Five Teeny Tiny Frugal Things
by Katy on January 11, 2025 · 63 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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{ 63 comments… read them below or add one }
The soups sounds delish!
1. Found 2 pennies on my run yesterday.
2. Husband was going to the town that has the discount grocery store, so he picked some things up for me.
3. While there he also stopped in a thrift store and got an extension ladder he’ll use for an upcoming house project.
4. We reorganized the closet that holds our office and school things (we don’t have an actual office in this house). This is indirectly frugal:1. Free makeover that makes it look nicer. 2. Less likely to rebuy something we already own.
5. Made a batter bread, mixing in some oats for more fiber.
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.
Christine,
Re: your #5: That’s because you are an honest person and he is not; you care about other people but he does not.
Thank you Lisa. I feel very strongly that he is a sociopath and was probably born without a conscience. I’m no psychologist but it’s just what he presents himself as.
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.
Hope you feel better soon Nancy!
Nancy, I’m sorry about the RSV. Talk about things you didn’t need…
I watch Peppa Pig in Lithuanian on days when I miss hearing it spoken (my relatives are all dead).
Lindsey! I watch Peppa Pig in German. Same deal, my grandparents are gone.
I’ve watched Peppa Pig in Spanish to try to accelerate my learning, but alas, I have to slow even Peppa Pig down to .75x speed in order for my brain to keep up.
Nancy from mass,
Ugh, I’m sorry you’re sick, and hope you feel better soon! My son and I just watched parts of some Disney films (Moana, mostly) in French on YouTube. He’s taking French in school, and I took 5 years of French (4 in high school and 1 in college). Neither of us is fluent, but it was fun!
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.
@HawaiiPlanner, I enjoy reading your blog and I love Prolific!
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.
Ruby, I saw the report on one of your local news websites that the buses had temporarily stopped running. And I gleefully remember the winter storm of Jan. 1966, which closed down the city schools for 3 days and the county schools for a week (the city and county systems were separate at that time).
Here in Central NY, of course, that amount of snow is what we experience routinely. But our city DPW has the equipment to deal with it.
It takes less than 2 inches to shut the city down, but there was plenty of warning about this storm and there was time to treat the streets and put snow blades on the road equipment. It’s been way better than usual.
We got 4.5 inches with some ice on top. It’s thawing a bit today but things will refreeze tonight. We’re just planning to stay home and be snug.
1. Went to a free library class last night. We make hoop ring dried flower holders. It came out great and I got to talk to some friends. I dropped off books and puzzles and picked up more of both. I help an elderly lady and she enjoys reading and doing puzzles. I am already going so I am happy to pick up some for her as well as some for myself.
2. I had leftovers for dinner last night since I didn’t have a lot of time between work and my class. I also brought leftovers for lunch. Hubby did the same.
3. I made a pot of steel cut oats for breakfast with blueberries and brown sugar. There is enough for an easy breakfast Monday.
4. We are going to our neighbors for dinner. We are making a sausage and pepperoni stromboli to bring. We had everything needed to make it. Made the dough in my bread machine.
5. I worked on cleaning and organizing my basement food storage. I like to do it twice a year. Now I know what I have and what I need. We are doing a low food budget this month so that really helps me with meals. FYI if I find an amazing deal on groceries I would still buy it. I have rollover money that I am trying not to use but will if something great comes along.
FTTFT, Snow Encore Edition:
(1) We enjoyed a temporary shutoff of the snow machine yesterday, including sunny skies most of the day. I admit that I just sat in my living room watching birds and basking like a lizard. Ahhhh.
(2) But the snow machine is back on today, so I’m finishing up the last of the papers for the upcoming JASNA hard-copy journal. (And gloating over having caught six or seven minor factual errors in the final paper. Hey, we copyeditors get our jollies in mysterious ways.)
(3) I’m making a lamb stew with the last 1.5 pounds or so of the Wegmans Reduced for Quick Sale lamb, plus some tomatoes I needed to use up and other veggies.
