Five Tiny Frugal Things
by Katy on November 27, 2024 · 24 comments
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My younger sister is spending a few days at the house and wanted to take a bath. My husband and I both shower, so we don’t actually own a drain plug. (They always get so disgustingly mildewy, so I end up tossing them after a couple of years.) However, my sister really craved the full bathtub experience, so we scavenged a plastic lid from the kitchen and a heavy rock from the backyard and McGuyvered a solution. Apparently it worked great, so who am I to argue with success?
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I finally sold my son’s dining room table that had no place in his teensy studio apartment. I thrifted it for $30 and sold it for $175, which included delivery as I was a very motivated seller! We’d been storing it in my daughter’s childhood bedroom and unsurprisingly it took up half the square footage. My daughter’s room is once again ready for houseguests and for my daughter to chill out in when she visits the house.
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I took a thrifted black cashmere sweater that A) no longer fit; and B) had a prominent hole and upcycled it into an infinity scarf. Cashmere’s knit doesn’t unravel when cut, which made this sweater the perfect organ donor. It was as simple as laying the sweater on the floor and cutting across the abdomen for a loop. I then stretched the knit into a cozy “scarf” that loops twice around the neck. Am I . . . a fashion influencer?
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I started reading a library copy of The Echo of Old Books, by Barbara Davis. I’m only two chapters in, but I’m already hooked!
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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.”
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{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
5 things:
1) making a fried chicken Thanksgiving ( suggestion via Sohla from the NYT website) since it will be two of us this year. This will will tasty and fun!
2) am thankful to be employed this year, and will be working Friday in a quiet office, away from shopping madness.
3) My neighbor gifted me with free chanterelles this year! Woo hoo!
4) Am still taking transit- and masking. The difference in my health is profound- I no longer get as sick or sniffle!
5) I did not buy fake gold sneakers.
I must admit to staring at that rock for a long minute and trying to figure out if you had some baking go very badly. 😀
I made a cherry pie for tomorrow’s family get together with two cans of pie filling bought super cheap this summer at my beloved Ollie’s Outlet clearance store. It’s the same filling the grocery sells for twice as much.
Also gathered up all the mostly empty bottles of hand soap and let them drain into the bottle in active use, refilled the Mr Clean and window cleaner spray bottles from the big refill jugs, hand-washed several items that could not go into the washer together (bras and and oven gloves to not mix) and hung them to dry.
I thought the same thing…that doesn’t look very appetizing???
Not very palatable.
Now that you pointed it out– It needs frosting. Or ketchup.
1. Gathered books to sell=$11.73
2. Online survey=$30 in visa gift card
3. Charged portable power chargers
4. Made cornbread for cornbread dressing
5. Gave my sister 2 new toothbrushes from
our dentist
I’m gonna try for my first submission of five, because I also very much appreciate the daily posts, and want to support it.
1. I’m using up the last of some shampoo and lotion that I’m not enamoured with, and finishing off supplements I won’t be replacing.
2. My living room is featuring racks of drying laundry today, instead of using the dryer.
3. The last of some leftover chicken thighs will be the start of a chicken and wild rice soup for what looks like a blustery evening. The bones are in the freezer for future stock.
4. Used store points and change for 2# of sale priced but still spendy coffee. I’ll enjoy it with the free, sometimes unopened cartons of cream my daughter brings home from her workplace when the best before date is during or just after the weekend. They used to pour it out.
5. Re-reading my old, thrifted copy of The Scarlet Letter. I hear it’s on the banned books list.
I’ve done that lid for a tub drain cover, too, but with a plastic peanut butter jar of water as a weight, and after yesterday’s post, I closed a couple of online accounts I never use, even though I had already unsubscribed from emails. I can thrift almost everything I need.
KLC, that’s a great first list!
Nice! I hope that soup is delicious!
When I glanced at the photo, I thought it was a rock in the microwave! Like on the glass plate inside a microwave. Ha.
I thought the same exact thing!
1. I made a trip to Meijer and loaded up on loss leaders. I used $10 in Meijer rewards towards my total.
2. I forgot that I had a coupon for free eggs with purchase of $70. I found it as I was checking out. I went back in to the service desk with eggs, coupon and receipt and received my free dozen eggs.
3. I made yogurt when I got home and I will use half of it to make dog ice cream.
4. I made stir fry with tofu for dinner last night and the leftovers will be dinner tonight.
5. My heat is set at 62 during the day and 58 at night. I’m wearing a fleece jacket and warm slippers. If I’m sitting, I cover up with a blanket because I get cold otherwise I’m very comfortable. I also sleep with extra blankets.
