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I drove past a tasty looking “FREE STUFF” pile and screeched to a halt, as they’re rare this deep into rainy season.
I brought home:
• A neutral baseball cap as my Nebraska Cornhuskers one is too bright red for comfort these days.
• A handmade ceramic butter bell.
• A “Supreme” brand knit beanie.
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My son and I were visiting a family member in the hospital and stopped at Goodwill on the way home as he’s hot to find things to resell. He didn’t buy anything, but I did pick up this vintage needlepoint Portuguese rooster for $7.99.
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I listed the Supreme beanie and the rooster needlepoint piece on eBay* before going to bed. For $75 apiece.
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I have someone supposedly coming by tomorrow to buy a pair of dining room chairs for $40 that I thrifted for $1.99 apiece. My son no longer has room for a dining room table, so these are straggler pieces.
Edit: Sold the chairs!
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I didn’t buy a vulgar gold plated apartment in the sky.
{ 43 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey everyone!
1. I’m back to work but had so much vacation time to use, I’m only working 3 or 4 day weeks the rest of this year (with 2 full weeks in December). Saving on gas.
2. I’ve found some natural health books, fix-it books and frugal books at savers plus checked out some books at the library to prepare for the next 4 years.
3. Found a great price for a foodsaver (had one years ago that died). I didn’t think I would ever need one again since I live alone, but with grocery prices going through the roof, I wanted to be prepared.
4. I had started to empty out my basement freezer so I could unplug it, since I live alone, but, I have been stocking up on the holiday deals. Butter, flour, coffee, and meats that I can vacuum pack. I’m grateful for that freezer.
5. Since the young kids that I work with (very early 20s) typically don’t know frugal tips and tricks, I’ve been mentioning different tips to them whenever I talk with them. Regrowing scallions. Regrowing celery and romaine. As well as women’s safety tips. I’ve also given them some TikTokers to follow for self-defense.
# 2!!! Great idea
@Nancy from mass – I’ve done a better job of not have 15 days of vacation left come Nov/Dec. But it happens.
It never hurts to read and while we might not read anything new, it just reinforces what we already know and do.
#4 – even if the freezer is family sized, ice can fill the space your deals can’t. And ice is a plus if our fragile grid goes down.
#5 – so sad those you work with are bereft of (some) frugal tricks. But on the upside, appears more than just a minimum wage job. Those who were whining before the election re: costs will really be whining the next 4 years IMHO.
Good morning!!
1. I clipped my dogs nails.
2. I glued the sole back on to a pair of slippers. They should last a bit longer. They’re pretty sad though.
3. I invited my brother-in-law over for coffee instead of meeting at a coffee shop
4. I’m using an empty dog food bag for trash.
5. I’m hanging my laundry on racks to dry.
1. Had a sock match making party. Downgraded a couple of pairs to dusting mits
2. Friend dremeled my dogs nails
3. Listed a few items on FB marketplace
4. Scanned receipts into fetch
5. Daughter in law brought over leftovers which we will have for dinner
1. Rounded up the following while doing a fridge/freezer/pantry clean out: chicken carcass broth, sketchy looking green onions and peppers, not-the-greatest-but-oh-so-cheap salsa, leftover cooked turkey bits (I’m guessing left over from last Thanksgiving), leftover corn and stale tortilla chips. Threw it all together, called it tortilla soup, and it fed us supper for two days.
2. Our annual family water park vacation was in October. At the end of it, my husband collected all the stretchy wristbands and is using them as small but mighty rubber bands at home.
3. I cut open a tube of lotion one week ago, and have been using it ever since. What’s left in the tube should last me another week. Or more.
4. Used a Menards merchandise credit rebate to buy ice melt, just in time for the “wintry mix” we’re supposed to get overnight.
5. My husband pulled the laces out of his old running shoes before throwing the shoes away. He can always find uses for shoe laces, and so can our granddaughter, who has raided his stash of laces on more than one occasion.
I like to use those rubbery wrist bands for opening difficult jars. Just put it on the lid and you get extra grip.
What a great idea! Dang it, I threw out the ones we had 🙁
I love the jar opener idea. I just took one of the wrist bands away from my husband’s collection and put it in a kitchen utensil drawer. Thanks for the tip, Jill A!
1. We found an empty soda stream canister on the side of the road in our neighborhood. Left it there for a few days to see if anyone claimed it. No one did, so we took it to the store and got the $15.50 deposit!