(4) I’ve done a laundry load of towels, t-shirts, rags, etc., and hung it on my indoor racks to dry. (This is such an ingrained part of my routine that I rarely mention it, but since we’re talking Tiny Frugal Things…)
(5) And this one is giving me warm fuzzies: I boxed up DH’s complete set of Dickens (he was the Dickens fan, not I) and passed it on to NDN’s CF, for the young pastor at CF’s church who is spending the winter working his way through Dickens. That’s two more boxes of books I don’t have to lug to senior housing when the time comes, plus a pass-along to a very worthy recipient.
That is lovely about finding a good home for your DH’s books.
I think publishers must be economizing by not filling vacancies when competent copyeditors quit. I was reading a mystery by a popular author and came across a character who said the victim must have had a baby through immaculate conception. He meant virgin birth, as immaculate conception means Mary being born without the stain of original sin. Someone should have caught that. Maybe your profession is a dying breed…
Lindsey, you bet your socks it’s a dying breed. Most publishers don’t even bother with copyeditors any more–and the few who still do hire free-lancers (probably at far less than they’re worth). As a full-time, on-staff copyeditor with my former employer, I felt as if I was the Last of the Mohicans.
Happy to report that when one of our copyeditors (well, production editor, she also typeset books) retired just last month, we replaced her. My press highly values production editors!
But not dead yet. I contributed a young one. And at least in blue states, English and grammar are still part of a solid education.
Lovely and loving act on your part to donate your DH’s books, especially the young pastor who will enjoy the Dickens series.
…especially TO the young pastor…sheeesh…my brain is faster than my fingers, for sure…
1. I made a white bean chili, partly to make use of a container of cream I opened earlier in the week. It was left over from Thanksgiving and needed to be used.
2. I made a meal plan that should use up the rest of the cream.
3. I have enjoyed watching the snow fall outside my window over the past two days, and today I’m enjoying the return of sunshine and blue skies.
4. I worked extra hours when the opportunity arose yesterday.
5. I decided, yet again, not to buy a new (or used) phone but to stick with the annoying one I have. It does work; it’s just annoying, and I can live with that.
1. I was feeling desperate for some time near the water but it’s chilly and no one wanted to be on the beach. I took my Mom, son and niece to the manatee viewing center in Apollo Beach, FL. It’s all free and they have a great set up with a snack bar, gift shop, board walk, shuttle to and from the center, butterfly garden, education areas, and a turtle hospital for exploring. There were loads of manatees for viewing and they even had games set up for the kids. We packed snacks so didn’t spend a penny more than the gas to get there. It was a perfect way to be near the water on a chilly day.
2. My son got a kindle for Christmas and I took the box and covered it with some decorative duct tape I had on hand. I use sturdy boxes like this to organize my pantry, some closets, and under my cabinets.
3. I coupled a Fetch gift card with a $10 of $50 grocery coupon at Target to get $60 in groceries for $35. I was also able to get 7,094 points back on Fetch for the same purchase.
4. I read another Kindle book this morning. Making the most of my 3 month trial of Kindle Unlimited before I am back to strictly reading free library/Libby books.
5. Mom took me to dinner and we shared an appetizer off the happy hour menu with our water and enjoyed the free live music. We left there for under $5 a person but tipped our waitress generously.
1. Berry starts that I started as cuttings are in the ground. I’m starting a second berry patch since we love berries, they take no additional water on top of what I already give and they are expensive in the stores.
2. Rigging up shade over my raspberries that I hope will look nice and require the least purchases. So far we have the 4 corner posts up, which we already owned.
3. My husband is this moment eating soup brought home from school yesterday -the culinary class has excess.
4. Filled up my car-first time since December 26 when we filled it for our 200 mile journey home.
5. Towels are dry on the line and a load of clothes is washed and ready to go out. It’s a glorious 67° here in northern CA and I have the house opened up as well. Free heat for the house. Our nights are freezing and our temps will go back down to their normal mid-50’s, so I’m enjoying this odd day.
1. Checked on my new Medicare Advantage OTC card and the allowance I’ll get. They have a customer service line open on weekends. Sadly, the amount is much less than the other MA plan I had (that plan quit business in my state). Even worse, it does not have my drugstore on its plan. I requested that they add all the Good Neighbor Pharmacies, including where I work, to their program. The customer service lady promised to pass that along. We shall see.
