Four Frugal Things -- More Stuff From The Storage Unit
1) I cashed in my reward points on the Fetch rewards app to buy a $25 Ikea gift card. I don't accrue points very quickly as A) I rarely buy the corporate food that earns the big points, and B) I don't push my referral code, as the whole pyramid-scheminess of their business model isn't my thang.
However, I'll accept the occasional free gift card in exchange for a peek into my buying patterns. It's not like I don't already publish that information on the world wide web!
2) I accepted a $16 offer on a pair of cute lightweight Boden shorts that I picked up at the Goodwill bins a few weeks ago. This was a $100 Goodwill Gift Card Challenge sale, which'll add an extra $12.68 to my July 1st Oregon Food Bank donation.
My sales have definitely slowed down as I haven't listed much lately, but I still receive the occasional "ka-ching" on my phone.
Click HERE to see the listing.
3) My husband and I spent a couple more hours at his late parents' storage unit and then hightailed it across town to get to the Habitat ReStore before they closed at 2 P.M. We hadn't realized that they close early on Tuesdays and arrived at 1:53 P.M., which made for a stressful drive. They were super nice about it though.
Once again we filled the back of the minivan with unwanted items, although this week was functional items such as kitchenware, tools and remodeling supplies. (Last week was all about taking multiple loads to the dump!) We did keep a couple items, such as the above lemon squeezer and a specifically sized milk crate that my friend Lise uses for hauling ceramic coffee mugs to volunteer events. (Like me, she hates garbage from single use items.) She asked me to keep an eye out for one maybe four years ago!
I think we'll finally clear out the rest of the storage unit next week, which is now down to mostly broken antique furniture and shelving units. We notified the storage manager that we'll be out by the end of the month. Goodbye, $137 monthly expense!
4) We were exhausted by the end of the day, but kept to our weekly "Family Dinner Night" even though our daughter is out of town. It was still important to have our youngest and their partner to the house and I assembled a frugal, yet tasty tostada buffet featuring scratch cooked pinto beans and rice, plus assorted toppings.
Avocados were either rock hard or wildly expensive, so I picked up a container of clearance priced guacamole at Fred Meyer. Dessert was a $2.99 container of Dreyer's ice cream, plus a box of cones.
We ended up playing a thrifted "What Do You Meme" card game after dinner, which was pretty fun. (I think it was the half-off color tag and that I paid $2.50 for it.) Perfect evening.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
I had trigger finger surgery 10 days ago or a little longer. Because I work in a very dirty environment (and was given absolutely no time off to heal) l now have an infected incision plus a crapload of pain. The #1 not frugal in this is that my insurance only covered part of the cost of the of the surgery. The #2 not frugal was a visit to urgent care on Monday which included antibiotics. The #3 not frugal was needing to buy several bags of ice as my countertop ice maker was NOT keeping up with the demand (am supposed to ice and elevate). The #4 not frugal was missing 4 hours of work yesterday because between the infection, pain, and a severely malfunctioning computer (at work) I finally just said screw this and went home (I do get sick pay so at least will get paid for the 4 hours I missed). Then today I accidentally left the ice bag at home and tried to improvise with the plastic bags we use for mail that gets damaged in processing--hardy har har even with 4 bags layered it leaked like a sieve and melted too fast to do anything. So now I'm at home getting ready to go to bed (I work nights) and am still frustrated!!
It must be the season for hand infections. I got a cat bite in May & had to go to ER. This month the husband developed a large abscess on the top of his hand which had to be drained. Could you possibly wear a disposable glove on the operated finger to protect it from dirt? Thumbs down to the employer who will not give a day(s) off for surgery to heal.
Ugh, Suellen, your finger surgery saga sounds awful. I wish you more opportunities for rest and healing than you seem to be getting so far.
I'm so sorry about the infection and the pain and expense that go along with it. Hoping for a quick recovery for you. Take care.
