Nothing But Frugal Fails!
by Katy on August 31, 2025 · 20 comments
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I had a couple hours of feeling proud of myself for curb picking this microwave for my youngest’s new apartment. That is, until I took a closer look and realized that the inside was super rusty and unsafe for use! And before you come at me for not thoroughly inspecting it, I swear that opened it up for an inspection, but apparently I looked into the microwave, not at the surrounding frame. So not only did I haul this behemoth home, but I now have to carry it back to the car and drive it to Goodwill, as they accept e-waste for recycling.
I refuse to take it as a total loss though, as I can list the glass plate and revolving support ring on eBay.
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I’ve shared a number of times about all the amazing cheap produce I’ve scored from Fred Meyer’s produce clearance shelf, but it’s often either empty or stocked with truly terrible choices. Today was one of those days. Do you spy all the anemic limes? How about the bruised pears?
Can I interest you in some bruised up mealy apples?
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I got a red light ticket from an intersection that I’m 100% sure was a legal right-on-red situation. I thought the court date was August 28th, but it turned out to be August 25th. I figured this out on 26th. I wrote a check for $270 and at this point can only hope I won’t be charged a late fee. Fuuuu . . . .
Okay, I think that’s it. At least I didn’t have “Five unFrugal Things” to write about!
Please tell me I’m not alone in my tomfoolery.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
Is that an open roll of toilet paper on your produce clearance shelf? That’s what it looks like in the picture. Granted your choices that day were crappy, but….
Oh man, we all have those days….
1. Today I went back to the gym after a too-long period of laziness. I won’t say it felt good, but it felt okay, like my muscles weren’t pure mush. I have no excuse — the gym is free through my Medicare Advantage plan.
2. On the way I peeked at the little free pantry, and I brought home some potatoes.
3. I picked up a copy of the 2025 Farmers Almanac at a little free library. I was expecting it might have some good tips, but other than a few recipes, there wasn’t much of interest. I’m a condo dweller, so not a gardener.
4. I found a receipt while walking to the car. I thought I found two, but one was just the list they attach to a takeout bag — no name, no total. I did find three at the beach yesterday, however!
5. I found quite a few aluminum cans, which I deposited ina recycling bin. Unfortunately, my state does not offer cash for cans.
I probably wouldn’t have picked up the microwave to begin with since I would have assumed an electrical issue that is beyond me to repair. When my work was closing an office and giving away equipment. I plugged in everything I was interested in and tested in. Not surprisingly, not everything worked! Good to save the ring and plate though since they are still useful.
My store’s discount produce shelf frequently looks like that. Or empty. I check every time anyway.
What were your original plans for the microwave? I know, first hand, that there’s a demand for replacement plates. I’m not sure what happened, but mistakes were made by a teenager at my house, and we were missing a plate. We had to carefully balance items on the ring until I managed to get to the bins and find a replacement. I think there are people who would have scrapped the whole appliance. Good for you for taking the microwave to a recycler. I would have sheepishly returned it to the spot where I found it!
That’s what the clearance produce looked like last time I was at Fred Meyer. Things like two mangos with oozing rotten spots. Yes, I could have salvaged some usable fruit from that scenario, but not $1.50 worth!
$1.50 for a roll of toilet paper seems a bit high.
My youngest is moving from an apartment with a built-in microwave to one without one, so I grabbed it for them.
Looks like that might be a roll of plastic produce bags.
Thursday pm my 5 am flight to Cedar Rapids was cancelled so I scrambled I rebooked on another airline which cost me $84 over my air fare allowance
On the upside I saw a friend I hadn’t seen for 3 years. She drove from
MN. The hotel was paid as part of my assignment. We stopped and picked up
food and had breakfast, lunch and snacks in our room.
4 hour layover in Denver meant dining in airport.
Onto a new week and month tomorrow
Commiseration on the fails. I’m not glad you failed, but it’s reassuring to hear your fails as I have my share too.
Yesterday I was lucky though. I sold a wooden dining room chair and the buyer asked if I had anything else for sale. I showed her the table that I had listed just before going to meet her, and she bought it on the spot, for the full asking price!