2. Made a list of missing items and will post it where the cleaning lady will see it. I don’t think she took anything, but she put the items away where I can’t find them. (Misplacing is just as bad as stealing when you need something and can’t find it. IMO.) She also re-arranged the laundry room so that now I have no idea what needs washing and what is clean; I’m also missing some sweatshirts and other clothes thanks to her “organizing”. I will ask her to find them for me. And to label the laundry baskets “clean” and “dirty”.
3. Couldn’t find my University of Texas Longhorns sweatshirt (thanks to #2) and so I substituted a burnt orange pullover sweater to wear to work. Halfway through the shift, I realize it had dried food on the front. (see #2). Grr!
4. Checked at the thrift store and — at long last! — found what I needed. Early in December they had some LED lights that would fit my old Christmas tree lights. A dozen LED lights per box. I thought I got one box of red and one of green. Turns out I only got green. (Well, I’m ready for St. Paddy’s Day…) Went back twice in December, they were completely sold out. Went there today (searching for something else) and voila! They had the red C7 LED lights I needed for $1 a box. Now I can alternate the red and the green for Christmas; just use red for Valentine’s should I so desire to decorate and green for St. Patrick’s. (Can’t take credit for that trick: I first read it in the Tightwad Gazette, only she was separating out the red and green Hershey’s Kisses she got on sale after Christmas.)
5. Was having trouble reading the little bitty itsy bitsy teensy tiny print in my paperback history book so I got a $7 pair of stronger reading glasses and sat up half the night trying to finish it. Much easier on the eyes. One chapter to go! (And before that, I borrowed a larger print book from the church Book Nook swap, a Longmire mystery, and read the whole thing while snowed in.) Also bought candy canes for 25 cents a box (of 12); that price is more like it!
AHHH, your #2 – so familiar!!! Especially when my loved ones come to stay – both my mother and my good longtime buddy are ‘careTAKERS’ through and through, and they both will ‘helpfully’ tidy .
I still can’t find some things from last time they came, and then they came back here for 4 days at Christmas…
I must admit, this is one of my eternal struggles – learning to stop my brain from immediately blaming others (and being mad at them) for any misplaced item.
I don’t like the way the thoughts in my head can spoil my mood, so there are some firm internal conversations as I catch myself complaining, then practice ‘walking back’ the complaint and letting it go.
The struggles I experience in growing up and finding kindness in my heart are very real.
I wish for you all your items found, and all your ‘people’ to join mine in leaving our stuff in the disorder we understand!
I’ve gotten some great deals on Hershey Kisses. I got Harry Potter ones for 54 cents a pack. I bought 6 of them to fulfill the spend $6 for a secret shop. So those were mostly free. Then I got 2 more that were Christmas themed for $1.00 a bag. Hershey kisses are my little treat. I love them.
Same on the Hershey Kisses Julia! I bought a bunch of GrinchMas ones super cheap after Christmas and will happily enjoy them no matter what is on the wrapper!
It is blatantly apparent that MAs are going to continue their obscene profits off the backs of their insureds. Capping Rx at $2K means making the money up elsewhere. We should ALL write our federal reps (which is likely p*ssing in the wind for some) about requiring pre-auth for Medicare approved services. Do check your 2025 summary of changes – some MA’s now require pre-auth for lab work (I kid you not).
1) My son wanted a book that our local library system doesn’t have and I found it barely used in great condition on eBay for 40% less than on Amazon.
2) I spotted a really awesome looking cookbook for dried beans (which I have lots of) as it was being put on hold for someone else at the library, so I put it on hold for me when returned and my turn just arrived. About $30 saved, and it didn’t even cost extra fuel to go get it as my son was already going to an event at the library within a day of my turn arriving, so he picked it up for me. He also dropped off 2 long-outgrown winter hats (freshly washed) for their winterwear drive) on the same trip.
3) I’m continuing to make use of and enjoy the bean soup that I made for New Years and froze in single serving portions.
4) I took advantage of the one day only sale at a grocery store. The chain is one of the higher-priced stores in our area, but they occasionally have a very few really great deals. I only bought one item that wasn’t a really great deal, but it was only 22 cents more than where I normally buy it and didn’t require an extra trip. The frozen meals suitable for a dietary need that my husband takes as a sack lunch for a change or when I don’t have time/energy to pack were 1/3 off and another item was less than half price but out of stock, so I got a rain check.
