’s app as a birthday reward. Water bottle from home completed the meal.
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I used up the very last bit of my 99¢/pound sausage in some white bean soup. I also added the free kale from my neighbor and it was maybe the best soup I’ve ever made. I spent maybe $2.50 for the entire pot of soup and it made probably eight servings.
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My husband and I watched a supremely stupid movie through my sister’s Prime Video account and joked about how we used to drive all the way to Blockbuster Video and spend $3.50 to watch such a mediocre movie. Then we’d have to rewind it and drive it back in order to not be charged extra.
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I used the library’s free Libby app to start listening to an audiobook of The Dead Romantics, by Ashley Poston. Very fun read and the price is right.
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I don’t have outrageous legal fees like the convicted felon that’s soon to be inaugurated.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Good morning!!
1. Yesterday was a snowy day. I got out early and picked up a few things I needed at Aldi. I mostly stuck to my list except for the few things I had forgotten to add. I got out of there for $25.
2. I canned two more cases of water for emergency storage.
3. I made a pot of split pea soup with the ham bone bought on sale during the holidays. I will distribute this to my family and freeze some.
4. I diced too many carrots so I cut up some more onion and celery, sauteed in olive oil and put it in the freezer for future soup.
5. I did a couple loads of laundry and hung it up to dry, I sat and read my library book on kindle. I made a taco dinner using up the last of some ground beef and a copycat version of taco bell seasoning I have stored in a jar. Right now I’m looking out the window and enjoying all the beautiful snow that is falling.
I remember those trips to Blockbuster too. So much money spent on mediocre movies and gas. My DS was so into the Ghostbusters movies as a kid. We were constantly renting them. Finally one day, the woman at the counter looked at me and said: Why not just buy them? We did.
1. I found a dime on the floor at Market Basket.
2. Grandson 16 bought me a donut at Dunkin Donuts with a gift card he received for Christmas. I hadn’t indulged in one in forever. Such a sweet treat.
3. I picked up a book I had on holdat the library titled 1959. This is to fulfill January’s Massachusetts Reading Challenge of reading a book which takes place in the year you were born.
4. I have a turkey I bought on sale before Thanksgiving defrosting in the refrigerator for tomorrow.
5. I too, do not have outrageous legal fees. However, if I did I would be sure to pay them unlike the soon to be inaugurated 34x felon who is known far and wide for not paying people who work for him.
I live in MA and had not heard about the reading challenge. I’ll have to see what shows for 1966.
I only heard of it last year at my friend’s indy book store. If you go to the Massachusetts Reading Challenge website, you can register. They will also give you suggestions for books each month. It’s fun and you get entered for prizes. It also encourages me to read books I usually wouldn’t pick up.
Other than milk and perishables, I probably won’t spend much on groceries for the next month or so.
Since I have RSV (tested positive for it Friday) I will be going into work for at least the next week or so. And I won’t be going anywhere for the next week or so. So I should save a lot in gas.
Despite having a freezer and fridge filled with food, I have no appetite. So I’ll be drinking my juices, tea and eating crackers or pretzels. I’ll probably gain weight, because that’s typically what happens when I’m sick and don’t eat.
Part of my “25 for 25“ plan this year is to listen to something in French every day. (I’m trying to pick it back up from when I was a kid) so I am currently listening to a live TikToker who is wandering around Paris. Every day so far this year, I’ve either listened to French music, French radio station (from the RFI app) or a French TV show.
I plan on getting a lot of knitting done this weekend and I hope to finish the shawl/wrap I’ve been working on.
I do not have to submit my DNA to a state database.
The zuppa toscana soup I made earlier in the week was also probably the best soup I’ve ever made, Katy. Yay for winning soup recipes/experiments!
1) Meeting a friend this morning for an early hike, which is free. Bonus: I can walk to the hiking location from my house.
2) DS17 asked for takeout after a late soccer game. I had just enough to get him dinner on a gift card, but opted to have soup & an apple at home, to avoid spending money on takeout.
3) I went to Costco & stuck to the list, minus the veggie spring rolls that were on sale for $6.99 for a large box. We use these sometimes to round out a meal of leftovers where there’s just not quite enough. Other than the fish & spring rolls, everything else I bought was a fruit or veggie.
4) I keep doing bits & drabs of studies through Prolific. Not a referral link, but I find them far superior to most survey sites. These are almost all university studies. While the dollar amount is rarely much, they are also super short, you get paid every time (none of this year are 32 questions in & then randomly disqualified and not paid anything). I cash out every other day or so & it’s fun to see the money add up.
5) Used a $10 CVS reward, plus some additional CVS coupons to get toothpaste. Also uploaded receipts to all of the standard receipt sites for a tiny amount of cash back.
Glad to do my bit on your frugality journey!
My frugal wins for the week?
-took on for the team and had endless lunches and dinners of turkey soup (made from frozen turkey carcass from Thanksgiving)
-starting on handmade gifts for NEXT YEAR. This is a long process if I am to keep my loved ones in socks. I knit during my commute.
-continuing my habit of making coffee to bring to work.
-Making reusable gift containers for next year. My goal is to not use any wrapping paper going forward. Not that I’ve bought any since forever, but I also want to speed up the wrapping process. I am using really cute fabric I bought on Etsy a few years ago that looks like vintage gift wrap. It’s so cute!
Your last one reminded me of the Christmas gifts I exchanged every year with my penpal from Ireland. It was always a book (second hand on both our parts) in a dish towel used as wrapping paper.
Still snowed in here in Tennessee, which is okay because we were prepared and the electricity has stayed on.
Cooked a pasta and beans skillet meal, chili, and a pan of gluten-free brownies with items from the pantry and freezer. Used the fabric from a half-price t-shirt from Goodwill to sew sleeve extensions for a pajama top that had 3/4 length sleeves — tired of my arms being cold!
Wore the newly altered to fit right winter jacket to play with the dogs in the snow and was warm and comfy. Sewed up another puppy-chewed dog toy.