2. A friend bought us tickets to see the ballet tonight for my birthday. Instead of eating out beforehand, I’m cooking us dinner and she is making a cake (both recipes from a novel that we both read and loved, Recipes for Love and Murder!).
3. My partner and I wanted a nice Sunday breakfast today, but didn’t have any good bread or pastries. I remembered a gift card I had for a local bakery, so we indulged in croissants.
4. I did some Christmas shopping at a local antique store and used a 15% off coupon. I found 2 great gifts for people on my list.
5. I make sure to use a $5 off $25 or more purchase for my local coop that has been languishing my wallet and will expire next month. I used it to buy ingredients for tonight’s dinner.
Your #4…I love how you bought Christmas gifts at an antique store. Personally, I would love it if I received a gift that came from an antique store, a thrift shop or any place that sells secondhand.
Christine – my uncle is a phenomenal secondhand/odd thing giftgiver. His typical practice was to buy something small, then fill out the gift with a wonderful handwritten note, usually with small drawings. Sometimes he would explain with a history lesson – for instance, with a piece of Victorian mourning jewelry – or speculate on a whatisit, like an odd tool. Decades later I still remember every one, and phrases from his cards.
I love this Mati! What a special guy he must have been!
I have been listening to David Allen’s Getting Things Done. I credit the following frugal moves to investing in time thinking through my priorities and future expenditures.
1. I reorganized my filing system to projects and references. I bought new legal hanging folders. Then I remembered Hubby might have some extra from the office. I returned the $25.00 package and got the 12 folders free. It takes me awhile to think things through.
2. Saturday was the great piano moves: piano #1 out of my Mom’s house to give space, to out ranch office to hold until renovation in is done. Piano #2 to farm house where the littles came flying into my arms scream “Auntie is giving us lessons . ” The lessons will be gifts for that family.
2. I search for the best mover deals. It cost me $450 – a small price to pay for the following:
* saved my working farmer’s husband’s back (priceless to preserve income for the future and quality of life.)
* provide music experience for 9 littles and good family vibes for years
* preserve a piano for me when Son takes the Steinway in five years
* save precious space in my Mom’s house for family visits.
3. Before the moves, I took mom to the Costco where she is a member. We went when the door opened because she is 89 and moves pretty slowly. She bought Door Dash cards for Christmas saving her the $100s on her usual expensive and exhausting mailing and wrapping of packages.. She bought $50 cards for $40. I bought See’s gift cards for 13% off. I went to the storefront and saved an additional 10% on 2lbs and hand built selections. I am carrying them down to Thanksgiving to handout instead of mail. That is my side of the family done.
4. I have cracked and roasted our pecans . I bought white lids and quart mason jars. I will wrap with Christmas ribbons and add to See’s packages and for other assorted friends. Everybody loves these nuts which are labor intensive but very tasty and healthy.
5. Last weekend I suggest we have a white elephant exchange of fun food or ornaments when my old friends met in Vegas.
So I am entering December with all my family and friends Christmas-ing done except some fun remembrances for Hubby and son at a fraction of what I would have spent. Priceless is the time and stress free holiday.
Given the price of pecans these days, your #4 will result in being considered a very expensive (and possibly gourmet) gift for each recipient!
Last year, our local Lions’ Club was selling a bag of pecans for $11. (Not roasted, just plain shelled pecans. )They’ve upped it to $15 this holiday season. Ouch! Also, it appears that the bags are somewhat smaller….shrinkflation in the Lions’ Club? Oh, no!
1. I am enjoying my free plants. I found a blue ceramic container for one of them. Hubby found an earthenware pot for the other when he was rummaging about the garage. So far, the cats have left the plants alone.
2. I need my oil changed. Hubby said he will do it but somewhat unwillingly as he is old.
3. I do not like the space saver tire that you get with a car. I saved the best tire (when I bought new tires) for a spare. Hubby is looking for a wheel. Back in the day, when you bought a new car you got a full size spare in the trunk.
4. I cleaned out my bathroom cabinet. I have extra tubes of toothpaste, shampoo, lotion (all in date) to give to my niece and her family.
5. We have had a few cool days here in Texas but not cold enough for the heat to be turned on. I use an electric blanket & it is comfortable. The cats love the electric blanket also. Yay for low electric bills.
I’m going to try using a foil ball to get rid of static and pet hair from clothes put in the dryer. It can be reused many times so it’s frugal and I’ve read positive reviews about how well it works. I’m skeptical.