5) My son and I go to a store with rummage bins that appear to mostly be overstocks, returns, out of season, or close to or past best by dates. The big prize this week was a dog sweater for our 80 pound dog with a large chest who is hard to fit. Perfect fit, he loves it and doesn’t mid that it says Happy Thanksgiving, and it was only $3!
Also check Abe books – lots of books at very good prices. I don’t care if a good I read was previously a library book.
I forgot to put that Pinecone Research is accepting new applications. They aren’t always open for new applicants, so it’s a good chance to get in. They’re legit, I’ve been doing surveys for years and had many payouts from them. Surveys usually take me only a few minutes and they pay $3 per survey. I can do them while watching TV or waiting for an appointment, etc
Here’s a link:
https://join.pineconeresearch.com/#/signup/?CampaignId=2162&fb=1&LANG=9&SID=2869272
Thank you! I used to do Pinecone surveys but then for some reason stopped–life got too busy, I think, so I am happy to get back into them!
Kara, great tip! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you!
1. I turned down a mystery shop last week when the weather was 37 below and it involved a long drive and I was feeling pretty crappy all week. Another contact, another turndown. Then they called a third time and offered $300 so I (grudgingly in my brain) said yes. Then the weather changed, went up 70 degrees in two days and I did the shop. We have these Chinook winds that sometimes come in the middle of winter, suddenly warming things up for a few days. Nice except the road ice gets very slippery. It is going to get cold again in a few days, thank heavens.
2. Husband received a Starbucks gift card for Christmas. I don’t like coffee and he likes to make his own from some special bland, so we were able to repurpose the card as a January birthday gift for someone else.
3. Neighbor received a florist’s bouquet the morning she was leaving for two weeks. She dropped it off for me to enjoy so I now have roses and carnations to look at, which is a real pleasure. Frugal because sometimes in the depth of winter I bring home Safeway bouquets and now I don’t have to.
4. Picked up a free restaurant meal with points earned doing monthly mystery shops at this place. It is like a secret benefit—I get the meal plus paid for eating the meal plus I get to earn bonus points the restaurant gives for eating there. The meals are huge so husband and I share one for a nice dinner meal.
5. books and a puzzle from the library.
Lindsey, I hope you feel better soon. And I wish there was a way I could send you the Sumo oranges I bought this week (see my comment on a recent post) before they go bad.
1. I made a pot of lentil and potato soup as we had potatoes that needed to be used. I used carrots and celery I’d previously sauteed and frozen.
2. Last summer DH brought home an electric snow thrower on Bulk Trash pick up day. When he tried to use it on Monday there was a problem with the chute. He made a small repair using hardware we had. Today he had the opportunity to use it and it worked great on the few inches of snow we received overnight.
3. I’m walking every day and dodging the snow and ice which provides more steps than usual. It’s good for the body.
4. We went to Costco and stuck to the list. We also stopped in Giant and found snack bars 75% off.
5. A friend brought her lunch over and we had a nice visit.
It must be a good week for soup. Sometimes the soups I make at the last minute out of dribs and drabs, with no recipe and low expectations turn out the best. Today while rooting around in the freezer I came across a container of lentils and spinach that I’d frozen because for some reason that batch just didn’t hit the spot. I had some tired looking potatoes that needed to be used, some oyster mushrooms I foraged and froze in October, a large and tired carrot, and the remnants of a chicken I’ve been picking at all week. I threw everything in a pot with some store-bought chicken stock (I did freeze the chicken bones for a later stock but didn’t want to make such a long process today.) Anyway, this might be the best soup ever. (though the others described here also have my mouth watering. Go figure.
My New Year’s no-buy challenge lasted nine days, but I still haven’t bought anything NEW. Dropping off a carload of donations at the thrift store yesterday I spotted a pair of very small night stands that are exactly the right size, color (light wood, not fiberboard,) etc. for my upstairs bedroom. And for $15 each! I’ve carted down the two repurposed stands that were filling in until now and will take one to the thrift store this week. The other is back where I wanted it in the first place, tucked deep inside a closet, offering drawer and shalf space in a spot where nothing would fit before. I count this a good score!
