Five Tiny Frugal Things
by Katy on November 6, 2024 · 17 comments
-
I used the final frozen bag of last year’s homemade puree to bake up a pair of pumpkin bread loaves. I brought warm slices to my neighbors and they gave me their uncut Halloween pumpkin, which I’ll turn into enough puree to last until Halloween 2025.
-
I finished reading my library book and then drove over to the library to grab two new “Lucky Day” books, which are the only books available at the otherwise holds only pickup location. (They’re remodeling the neighborhood library.) I returned Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead without even cracking the spine, as I currently need my books to be undemanding of intellect.
-
My neighbor brought me the last of her chocolate Halloween candy bars and wrote “Election Therapy” on the bag. I’m lucky to live in a neighborhood where my friends and neighbors didn’t vote against this country’s human rights. In case you’re wondering what the bag contained, it held a dozen or so small Hershey bars plus Reese’s peanut butter cups.
-
I listened to the newest episode of the Office Ladies podcast while puttering around the kitchen this morning, as I wasn’t enjoying my own devastated thoughts. I’m thankful for this free podcast, which helped distract me through the pandemic and now through whatever the hell this is.
-
I didn’t buy a vulgar gold plated apartment in the sky.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
Click HERE to follow The Non-Consumer Advocate on Instagram.
Click HERE to join The Non-Consumer Advocate Facebook group.
Like this post? Then please share it with your friends!
Like this:
Like Loading...
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
So grateful that you posted again today. Love the relationship you have with your neighbors, and it just shows how important and worthy it can be to reach out and foster that sense of community. Love how you share tools and water each other’s plants and save jam jars for each other … and show solidarity on dark days like today. It is what will get us through … right?
Thank you for the new post. This reminds me of the children’s book “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt”-We can’t go over it, we can’t go under it, we can’t go around it, we have to go through it. May we have strength to endure.
1. Volunteered at the community garden where it was good to see people doing good. Had a free persimmon as a snack, and another to bring home.
2. Sold an item on FB marketplace. The $250 sale did happen yesterday, so that was great.
3. Picked another 3 pounds of green tomatoes, which will become chutney. The recipe I used tastes like the Branston pickle of my childhood in England.
4. Had an appointment with my therapist. This is frugal for both my mental and physical health.
5. I am rearranging my bookcases, a great undertaking as I will be unloading and moving 5 bookcases. But I just want to and something needs to be right in the world today. And I won’t spend a penny.
I also needed something to be right in the world today, so washed two loads of laundry, wrote up a reference check, and paid some bills, watched a Hercule Poirot, and started reading for an Advent study.
Katy, I’m devastated today too. But, like you, I’m trying to do what I can as therapy. It helped me today to clear out a lot of fall-sprouting dill from the bed where I needed to plant garlic; to give the dill to three other majorly bummed-out neighbors and friends; and to plant the garlic. I count on Mother Nature, as usual, to carry me through.
Katy, the Election Therapy bag gave me a much needed smile today.
When I saw your pic, I thought it was a barf bag as I’m utterly sickened by what my fellow Americans have signed up for. I wept at Trader Joe’s today, and it had nothing to do with prices.
Sending hugs to you, MB!
(I was also looking forward to Minnesota having the first Native American woman as a state governor. Not this time).
Heidi Louise, thank you. I’m ashamed to admit that I briefly entertained the thought that a terminal diagnosis would be welcome right now as I have less than zero desire to witness the multiple upcoming train wrecks for which we’ve already been told the gory details.
I’m heartbroken. I’m giving myself a few days to mourn and then I’m going to move on. Hopefully I can find a productive way to deal with the fallout.
1. I drove my oldest daughter home to Cleveland which is a four hour trip, so she could vote. Long story. I stayed in a hotel with my youngest that didn’t provide breakfast this time because it was considerably cheaper.
2. I took individually packaged Belgian waffles to eat for breakfast. Costco had a container of 12 on clearance for $4. I drank the free coffee the hotel provided.
3. I filled up my gas tank at the station across from the hotel for
$2.59 a gallon which was the cheapest I saw.
4. My mom dog sat for me.
5. I found $2 in the Goodwill bins. I only spent $1.03 so I’m up by 97 cents.
With people like you to be there you’ll find it next time-if not before.Life has strange turns.Bonne Chance from the UK to you.
Thank you for posting today. I am still in shock and still want to vomit. I work a couple hours and then just took sickleave.
I just watched Kamala Harris’s concession speech. What a classy lady.
I feel so angry that she is so mature, professional, and playing by the rules. He would never do any of those three things.
Like others have said we grieve today. Maybe a few days. But then we roll up our sleeves and get back to work. And a lot of that work is building community big and small.
Thank you for your example of sharing your connection with your friends and neighbors. It’s an excellent example.
Devastated today. But thank you for the spot of light in my day that your post was!! I love hearing about your caring neighbors. It is the little human to human interactions of kindness and love that are helping carry me thru today.
1. I brought lunch to work like I do everyday. I already made my lunch for tomorrow a salad with grilled chicken, mixed greens, celery ,carrots and sunflower seeds. Homemade dressing too.
2. I walked again this morning . How many days does it take to make this a habit?
3. I got a we miss you email from Chick fil a for a free sandwich. I will give it to my husband since I will want fries with it and I am trying to lose weight.
4. I went to Walmart for a few items that are cheaper there then Aldi. I get most of my pasta there since they have the 3 pound boxes. They had canned corn and string beans on sale for 50 cents each. I also got Halloween candy that will go in Christmas baskets and stockings for 75% off.
5. Hubby and I are having leftovers for dinner.
Sigh.
Absolutely disgusted by what happened last night. This is very much what the USA is now.
1) Had tea and admired the sunrise this morning. To be in good health and see another sunrise is a priceless gift.
2) Went right back to work- fortunately I am working from home today, so the commute was 30 seconds!
3) I went for a long walk during my lunch break. To see the beautiful leaves and breathing deep was so very restorative.
4) I began a list of subscriptions that I have, and I will be cutting them off today.
5) I have a small house in Portland that is connected to water and power, and I think that is enough.
I am so disgusted by what “these Americans” have chosen. A vile, vulgar, liar, adulterer(sp) and a convicted felon. I cancelled all news subscriptions since I am too sensitive to news . I took all apps off my phone. I can hardly stomach him back in the White House and Melania as first lady. She is the antithesis of Jill Biden. A self absorbed creature who cares for nothing but herself. Then you have to consider Elon, Bannon, Miller and JFk and I start losing it.
I didnt do anything today but stare out the windows and sit outside. We live in the beautiful Sierra Foothills and everything is golden and yellow.. Tomorrow I go for my monthly chemotherapy and then I’ll go to the library for my holds. Life will go on.
I am devastated too. I went for a long walk today, hoping it would help, but it didn’t help much. I got text messages and phone calls from my 2 sisters, a high school friend, a college friend and a work friend. Talking with them was the best therapy for me.
I, too, felt sad last night, but this morning I decided to turn the page. I have made a vow to stop reading news that pulls me down. There are so many good books to read and hopeful things to concentrate on. I started by inviting some friends for lunch next week. Everyone I called was delighted and I am looking forward to planning our get together. I also got out for a walk which was so uplifting with all the beautiful fall colors in my neighborhood. I came home to start a pot of stew and have enjoyed prepping the vegetables, browning the beef and smelling the delicious simmering aroma. Life is good and I will carry on.