Yesterday was the first Saturday of the month, which meant there was nothing short of a level five hurricane to keep me from hitting the Franz Bakery Outlet!
Because:
Even though all their bargain bread is priced the same, I was still judicious with my purchases. because this sleeve of English muffins:
Was not as much of a bargain as its neighbor, packaged for the restaurant trade:
In all, I bought four bread items, including this 16-pack of hamburger buns! It might be time for a batch of my black bean burgers!
People complain about Goodwill pricing, which I totally understand as I’ve certainly been baffled by their $10 Target T shirts. However, you can still locate the bargains that hide between the overpriced items. Just yesterday I found these two items in their furniture section.
This antique oak dining table, priced at $24.99:
Next to an IKEA rolling cart, priced at $19.99:
I also stopped into Fred Meyer for eggs and milk, but made sure to meander through their clearance areas. I scored tomatoes and limes, (both $1.50 per package) plus a bottle of $1.05 organic barbecue sauce. I scanned my Red Cross gift card, which is now sadly depleted. Might be time to schedule another blood letting donation.
My total out of pocket cost for all this food was $4.79, the 79¢ being how much I had to pay after the gift card.
The best part of my day which was wholly undocumented was that I ran into two separate blog readers at the Franz outlet, which was great fun. I always love meeting fellow nonconsumers! Great to meet you, Linda and Katy!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
Like this post? Then please share it with your friends!
Like this:
Like Loading...
-
My husband got a piece of junk mail from Twinings tea, which contained two random bags of tea. Okay . . . we’ll take ’em! Nice to have a variety of different teas to offer when we have guests to the house.
-
I stopped by my daughter’s apartment this evening and noticed that she had a light out in the bathroom. Luckily I have a bag of curb picked light bulbs and a generous heart. Lucky girl.
-
My youngest continues on their side hustle journey and dropped by the house after work to package up four items that sold. They mentioned buying their own shipping supplies for future orders, which prompted a lesson on where to score free shipping supplies.
• Ask the person in your office who manages the mail and packages.
• Visit stores and ask if they have shipping supplies, (boxes, bubble wrap, etc) to get rid of.
• Ask in your Buy Nothing group for packaging supplies.
Honey, never ever pay for shipping supplies!
-
I pruned back my forsythia, which filled two yard debris bins! Luckily I have an extra bin from sharing garbage service with our next door neighbors. I’ll ask friends across the street if I can set one of them out with their garbage next week, as they rarely put out a yard debris can.
-
I spent yet another day loving the stunning vibrant city of Portland, Oregon, despite the O.F.F. (Orange Felonious Fascist) referring to my home as a “living hell.”
Katy Wolk-Stanley
Like this post? Then please share it with your friends!
Like this:
Like Loading...
My refrigerator had once again attained “impressive echo” status, so I jotted down a grocery list and drove myself over to employee owned Winco Foods. I ended up with a few unplanned items, but only because they were on sale. (Winco keeps prices low by not advertising.) This is why I picked up pasta, (99¢) cream cheese, (88¢) string cheese, ($1.98) macaroni and cheese, (98¢) and mini cucumbers, ($1.78.)
My list:
The grand total for everything? $40.99! This should get us though until next week.
Other methods that I use to keep our food spending low:
• I buy our bread from the Franz Bakery outlet when it’s $1/loaf on the first Saturday of the month.
• I hit Fred Meyer’s (Kroger) produce clearance shelf whenever I shop there. It can be hit or miss, but always worth a look see.
• We buy certain items at Costco such as cooking oils, frozen berries, eggs, rotisserie chicken.
• I keep an eye out for and stock up on loss leader items from the corporate chains.
• I forage and freeze blackberries during the summer months.
• I shop at Asian grocery stores for specialty items.
• I steer clear of pricier produce such as berries, fancy apples and out of season asparagus.
How are you doing with food prices?
Katy Wolk-Stanley
Like this post? Then please share it with your friends!
Like this:
Like Loading...
-
I scored the cutest box of bookplates from a Little Free Library. Sleepy lil’ mouse sleeping under a homemade fan quilt? Check. Stack of teeny books? Check. Adorable mousey family pictures on the back wall? Check. Company named after the obscure college that I went to in Yellow Springs, Ohio? Check!
-
I was laying on the couch with a library book and kind of wanted a snacky snack, so I ambled to the kitchen and rummaged around. I located an unopened packet of trail mix from when I donated platelets to the Red Cross last month, which is the gift that keeps on giving. I’m all out of their snacks and rapidly spending down my Kroger gift card, so it might be time to make a new appointment.