Dipping my toe into eBay after several year hiatus, I sold a rare(ish) book for $150!
I had holiday cards with cash set aside for two delivery drivers who negotiate my long driveway and bring heavy boxes of pet food and litter right into the house if I here to open the door. But their schedules must have shifted because I haven’t seen either one of them in 6 weeks! The new guys leave the boxes at the end of my driveway, which is very inconvenient and I never see them to plead my case. Anyway I have pocketed those two tips. (And ate the cookies I made for my favorite driver… If he comes back I’ll make more.)
Got in and out of CVS with two bottles of Vitamin C BOGO, bought nothing else, and paid $2.80 after coupons. CVS used to be my downfall for impulse purchases.
The mortgage company lowered my escrow payment by $65. And my social security payment went up almost the same amount after tax and medicare payments.
Set to meet a friend for coffee but he agreed to come over and let me make us coffee, saving gas, parking, and Starbucks $$.
There have to be five things in there, right?
Nice E-bay sale, there! Kind of sets the bar high and gets you keen to list more, I imagine. Well done
1. Replaced the pump in the guest house dishwasher by myself, following instructions from Youtube. It worked out OK but there was a LOT more swearing and “OW I CUT MYSELF” on my end than the Youtube video.
2. Shaved Son’s neck myself with a straight razor. Why he cares about this, I don’t know. I made a lot of stupid Sweeney Todd jokes, stupid because we hate that musical. Then we discussed what happened to the Fleet River, which was way more interesting.
3. Resisted the urge to buy new clothing for a business lunch yesterday. Instead I wore an old dress I really love. It is a black and red plaid and the bodice is styled like a motorcycle jacket with zippers. I have a thing for motorcycle jackets and at one point, owned five in different sorts of leather.
4. Didn’t order takeout on Thursday even though every muscle in my body was screaming in pain from fibromyalgia. Made biscuits and gravy instead.
5. I bought a Lear jet. Doesn’t sound frugal, but when you average flight costs, it’s a savings!!!!
Rose, I thought we were kindred spirits, but in light of the fact that you don’t like Sweeney Todd, I have to re-evaluate. It is one of my favorite musicals.
Sorry, pal! BFF, before she died, apologized to me that she’d left me her Edward Gorey collection, but the Gorey Sweeney Todd poster was going to another friend, and I thought, “Doesn’t she remember I hate Sondheim,” etc. (Another dear friend of mine was Sondheim’s pen pal.)
My favorite is “West Side Story” since it is almost literally the story of my dad’s upbringing (and the school in the opening sequence was his school and the graffiti was done by him and his friends)…
I’m really not a musical type person.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxoC5Oyf_ss
That’s Daddy’s school and the graffiti on the wall–BOBBY–was by my Uncle Bumps.
I miss Dad. His gang was called the Saxons and if you look them up in the NYTimes historical record, you can read stories about their rumbles. Snort. Luckily Dad was never caught by the police because, as he said, “I could run faster than the other kids.”
Rose,
I, too, have a thing for motorcycle jackets, though I’ve never owned 5 at one time. I recently picked up a faux-motorcycle jacket in black velveteen on clearance, which is really great for going to and from work when a light jacket is needed.
I have one that’s kind of a biscuit linen, one that is white alpaca, a black leather one, a pink leather one, and a blue suede one. The pink and blue somehow disappeared.
1. Watched The Six Triple Eight on Netflix (Lindsey recommendation, I think). Terrific movie. Based on a true story that I had no prior knowledge of.
2. Today we drove up to Tucson for a trip to Trader Joe’s. I miss my routine from home, so it was nice to have the familiarity of that store. Prices were better, too, than other stores we’ve been to.
3. Found a bungee strap in the middle of the road. Put that in our emergency car kit.
4. Disappointed to learn that the community we’re staying in in Arizona offers no household recycling or composting. No wonder the trash bins are so humungous here. We did find a transfer station that accepts some recyclables.
5. Received a $10 medical refund for something. Not researching and not complaining.
So glad you liked Six Triple Eight! I have been driving people nuts asking them if they have watched it yet. I feel like sending Tyler Perry a mash note.