I was feeling rather battered by the day, my mother is very ill, we’re trying to schedule the holidays (I know, so early, but the schedules are complex) and that’s always a nightmare, and I had supported a dear one who is deeply grieving. I was just done in. So the unexpected sale was a nice happening.
Katy, you’re not alone. Things could always be worse. Good save on the microwave plate and ring. When we moved into our current house, the previous owner left three spare microwave plates. I donated them to our local thrift store since storing extras for “someday” makes me twitchy.
I use the old glass tray and under circle as a lazy-Susan on my counter top. It works great and my neighbor picks up any metal to recycle. Blessings.
Ida, that is a great idea!
Sorry about the fails but thanks for sharing!
With eBay selling intention, I pick up Starbucks and other “collectible” coffee mugs at Goodwill. Some of them just haven’t sold, so I put them out at our Garage Sale. Sold them for 1/2 what I bought them for, and donated the rest back to Goodwill. Argh.
FYI, Katy, I have sold a couple of microwave glass plates on Ebay over the years, so this will end up being a Win in the end.
Your fruit bin picture cracked me up. Here in Atlanta our Kroger had those little dried up limes too!!
We all encounter these failures. The good news is that the wins outweigh the fails.
I had a couple of minor frugal fails after an otherwise hugely enjoyable estate sale yesterday. (The deceased was a professor of literature at the Jesuit college near me, and–according to DH, who did some remodeling for him back in the day–was quite a character. There was a rumor that the guy once threatened to take off his pants at a faculty meeting, though I forget the reason.)
Anyway, after 45 hot, dusty, and fascinating minutes, I staggered out of there with two overflowing shopping bags of books (the place was a book-a-palooza, as you can imagine) and other odds and ends. Unfortunately, after I got home, I discovered that what I thought was a complete set of the Oxford U. Press edition of JA in paperback (a possible present for JASNA Panera) had two Emmas and no Sense and Sensibility. Fortunately, Jane Austen Books (janeaustenbooks.net; the owners are personal friends, and I’m happy to recommend them) had the S&S I needed in stock for a reasonable price.
The other minor frugal fail was that I stumbled on my way up the stairs with an armful of books last night. No serious harm done, but at my now advanced age, I’d rather not take any more stumbles than I can help.
Huge frugal fail here. Hubby, daughter and I went to the Jersey Shore for a week and came home and discovered the freezer door had been left open a couple of inches. All the sale bought meat, shrimp and veggies all went in the trash. Hubby thinks he did it cause he grabbed an extra handful of ice for the cooler bags before we left. He is a gem though and got rid of everything and cleaned the whole fridge/freezer/back of fridge.
Then he went grocery shopping and about passed out with the price of meat. I told him that’s why I tell him to stock up when there is a sale. At this rate I don’t know if we’ll ever have ground beef agaain.
Oh that’s terrible! So sad for you! I might have been crying if that were me.
Why is it that your Fred Meyer is so generous wih filling those red mesh bags…and my City Market (same owner) is so cheap? 3 or 4 potatoes, 3 pears, 3 tomatoes, etc etc. For $1.00, it wasn’t so bad, but $1.50???
I did get a free large tomato while buying sale chrysanthemums at Lowe’s. ($2 each) The tomato had fallen off the plants for sale, and the clerk said, “Oh, just keep it.” Yummy on swiss & dried beef sandwiches.
P.S. I hope you’re checking the change machines when you hit Fred Meyer and other places. I found 89 cents in the Safeway return cup a few weeks ago.
Same at the Kroger in my area, red mesh bags contain three small items for $1.50. Last trip they were clearly rotting tomatoes, potatoes with black spots and sprouting eyes.
I really appreciate your frugal fails. It makes me feel better about mine.
I have already spent $800 to get my check engine light repaired, so I can register the car. I also spent $1000 on four new tires, and inflation check parts, and new lug nuts (!) because the old ones had a cover that caused them to rust. Before I could get the car registered (I needed 200 miles past the light going off), the light is back. So I’m back to the dealer, trying to get this done before the end of the month. Too much money, and it’s going to be more.
This is not what I choose to be frugal to save for.