Oh, that’s terrible! I have had the same surgery on both hands (my middle finger, actually ) and I’m so sorry you ended up with an infection. I hope you feel better soon.
I don’t have a Goodwill bins near me 🙁 so I have to rely on my overpriced GW store branches for the occasional treasure. But I did score a few days ago. I found a Nordic Ware quarter sheet pan for $1.99. Now this was an unusually low price for my GW but I know it was because of some baked-on gunk. I was certain I could scrub it off and get it clean, and Nordic Ware is my favorite for sheet pans. So I paid and applied the baking soda/vinegar/good old elbow grease method. It took some time but it worked. I scrubbed off 95%, the last being a bit of stubborn spots in the corners. The cheapest I can find this for is $10 new, most much more. For me this is a win.
Trying to find a ripe avocado is like trying to find a unicorn
I’m disappointed in my online sales. I’ve dropped prices so I’m hopeful sales will pick up
Used another Amazon gift card I got thru participating in a clinical study to purchase items for the house
Took my Nelson DeMille book, obained from the free sidewalk pile at a used bookstore, to the Little Free Library where I'd gotten another of his novels. Thought the LFL giver might like this one, too.(Wild Fire, about a retired NYPD detective trying to stop a secret group's plot to trigger a Mideast war.) Was not planning to take any books out, but...
... Found "A Promised Land" by President Barack Obama, his autobiography, and just couldn't resist getting it! Hardback book in new condition by a very intelligent author/talented writer. (Was sad to read his descriptions of the late great beautiful White House Rose Garden that Trump destroyed.)
I'm reading it while relaxing out on the patio today. Weather is cool enough that I was out there all morning and early afternoon with only an electric fan to stir up a nice breeze. Snuggles quietly chewed on his bone over in the grass nearby. So nice!
Made sun tea and a plate of leftovers with a sliced garden tomato for lunch. Of course I ate out on the patio. Fantastic staycation-at-home day. Didn't have to leave my place to enjoy it all!
Checked the mail and the nice Wells Fargo lady, true to her word, got me my new card in plenty of time for tomorrow's dentist appointment; she FedExed it.( We cancelled the old card due to not knowing if Schmeff Schmezos was going to charge me for an unwanted Prime subscription I wanted to immediately cancel. I now have a new card and number, so no hassle in arguing with Amazon.)
Hope everyone else is having a great day!
Lisa, my favorite warm weather is sitting on my deck, reading and sipping iced tea. Your description of relaxing on your patio while reading made me think we're kindred spirits, North and South! Lol. I'm in Massachusetts thus my time enjoying my backyard and deck is limited to May through October. Oh and I don't have Snuggles on the lawn enjoying a bone, I have Bear (my cat) stretched out in the sun watching the birds fly by!
...warm weather ACTIVITY...
First, Katy, solidarity forever to you and Mr. NCA on the continuing storage unit cleanout. I continue my efforts at NDN1's house with city trash and recycling, even though this feels like trying to bail out the ocean with a thimble, because this means a *slight* reduction in what the junk removal service we'll have to call in eventually will charge us for. And, besides, I'm still coming up with the occasional baggie of coins. I handed $3.04 to NDN1's CF this morning and said, "Don't spend it all in one place." 😉
In more positive news, CF and I had a most productive meeting this morning with a realtor friend of CF's, who took a good look around the house and grounds, and gave us his honest opinion of how much he thinks we should list it for "as is" (which is what CF, I, and NDN1's nephew all want to do). He also texted CF the contact info for his preferred estate sale folks, junk removal service, etc., which she will forward to me.
And it turned out that the realtor had various dealings with my DH over the years in DH's various avatars as remodeling contractor, home inspector, home energy consultant, and university-area landlord, and spoke of him warmly and respectfully. So he really made my day.
A. Marie, that is the best possible news about the helpful realtor. I was getting worried about you trying to clean out that house.