1. Brought our laptop and printer in to Best Buy to get tech help before our one-year Geek Squad benefit runs out.
2. Took two unused foil-wrapped butter pats home from the restaurant. They are useful for sauteing or buttering a baking dish.
3. Favorite use-it-up concoction: Enchiladas made with pineapple tidbits, pinto beans, enchilada sauce, green chilis, onion, orange bell pepper, shredded cheese and cilantro.
4. Received numerous things from Buy Nothing – furnace filters, utensil holder, iron tablets, Rubbermaid container for corralling vacuum accessories, and kitchen scrubbies. Whenever I get things, I always make sure to post more of my things for the group.
5. I need, not just want, a fabric shaver/depiller. What would the commentariat recommend?
#5. I always use a disposable razor.
I have a Dritz brand one and it works really well but is quite small. I could use a larger one.
I bought a Singer one from Walmart a few months ago and it works very well.
1. Sunday morning breakfast consisted of an apple eaten at home followed by a cup of coffee at church.
2. Yesterday morning, I went to the bank and redeemed my cash back bonus on the credit card: $53 into the checking account.
3. Took advantage of their candy dish and got a few pieces of hard candy on the way out. This is put into the Halloween bucket. I’m already starting to collect candy for next year.
4. Also yesterday, I went to Ollie’s Outlet and took advantage of a 15% off coupon to get some necessities, including another bed sheet set and some Christmas gifts and bottles of shampoo. Good stuff cheap! (One of my sheets tore the other day, and I don’t have very many in that size. Frugal fail: getting a king-sized bed a few years ago. I was told I would love sleeping in that large of a bed. I don’t. )
5. Will reuse the large plastic bags I got from Ollie’s. They are the right size for trash bags.
I love our king bed deeply, but am always at least two sets of good quality free or cheap sets of sheets ahead, for just this reason. Between our departed dog’s digging problem, the cat’s occasional sharpening fest, and regular wear, they’ll be needed before I know it. One thing that does help is that, just like a suit with two pairs of pants, I sew the topsheets together into a duvet cover.
That was a big pile of free fun!
I’ve been experimenting with the whole house furnace to heat zones that the wood stove doesn’t reach. My first month’s utility bill was only $6 more and I have a very comfortable elderly Mom. I only heat zones when she is using a certain room/area.
Finished cracking/drying English walnuts that I picked up at a friend’s farm. These will go into gift baskets.
Invited childhood friend, sister and husbands for lunch today. We normally meet at a restaurant. $$$ savings
Was given a bench with storage for my mudroom, sold my piano bench that was in use for $45.
Bought my $3.99 turkey after spending $35 on pantry staples.
1. Here is my biggie: yesterday I went to the store for milk and, as usual, I checked out the reduced meat prices. Skinless, boneless chicken breasts for 99 cents a pound. The sell by date was three days from yesterday. There was one of those display tubs full to the brim with packages of breasts. The meat guy nearby told me there was a huge mistake in ordering and they had many more boxes of breasts in the back. I bought 50 pounds of chicken for $49. That is enough to last us a year.
2. Pulled out the food saver I was given by a friend upgrading. Husband and I spent hours making one pound packs that should fight off freezer burn.
3. Once the food bank found out I reuse those plasticized bags that 50 pound of rice and dog food come in, they have been saving them for me. On Friday I got 36 of them! I am passing some of them on to friends who also like to save money by giving the bags a second life as trash bags.
4. Cleaned out client files and before shredding took the time to pull out pages that had no identifiers and cut them in quarters to make notepads for making lists or leaving notes.
5. Had a bunch of shampoo bottles with so little in them that the plunger would not work. Took the largest bottle, put a funnel in it, and turned the other bottles upside down so I got the last bits of shampoo out of each bottle. It took all afternoon to keep switching out bottles but I now have no clutter in the shower and an almost full bottle of mixed shampoo.
Wow, that’s a lot of chicken! Well done!
A friend of mine makes tote bags out of plasticized chicken feed bags. They’re very cute, especially since no one I know has chickens.
1. My cousin drove down from 2.5 hours away to stay in my Airbnb cottage and to visit my elderly father. She brought me wine, homemade smoked salmon, flowers, and a small basket with lid that she wove herself from my old daffodil leaves.
2. My Dad took 6 of us for lunch, to celebrate two birthdays. He is able to do it financially, and it gives him great pleasure to have his family members around him.
3.The life insurance policy that DH and have had for almost 20 years is about to expire, and we have decided not to buy a new one, even though the salesman tried his best. We have no minor children that we need to provide for, and the premiums are ridiculous at our age.