1. Bought Smart Ink for My HP Printer at 10% of the price. The blue cartridge was malfunctioning. I got on the Chat at the website and they are sending me all four colors. Wow! three cartridges free.
2. I am saving used cartridges to turn in at Staples for $2.00 a piece.
3. Hubby has been away so I have had multiple meals of Homemade yogurt with pomegranate sauce on top. The sauce is the seeds I gathered and froze mixed in a microwave with pomegranate jelly I was gifted by someone to whom I gave free pomegranates. Yum. Also, I have been eating fresh eggs scrambled which were gifted to a man I let pick our Hamachi persimmons. I only use the fuyus.
4. DS is HOME!!!!!! We usually go out to dinner to celebrate – an expensive proposition with a 22 year old who likes steak and sushi. I suggested using up the homemade pork and beans whose days are numbered. I’ll serve it with “pumpkin bread.” I use the .99 spice cake mix, mix it with 15 ounces of pumpkin puree, dates, and walnuts from our coop. Super delish. Then I suggested Wicked. Total for tickets for a week day was 38.25. That is the cost for one entree plus tip and tax these days.
5. I don’t wear make up but I do use Dr. Gross’ daily peals. They are on a rare sale of 30% off this week. I bought 60 days worth and will use them every other day. With what I have, I should be good till next year’s cyber week.
I made the pumpkin bread for the first time last year. It WAS super delish! I don’t wear make up either. I have never heard of the daily peals. I’ll have to check that out.
1. Spent the morning over at Frugal Girl’s blog and we were all consoling one another about our lives not being Hallmark movie perfection, esp. at Thanksgiving. Very therapeutic!
2. I am being extremely good to myself in the aftermath of my elderly dog’s demise. She usually weighed over 40 pounds but was 32.6 pounds when I took her in for her final visit to the vet Monday. So, sadly, it was time for her to cross over the Rainbow Bridge. After 14+ years with me (and she was already about 2 y.o. when I got her), our house is too quiet. I’m playing some Motown songs online to cheer me up; I know I need to be really good to myself.
3. To that end, I gave myself permission to wiggle out of a standing invitation to go eat lunch with an out-of-town friend. We always do this the day before a holiday since my town is halfway between her home and her relatives’. She’s a wonderful friend, I usually greatly enjoy our visit, but we have different viewpoints about everything (read: elections) and I’m just not up to hearing what a great guy Trump is and how vaccines are a hoax.
4. Went to another friend’s house and she gave me a “doggie bag” of a Thanksgiving meal and all the trimmings. She also gave me a portable coffee maker/toaster oven/electric grill that her boss had given her. It’s as cute as can be and just perfect for a single person!
5. Instead of ordering Magic Mendit online for “only” $29 (they give you 2 bottles and throw in a bottle of glue for gemstone decorations), I did my own research. There is another, similar product on sale at the Walmart website for $2.99 a tube. Ordered that instead.
Fru-gal Lisa, I’m very sorry to hear about your dog. It’s so hard to say good-bye, and I’m glad you’re taking good care of yourself.
I think gifting yourself permission to skip the lunch was a very kind thing to do! We all need to be more mindful about taking care of ourselves – especially during difficult times. Here’s hoping you find comfort in your memories and happy distractions in your songs!
Fru-gal Lisa, keep on doing what you need to do to take care of yourself.
When I saw the picture of the rock, I thought “oh, this is going to be an interesting story.” And it was!
1. Distributed throws and blankets to chairs, couches and beds for extra warmth. (Although I must admit we keep our heat a lot higher than many of you.) As I type this, I’m looking over at our dog who is wrapped up in a velvet throw from Restoration Hardware that was given to us when we adopted her predecessor. When she jumps off “her” chair, sometimes the throw is hanging off her back as she walks, which is when we call her Liberace. She’s living a life of luxury!
2. Added insulation and weatherstripping to the mechanical room which is off the garage and under our bedroom. Much warmer all around.
3. Requested and received a neck gaiter from Buy Nothing. I stay a lot warmer when my neck is covered. I might even wear it to bed.
4. A former colleague treated me to lunch. It was wonderful to catch up with him after seven years.
5. Cut off the fronts of three beautiful cards and glued them onto folded cardstock to create new cards.
I like the cashmere scarf! Great price, too.
1. Remembered to search for coupons online when I made an online order and got free shipping, (google: Name of Company Coupons). Men’s size 16 6E shoes just don’t show up in stores around me.
2. Didn’t do much raking this fall, except moving some leaves onto flower beds. The grass will be just fine with a crunchy topping.
3. Renewed my ACA health insurance at healthcare.gov for next year. Overall, it is a very user-friendly website. I have no idea what I would have been paying between my employer suddenly closing seven years ago and starting Medicare next year without that program.