Thanks for the reminder about the McDonald’s birthday deal. I’ll keep my eye on my app since my birthday is soon!
I spent the day listening to a book on my Libby app while I went for a walk, and also while I cleaned the house and made bread for the week. The book was “A Well-Trained Wife” by Tia Levings. It’s interesting, since I grew up in the Bible Belt, and have always been extremely frugal, so I’ve definitely rubbed elbows with the trad wife set, though I’m not religious at all, and will happily rot in hell. It’s enlightening to learn about the less aesthetic aspects of that lifestyle.
Same as Li, thanks Katy for the McDonald tip, I’ll have to check it up on my birthday in 3 weeks to see if they do the same here in Switzerland.
My mum was organizing an avalanche safety class yesterday for her work ski club, she invited me to join. It was super interesting, we were all day out with a guide in small groups and got to ask all the questions and train on rescuing people. We got free coffee and cake and brought our own picnic. I helped clean up after the event and went back home with leftover apple juice and a nice pompom beanie hat I found in the trash (it must have fallen in by mistake, it is cute and spotless). The hat will go in the next laundry load.
Earlier this week I got a load of bakery products via the Too Good to Go app. I’m not sure they operate in the US, businesses can list perishable goods to be sold cheaper at the end of the day. So I got a deal from the local bakery 22 € worth of goods for 7 €. I loaded up on bread rolls and croissants as well a mille-feuille pastry which I love. Bread rolls were eaten the same evening with hot dogs, the mille-feuille as dessert. I froze all 9 croissants in a zip lock. Breakfast this morning was 2 croissants reheated in the air fryer to make them nice and crispy, so good!
The sun is shining today so I’ll go out for a walk with the dogs in the snow. I’ll bring my thrifted sledge to get down faster. The dogs love running after me.
I finished Novel Love Story a few weeks ago, and Dead Romantics is in my backpack to read on my flight tomorrow. I just finished Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting and really enjoyed it. (all library books of course)
Your number 3 takes me back to the days of racing across town at 11:50pm to try to get a movie back to blockbuster before midnight so I didn’t have to pay for another day.
1. Managed 4 no spend days this week, but since Texas was shut down for 2 days due to a snow storm I don’t know if those count?
2. Took my tween and 2 of her friends to the library for a 2 hour Among Us game yesterday, and then they spent another hour running around the playground next door. They had a blast, and it cost nothing. I brought coffee from home and relaxed with a book in a comfy library chair.
3. January is my “use it up” month, so I’ve been trying to use up stuff around the house that tends to get pushed aside. Being intentional about using up partial containers of toiletries I didn’t really like, spelunking to the bottom of the chest freezer and organizing the pantry by date to meal plan to use up older stuff.
4. In the spirit of #3, made a batch of oatmeal cookies to up some dried out craisins that expired back in March, along with old fashioned oats that I had accidentally bought instead of quick oats. Made 2 loaves of pumpkin bread using a can of pumpkin that expired in November.
5. College kid heads back to campus today, so he’ll be taking some of the cookies and bread along with him. He shopped what I already had at home to restock supplies he needed in his dorm.
I didn’t get to the end of “Novel: A Love Story” audiobook before it returned to the library, but I’m on hold to finish the book.
Michelle, good list. All of those books sound fun! Thanks for putting them on my radar.
* Went to Costco and stuck to the list, no extra, no snacky foods. Turned down DH idea to get the kids little candy pouchs for lunchs.
* My mother wanted to go out for breakfast. Since I’m on a low spend year, I invited her to brunch at my place instead. I figure for the 5 of us it ended up costing maybe 15$?
* A friend treated me to sushi for my birthday, and another friend is taking me out also for my birthday later this month. Plus, my mother and husband each offered me a restaurant outing for my birthday. So, yeah, 4 free meals right there
* Went to the movies (by myself), using a complimentary ticket I got a couple months ago + a voucher for a free popcorn. Watched Den of thivers 2. It was pretty good
* Cancelled my gym membership. I did have to pay a 65$ cancellation fee, but it will save me 180$ in the long run (remaining of the membership). I have everything I need at home to work-out.