People younger than I refer to this as the "millennial inheritance," it crosses generations. I did find a penny yesterday.
I'm glad your journey helping to clean out your neighbor's house is very hopefully coming to a close. You and CF are good souls for helping with this huge task.
A. Marie, I think you mentioned you were writing a paper to share with your JASNA group awhile back. Did you end up writing/reading it? I would love to read it if you care to share it...
Christine, the "paper" was actually a combined lecture/discussion on "Jane Austen and Thrift." My JASNA Panera friend videoed it but hasn't yet gotten around to posting it on her YouTube channel. When she does, and if I can bear to look at it myself, I'll post the link.
And thanks to both you and Ruby for your kind words, but CF and I have always known that we'd have to call in a junk removal service eventually. I've just been pecking away at this at odd hours when I have the time and energy. Our informal division of labor is that I do most of this (being much closer and in better physical shape), take in the mail, and deal with other matters here--while CF makes most of the necessary phone calls, which I loathe doing.
Thank you. I'll keep my eye open for the link.
I wish you strength and patience in cleaning out your neighbor's house. Sounds like you have good help. I spent 1 1/2 years cleaning out my parents ' house. But I was 2 hours away so I wasn't there every day
I sold a bundle of toddler uggs, Boggs and nikes. These were acquired at a moving sale for $2/pr. I sold the bundle for $30.
This will go into the kids backpack pantry. Kids sign up for 3 backpacks full of either shelf stable or frozen/refrigerated food. Our demand has gone up 39% over last year.
I sold my huge heavy duty construction flat bed trailer for what my dad paid to have it built in 1990.
I sold my brother's personal pontoon boat, that is going into my kayak fund.
Scouring the various barns and out buildings to sell off more shtuff.
1. Gas is $3.23 today in the University town.
2. I have walked thirty minutes so far and may have to exercise inside for the other thirty minutes bc of approaching rainstorm. We will see.
3. I ate an apple, and peanut butter and honey sandwich for lunch. Egg and tomato sandwich for breakfast. Watermelon for a snack. I will eat something tonight at home as always.
4. I stopped and bought $18 worth or groceries including a small watermelon. I go through so much watermelon in the summer. I also bought a bag of apples for $3.24, an onion, three packages of hot dogs, 3 of the 2 liter diet drinks for a dollar a piece, eggs for $1.47, and something else I am forgetting.
5. I dried my jeans outside in my front yard on my thrifted chair in between rainstorms. My neighbors tend to grill in their front yard, so they don’t care that I dry my clothes out there and that is because our back yards are rather soggy these past couple of weeks! My air is off, windows up, and the fan on here in mid June, which is kind of unheard of in modern society. Who says we have to follow the norm … not me!!!
1. I reminded myself I had my big girl pants on and stopped at Aldi on the way home from having the oil changed in my vehicle. Aldi was literally on the way home. We are now well stocked with produce, a few dairy items, and white cheddar popcorn.
2. I paid for the oil change with my debit card to avoid a 3% credit card use fee. I paid for the groceries with another debit card to supposedly earn 7% cash back.
3. Meals at home, meals at home, and meals at home.
I love Aldi's white cheddar popcorn too! I've tried a few other natl brands & in-house brands, not as tasty. Have you also tried Cousin Charlie's microwave white cheddar popcorn? 3 pks in a box for $2.49 at a local chain grocery store.
I love Aldi's white cheddar popcorn too! I've tried a few other natl brands & in-house brands, not as tasty. Have you also tried Cousin Charlie's microwave white cheddar popcorn? 3 pks in a box for $2.49 at a local chain grocery store.
Good to hear the storage unit is almost done with.
1. I took nine items to the consignment store. It always feels good to be rid of unwanted things without throwing them away.
2. While there I found a dime on the floor in front of the counter. Into the found change jar it went as soon as I got home.