-
I spent yesterday at the house going nowhere and doing just about nothing. Mind you, I feel 0% guilty about this as there’s no reward for a toxic productivity mindset. Lounging about with a good book while enjoying delicious food is not wholly reserved for those who travel to resort-style vacations.
-
My husband and I watched a couple episodes of Supernatural through our Netflix account last night. This is the only streaming account that we consistently pay for, as it’s used by both of our kids, plus our niece and nephew. We mooch HBO, Prime Video and Hulu from family members, so this is our contribution to the group. I’m aware that Amazon is clamping down on account sharing, but I welcome the opportunity to consume even less of Schmeff Schmezos’ stink.
-
My youngest used my eBay account to list a couple of items, as they’re about to pay double rent for the month of September. One thing sold within a few hours, so they stopped by after work last night to use my packaging supplies and printer. I’m so proud of my kid’s frugal hustle, which I drummed into both my kids from the very beginning.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
Like this post? Then please share it with your friends!
Like this:
Like Loading...
-
My friend Lisa is a fount of knowledge on all things gluten free, so it was no surprise when she showed up with two bags of Italian “senza glutine” pasta as a hostess gift. It started burning a hole in my pantry last night after I watched this Instagram reel for sesame peanut pasta, as I realized I had every single ingredient on hand. However, I’ll have to save the fancy pasta for another meal, as I located an already open box of gluten-free fettuccini, and practical me was unwilling to open a new product when I had an open one on hand. Being a responsible adult is sometimes a bummer.
-
I took the glass plate and roller-thingy support ring from my recently curb picked microwave and slapped them up on eBay after discovering that the microwave itself was rusty on the inside. This is my way of rationalizing the effort it took to bring home the microwave to only have to take it to Goodwill for e-waste recycling.
Click HERE to see the listing.
-
My husband and I went for an after dinner walk around the neighborhood and passed by this box of enjoyably free apples. Unfortunately I didn’t have a bag on me, so this is a reminder to start carrying one on walks as we’re in prime free fruit season.
-
My husband and I had a lovely lunch date at an area Vietnamese restaurant today. I wasn’t actually all that hungry, so I ordered an $8 pair of spring rolls, which I made extra frugal by helping myself to an abandoned returnable kombucha can outside the restaurant. I’ll never get too fancy to not take advantage of a free ten cents!
-
My husband and I came across this neighborhood mug exchange at the end of our walk. I neither need more mugs, nor do I have an excess, but I’ll keep it in mind for when I do my next round of decluttering. So cute!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
Like this post? Then please share it with your friends!
Like this:
Like Loading...
-
I started reading a library copy of Peony in Love, by Lisa See. She’s one of my favorite authors, as The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane and The Island of Sea Women are two of the best books I’ve read over the past few years. I’m just a couple chapters in, but this one’s also a keeper!
-
I loaded a Fred Meyer e-coupon for 99¢/lb peaches and nectarines and brought home a couple bags of fruit. They won’t be ripe for a few days, but I’m excited for this sweet treat. I’ll likely share with my kids. Still paying with my Red Cross gift card!
-
I paid my next door neighbor our biannual share of the garbage service. This is one of my favorite frugal hacks, as we’ve both saved thousands of dollars in the 16 or so years since we started doing this.
-
I bought a couple packets of Betty Crocker Reese’s Piece’s cookie mixes for $1.25 apiece from Fred Meyer’s clearance shelf. They’ll be handy to have on hand.
-
I’m listening to Jane Green’s thoroughly enjoyable The Friends We Keep through the library’s free Libby app.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
Like this post? Then please share it with your friends!
Like this:
Like Loading...
-
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.
-
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?
-
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
Like this post? Then please share it with your friends!
Like this:
Like Loading...
-
My husband just repainted our front porch, which means that everything that normally sits out front is currently residing in our back yard. Including this welcome mat, looking entirely worse for wear. Mind you, this was a curb find to begin with, although any wear is our own. You can see that it’s molting a fair amount of coconut “coir.”
My first thought was to find a used replacement mat, but then I began to wonder if it’s repairable. If I can darn a sock, then I can surely darn a welcome mat!
Do you have any ideas on how to keep this still functional item in use?
-
I had my friend Sue over for a visit and assembled a small apple crisp for us to munch on with our tea. (She also brought bakery items, so we were fully set for sweet treats.) She mentioned how she never gets to go to other people’s houses, which reminded me that most people meet up in coffee shops, not one another’s homes. I prefer visiting at someone’s house as you get to linger without worrying that you’re loitering in a business. Just another benefit of extreme frugality.