4. New library books: “The Phoenix Ballroom” by Ruth Hogan was a good happy story. The newest Stephanie Plum is closer to the author’s original style, (bounty hunting based in the Burg), which I like better than some of her recent more fanciful stories. I have the latest Louise Penny for over the holiday weekend. I get new releases from the library more quickly by putting the large print ones on reserve.
5. Hmm– not too creative here. Time to sort the recycling for the next city pick-up. We don’t save a lot of room in the trash, but we certainly have less trash since we recycle.
1. I had been storing an awesome, sturdy table in my garage. It was my Mom’s when I was growing up. She had gifted it to me when I moved into my first apartment. It traveled with me to two other homes before we bought this one. My son used it in his “classroom” for school and crafting through the years. He’s in high school now, and hadn’t used it in a while. I loaded it in mom’s vehicle and she set up a new art station for my niece. That table is worn and has paint splatter and other evidence of art all over it, but my niece thinks it’s the best art table ever!
2. I sorted through my crafting supplies and gifted some paint brushes, craft paint, and an assortment of items to my Mom. She is making no-spend Christmas decorations with my niece at her “new” art table.
3. I needed a shift in energy and decided to pull out my old yoga mat this morning. I pulled up some free morning yoga videos on you-tube.
4. I pulled my sons old 5lb weights out of the garage and cleaned them up. I watched another free video on you-tube to follow up the yoga.
5. I spent some time barefoot grounding myself while the dog relaxed in the son this afternoon. I chatted on the phone with my brother and came back in much more relaxed than when I went out. I’ll go for a walk this evening with my sister-in-law.
1. Made coffee at home.
2. Didn’t buy any snacks or drinks at the movies.
3. Will crash at my sister’s house instead of a hotel. I did buy her Bailey’s Irish Cream (her favorite) as a hostess gift and a bunch of snacks as well as a couple contributions to Thanksgiving dinner. It’s still cheaper than a hotel
4. Signed up son for winter basketball during the early bird pricing
5. Combined good sale and store credit to get kids some needed pants for cool weather
Truth: When I saw the photo of the rock, I thought, “Gee, that’s a weird-looking loaf of pumpernickel.” 😀
Now, FTFT, Pre-Thanksgiving Roundup:
(1) I’m getting there on the process of cancelling my next-door neighbor’s (NDN’s) auto insurance after the donation of her dead car to our local PBS station. More hoops to jump through than I’d anticipated, but I’m making progress.
(2) And since (1) has convinced me that doing this sort of thing would be a *lot* easier if either NDN’s other close friend (CF) or I had durable power of attorney for her, I’m now reluctantly preparing to look into this. My own elder care lawyer’s office is offering a Black Friday sale on estate planning, and I’ll try to pursue this as soon as they offer more details. (NDN’s only living relative who might be of any use is a nephew down South who’s sympathetic but not in a position to do much, for various reasons.)
(3) NDN and I will be having Thanksgiving dinner at CF’s, along with members of CF’s family and church. I’m taking my signature kale, carrot, and apple salad. One thing I’m enormously thankful for this year is having CF along for the bumpy ride with NDN.
(4) And because I’ve kept shoulder to wheel and nose to grindstone on both NDN’s business and my volunteer proofreading for JASNA’s electronic journal, I am planning to spend Black Friday morning at my Salvation Army superstore (50% off everything) and the Thrifty Shopper’s boutique store. Pardon me if I go off the rails!
(5) Finally, I’m kicking back this evening with some more of my extensive collection of Celtic holiday music. Bring it on. Chieftains (“The Bells of Dublin”) and Eileen Ivers (“An Nollaig”)!
1. Had our visit to the children’s museum today, we got 6 people in for $16 instead of $96 through a combination of discount tickets because one of us is entitled to WIC benefits, and free passes from the library’s Discover and Go program. It was a much enjoyed visit.
2. Used our prepaid visa card received for completing wellness activities for our insurance to pay for thanksgiving groceries. I like to be generous with food and have a good range of favorite things when our adults kids/grandkids come to stay for a week. I also want to enjoy the people and not spend hours in the kitchen, so a few convenience foods were involved.
3. I have made a couple of intentional and needed purchases in excellent sales. I wrote the sale dates in my planner so I didn’t lose track.
4. Had a sweet time hanging cloth napkins on the clothesline. My grandson (3) came out with me and handed me one napkin at a time. I love this age where everything is fun. And I love my cheerful array of cloth napkins, all made by me. None match but that means that each person knows which napkin is theirs.
5. Received a product that I’m testing for a market research company. It is a consumable product I don’t often buy, and Thanksgiving was a great time to test it out.