4. Our house addition is almost finished, and DH will complete the interior of all three closets, savings us a lot in labour costs.
5. Sold a pair of running shoes that I have had listed on Marketplace for awhile.
@Allie – kudos t you and your husband. When my kids were not out of college, I’d insure (via work which is not the deal it used to be I’ll let you know), for the max I could – I was the main breadwinner. For next year’s benefits, I’ll only have 1X my salary. House is paid off, we have no debt. Money I will save.
-I wanted to invest some time in learning how to Zentangle. My son had an unused credit on an online platform that offered a class so I used that to sign up for free.
-I shopped at home and found one of our old sketch books from when my kid was younger. He gladly removed his previous art work and gave me the half-filled sketch book for my new class.
-I used some board game inserts (the left over bits after punching out the game pieces) to trace in my sketchbook.
-Cashed in Swagbacks for a $25 Target GC… Got it on sale for 12% off in points.
-Cashed in Fetch points for a $50 + $10 Target GC.
I should be able to match sales for some great holiday pantry staples and a couple of stocking stuffers.
I went to a free class the library offered to learn Zentangle. I found it to be very relaxing and fun at the same time.
Christine- it really is! There are some great youtube channels dedicated to it as well.
I have a large roll of adhesive back vinyl “paper” that came from Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore. Today I cleaned out our huge vanity/shelf unit in the bathroom and used the vinyl to reline the clean drawers. Also used an old candle to wax the bottoms of the drawers and the center drawer guides. Found some toothpaste and body wash to donate. Got things organized and realized we have no need to purchase bath soap or toothbrushes for the next two years.
(1) Dropped off a book at a community club Little Free Library( LFL).
On way home checked the Flashfood app and picked up produce bags with high value items. I love it when they stuff the bags to clear the produce because new stock is arriving.
(2) Picked up 2 pork shoulder packages with the $6.00 off at checkout. I originally picked up one large package then realized I could get two equaling the same weight with another $6.00 off. I’m insta potting them into pulled pork.
(3) I decided that today was the day to dispose of ( home canned) items that will never be used by anyone.Better to compost and put the jars back into circulation.
(3) One of my children gifted me a car garbage can, it fits in a cup holder and has a spring lid. I use it all the time for the banana I eat on my way home from the gym . They received it as a freebie and I’ve sent pictures of how much I’m using it. My children have all sorts of memories of school drop offs and errant banana peels on my console 🙂
(4) My gym membership I’ve been using for over 13 years . I used to get it discounted through my husbands job. For the past 4 years I just ask one of the staff at the recreation center if I can be one of their (5) people they sponsor for a discount. They are great, they compared that the discount they give me is better than the senior’s discount.
(5) Meal planning for the week. I prefer to only think about it once and give myself time to plan the effective Tetris of using up partial leftovers . You know the ones, enough for two but not three .
Katy, how did you know that the Supreme beanie was worth a lot of money? I’ve never heard of it before, but I don’t have kids either. Do you use an app like Google lens when you find things?
Katy, I second Bobbi’s question! So impressed!
Supreme is a very popular skateboard adjacent brand of clothing. Its founder bought my friend’s house for $5.5 million a few years ago.
I did a “completed listings” search on eBay for the beanie. They sell for between $60 – $150, depending on color and whether it’s brand new. I just chose an amount and would take a bit less if I get an offer, especially as my cost was free!
https://thenonconsumeradvocate.com/how-to-use-ebay-to-create-extra-cash-in-your-life/
1. Got 2 more turkeys for 49¢ a pound. Had to rearrnge the chest freezer to make them fit. Pulled out cranberries that I got last year very cheap after Thanksgiving. They will go in the stuffing. Pulled out eggs. They will be used for breakfast. Pulled out string beans that we will eat with dinner. Pulled out a container of chili that hubby will eat this week.
2. Did good grocery shopping this week. I got 4 pounds of aspargus for 99¢ a pound. I had a $10 off $50 coupon. I had a $4 off $16 meat department coupon so I added a container of chicken livers(dogs favorite) to get it to $16 with the above turkeys. I had $1 off in grocery bucks. Did really good and only spent $62. My receipt says I saved $80.27.
3. Hubby is listening to foodball on the radio while he is building a few Christmas presents.
4. I am using random Christmas cards that I got when I helped clean out a clients house after his passing. His daughter was going to throw them away. I have several years worth. I used them last year too as did 2 of my kids.