3. I hung a load of laundry outside to dry after washing it in cold water. Plus my front loader washer uses very little detergent and water. We pay quarterly for water and sewage so we try to be careful. I water the 2 pots of flowers and 1 pot containing a tomato plant but as for the lawn, the Raspberry bushes and the perennials...well, they're on their own.
4. I bought a furniture shaver for my old couch. The couch itself is sturdy but the material covering it is awful. Lots of pilling. I'm hoping this will restore it back to where it looks "okay". Not asking for miracles...just want it to look presentable without being covered with blankets.
5. I did my own yard trimming. I got rid of lots of dead branches from the lilacs, honeysuckle and cherry tree plus pulled a bunch of weeds. Free exercise and everything looks better.
Those fabric shavers are life changing . I frequently find Smartwool socks at the bins and a few therapeutic minutes with one of those , they are as good as new. Sweaters, throw pillows, hats, couches… they are amazing!
1. It’s been in the mid 90s the last 2 days so I’ve been drying most things outside , despite the judgey looks from my suburban neighbors.
2. Got a text from a haircut place that they are doing 1/2 off toddler cite his week for happy house. Mine is in desperate need of a haircut
3. Got a lot on clearance yesterday at the grocery store including bell peppers, zucchini , Mac and cheese , yogurt, apples, bananas, and a steak. I have found that what works best for us (and as a sahm), a few trips to the grocery store a week equals more savings. We don’t have much of a variety of stores around, but I’m able to get the marked down items and use that to make meals.
4. Another day at the pool today that is included in our HOA. Went with another mom friend and her toddler.
5. My friend and I did a granola bar swap for the bars that each of our kids have been boycotting.
1. At the tender age of 66 I made hamburger buns for the first time! I wasn’t going to spend $6.99 for the GOOD hamburger buns (as Ina Garten would say). They turned out great! It was only last year that I realized my 8 year old wall oven has a Proof setting.
2. I had some expiring Southwest Air travel credits so I transferred them to DD30 and her partner. It won’t pay for 100% of the flights but it will help.
3. I received a settlement check from HexClad. A whopping $2.83.
4. Last weekend we hit a Townwide Yard Sale in the next town over. The community is so spread out that DH and I were soon exhausted driving around, parking, hopping out, etc. I bought nothing for me just a $5 Funko Pop for DD partner.
Love it that you are nearly done with the storage unit!
1. I had been waiting for free mulch, and it came to me today! A friend helped me pick it up as I'm without a car this week.
2. I ran the heat for 10 minutes last night. It pains me to run it in the summer, but the furnace mechanic said that if it doesn't get run between March and November, it is hard on it. He recommends running it a couple times during that time. We don't have AC, it's not a dual unit, and so it really doesn't get run for 7 months of the year and I know that is not great for any machine.
3. I asked our insurance agent to check why we did not have the mature driver discount listed on our policy that was renewed. He assured me that we had the discount but they had just failed to list it. I asked him to check into it anyway, and lo and behold, we were not getting the discount. They added it back and took $31 off our premium. This is the same insurance company that overcharged us by $300 this spring. Clearly I have the watch them like a hawk. It is the cheapest insurance for us, and we have limited options as we live in CA where there is wildfire risk and have already been dumped from a previous insurance.
4. I followed up about a refund that I had been assured (in writing) I had been given, but it had not showed up on our credit card statement. Turns out they had not given it. Supposedly now they have. I have made a note to check statement at end of month.
5. I took clothes to Plato's closet and received $16 in cash. They were all clothes dd was donating. So didn't cost me a penny, she got rid of them as she wanted, and I got $16!
Has anyone else experienced more cases of refunds being delayed or not given? It feels to me like businesses have become less honest recently.
I had to repeatedly call Hampton Inn to get them to reverse a mistake they had made. I always got the runaround -- just wait two more business days! Uh, no, it's been 10 days. Finally Chase took it off my credit card bill after I told them my sad story.
Yes. I am still trying to get Target (credit card) to reissue a check in a small amount that got mangled by the USPS and couldn’t be cashed as a result. Today was my 3rd attempt - each time they say a check will arrive in 7-10 days but that never happened. I asked if they could just credit my account for that amount and they claimed they couldn’t. I have a tickler in my calendar to follow up next month if necessary.
It's a rainy day, but at least this time we're not in the tornado zone. That's further south. I decided to stay home and that means spending nothing.
I made a great breakfast with leftovers. Migas -- made with the last of the fajita filling, some cream cheese and mozzarella, olives, and of course a torn-up flour tortilla and eggs. A croissant on the side as well as stewed apples. Yum.
For lunch I thawed and heated a slice of pepperoni pizza, to which I added olives and mozzarella.
I was only able to eat half of what I made, so I'll have the same meals tomorrow, except that I'll probably put the reheated migas between slices of toast.
The picnic blanket I found in the alley is selling on eBay for $30-50, so I'll probably try to sell it. It's like new, but of course no tags. I was going to keep it, but how likely am I, at my advanced age, to sit on the ground and picnic? Though it would make a nice tablecloth for a picnic table.
The brackets and screws I'll donate, along with the switch plates (which came from the same site in the alley.) A perfect place would be Habitat ReStore, but I think ours closed, and I'll have to find another.
The T-shirt I rescued from a dumpster cleaned up nicely. It was pretty stinky, but now it's pristine, and it's going to Goodwill.
I listed one clothing item today -- it was a Talbots shirt with a really cute bird print. I wanted to keep it for myself, but it was just a little too tight. My sister is smaller than I am, though she is my big sister.
I am noticing the slowdown in eBay traffic, too, but I'm plugging away.
I too am glad we are out of the bad IL weather zone tonight. Rain and wind we can handle but don't need another spout of large hail.
Off topic frugal but since you mention using Google Lens:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/google-search-setting-privacy-ai_l_6a2c4630e4b0ba7a1fed2872?origin=home-whats-happening-unit
Boy, it’s been a long time since I’ve left a message
I have been enjoying my retirement, going to the Y (utilizing my incredibly cheap membership, since I have very little income). Starting the process next month for my SS widows pension, and collecting my other work pension, both in November.
One of the ladies I met through our aqua aerobics/HIIT class, brought in a large box of lettuce she grew. She also brought in gallon size Ziploc bags. She did this two weeks in a row. I’ve eaten a lot of salads. And of course, I have washed out the Ziploc bags.
Another person picked up a 50 pound box of Georgia peaches, and that amazing man, share a bunch of peaches with all of us. Peaches are my absolute favorite fruit.
My neighbors youngest graduated high school and they had a large barbecue. I had some great food and I met their daughter’s boyfriend‘s mom. Turns out, we have a lot in common. Especially punk music. We’ve exchanged phone numbers and IG names and will be getting together for lunch when she comes back from her business trip.
Friday, I will be taking advantage of the free commuter rail Fridays on the T. I plan on heading into Boston, and finding me some Scottish men who have been enjoying our amazing city. 🙂 The Museum of Fine Arts will also be free entry on Friday. And then I will probably hit the Haymarket Square farmers market, before going back to the train to come home, to see what fruit and veggies I can get on the cheap.
Stay safe, stay healthy everyone!
Nancy, I have told you before but I never get tired of repeating this. Thanks to you and information you provided I was able to apply for my survivors social security (thank you Katy for this forum too) at 60. It has been a life saver for me. Every time I see your comments, I raise your name with deep gratitude.
Patricia
Hi Patricia, I swear to you, I thought of you when I was typing that out. I am so glad that my mentioning that benefit has helped others. Because I feel like not enough people know. They know about the children receiving benefits if they’re under 18, or when you are 65 or 67, you can choose between yours or your spouses. But not enough people know about the survivor benefit.
I hope you’re having a wonderful year so far. 🙂