5. I ordered 3 more engraved gifts from the library. I think I will be done now for this year. My friend’s daughter is one of the people that do it and she said very few people do it. I was worried I was doing too many.
The Huskers are doing so well after defeating Wisconsin for the first time in a decade! I understand about the red though.
Alas, alack, my friend wasn’t chosen to be Secretary of the Treasury. Even if it’s under you-know-who, Treasury is a very important and prestigious position. I told him that I was sorry he was way too smart for the rest of the Cabinet. He thought it was funny. So much for a cushy remote goverment job for me! Plus I never got to make the joke about the Secretary signing each banknote personally that sounded funny in my head at the time. The vagaries of politics.
Frugalwise, I continue to be astounded by the stuff I have stored and to sell it off. Leftover Laura Ashley fabric from the slipper chair they upholstered for me in 1995? Sold!
Loved reading this!
1. Sold a cornbread cast iron pan for $20 on fb. My husband had purchased it for $8.
2. I also bought several loss leaders at the store: turkey, butter, celery
3. Bought a couple of shirts and a cat carrier at a thrift store.
4. Almost have enought fetchrewards for a $5 amazon gift card.
5. Went on a walk and run, free exercise and vitamin D.
It’s been an odd week. I got home from a trip to work on the other house, and am now in an Airbnb waiting for a broken boiler valve to be fixed tomorrow.
– on the drive, stopped at a Sheetz to top up my tires at the free air machine, but something was wrong with it and it ended up deflating the tire before showing an error message, at which point it began sleeting. I have roadside, but an hour wait in a freezing car rapidly icing over didn’t feel like the best option. Fortunately, another driver stopped to use the machine and I was able to warn him and be directed to the next closest – also free. By the time they were done I was cold and miserable and gave in to the urge to sit in a warm restaurant and drown my sorrows in a hot snacky snack.
– on Friday, we took our bonus kiddo and her five month old son to his doctor’s appointment, where we were shocked to learn that he’s very smart and extremely adorable. On the way home, stopped at the grocery store and I showed her the dry goods clearance shelf – which was desolate, as Kroger now seems to be providing these items only via delivery – and picked up a couple of pounds of portobellos and some of my husband’s favorite Honeycrisp apples, all perfect, from produce clearance. I wanted to bring a small token for the other grandma and checked the clearance flowers, where I found a gorgeous old-school bouquet with three wilted flowers and everything else perfect. With those gone and another few stems to fill it out and balance the colors, total cost was $6.40, which I think is frugal enough for a gesture of goodwill for someone I don’t know well enough yet to be creative and personal.
– when we got home, the gas company had shut off our gas hours before because we weren’t there for the triannual inspection. We hadn’t been notified as required for the visit, let alone the shutoff. The tech took hours to come back, and when he did, forced the valve handle on the boiler in the wrong direction, breaking it. It’s maintained and lubricated and turns with a finger or two, and I had explicitly told him we would handle the boiler, so this particular bad decision took a very special… something. Since it was Friday night, the plumbing supply place was closed, and the gas company has since paid for an emergency weekend opening, an emergency service call, a valve that cost hundreds of dollars and was the last one left, and an Airbnb that is nearby and takes pets, which was not inexpensive. I would have toughed it out under an electric blanket if I were not already exhausted and in pain from working on the house through the remnants of long Covid muscle problems, and there hadn’t been error after ridiculous error and my husband flipping his lid instead of calmly problem-solving. As it is, I’ve elected to see it as a mini-vacation, enjoying the exceptionally cushy bed and fancy shower and barely leaving the house.
1. We accompanied DD to the cute old downtown the next suburb over. She wanted to buy one item for a gift. It was the only item purchased though we enjoyed browsing in the popcorn/gift shop.
2. I printed a Grocery Outlet coupon for $10 off a $50 purchase. We bought a couple large boxes of Clif Bars and a few other items. I did add the last few packages of Hi-Chews ($.33 for a two serving package) to the cart. I’d never had them before Katy mentioned them and they don’t deserve to be in the candy hall-of-fame but I like the chewiness of them and since chocolate gives me insomnia I eat part of a package occasionally. They do not contain artificial colors like Starbursts.
3. We ate vegan meatballs that were languishing in the freezer with pasta and sauce. We are happy there are no more of them.
4. DH picked up five uncut pumpkins from a house in the neighborhood that had been placed out with yard waste. He saw and asked the homeowners if that was okay.
5. I put leaves from our patio in our compost bin.