-
My friend who visited last week accidentally brought our spare key back to North Carolina. I might’ve told him to not worry about it, but it was on a special keychain. Today I received it back in the mail, although in an mysteriously lumpy envelope. It turned out to contain an additional three tea bags from hotels he stayed in after visiting with us, plus a handmade card from his wife. Perfect frugal gifts!
For those keeping track, this was one of the three keys that my sister just mailed back to us from NYC, as she repeatedly absconds with our spare keys! This key is having more exciting adventures then we are!
-
I tried out a newly opened Popeye’s Chicken location to redeem a code I’ve been holding in my wallet for at least a year. For those who may not know, Popeye’s has a survey link at the bottom of every receipt, which then earns you two free pieces of chicken plus a biscuit with the purchase of a large drink. The drink alone is $3.79, (weirdly expensive, but I never order drinks so how would I know?) which balances out to a decently priced meal. I chose a lemonade/water mix, which was perfect for yet another hot Portland day. Cheap quickie food hack to keep in mind.
-
My youngest’s partner keeps getting their deliveries stolen, so I told them to start ordering items to our house instead. Not only does this accomplish a safer landing spot for their packages, but it means I get to see both of them more often, so win-win!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
Like this post? Then please share it with your friends!
Like this:
Like Loading...
-
I stopped by Portland’s newest library branch and was awestruck by not only the beauty of the design, but also all the resources available to patrons. Albina library now has multiple levels offering designated teen and kids’ rooms, as well as reservable large and small “community rooms,” free laptops to check out, 3D printers, community events, an outdoor space and of course thousands upon thousands of books to browse through.
My neighborhood library is undergoing a massive renovation, which is painful in the moment as I miss being able to grab random books instead of having to put everything on hold. (What can I say? I like the joy of a spontaneous discovery!) Should be back in service by next summer.
I’ve written before about “third spaces,” where people can exist outside of work or home without the expectation of commerce; and this new library offers abundant third spaciness! Seriously, check out their enclosed patio space.
This is very much upping my expections for my own library’s grand opening!
-
What we consider appropriate to eat for specific meals is both cultural and a full-on construct. I participated in a foreign exchange program to Costa Rica when I was 15 and was shocked when I was served black beans and rice for breakfast. My young brain wanted cereal and nothing but cereal!
Breakfast is weird.
Pastry or donut? Sure. Croissant or biscuit? Sounds good. Slice of cake? What, are you crazy?!
Conversely, “breakfast for dinner” is an excellent meal, as eggs with toast and fruit so precisely hits the spot.
One thing you can do on your frugal journey is to let go of the idea that certain foods are only for certain times of day. Just this morning I ate up the last of some rice and beans, adding tomato, diced avocado and tortilla chip shrapnel. For breakfast. It was filling and delicious and now it won’t get pushed to the back of the fridge and wasted.
-
I brought home a ponytail holder yesterday that I found on the ground outside Ikea. I tucked it into the silverwear caddy of my dishwasher, which gave it a thorough wash.
-
My friend Lise brought over a half-dozen apples from her tree. I think I’ll make an apple crisp!
-
Ambitious me returned my free library Rose City Comicon pass, which made it available for someone else to reserve. I simply have too much going on in my life this coming weekend to be able to attend. I checked back on the website and it was nabbed almost immediately, which makes me happy.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
Like this post? Then please share it with your friends!
Like this:
Like Loading...
-
My friend Lise invited me to Ikea as she was shopping for a specific item, but the only thing I brought home were these two unopened cans of Poppi soda from their dumpster. Don’t worry, I gave them a good scrub before slotting them into the refrigerator. And no, I didn’t get the bananas.
It’s hard to get ahead financially when all your money is tied up in two cans of soda.
-
Of course I had to treat myself to one of their $1.25 veggie dogs. I love their combination of pickled red cabbage and crunchy onions, although the slogan “Heavenly flavors from the soil” makes it sound like they’re slathered in mud. Also, I can’t hear the word “soil” without thinking of “night soil!”
-
It wouldn’t be a trip to Ikea without stopping in the cafeteria for free coffee! I brought my recently thrifted Hydroflask bottle, which meant I was able to bring a cup home to enjoy later as an iced coffee. I also brought cards and taught Lise how to play gin rummy, which is part of my masterplan to get more people to play cards with me.
-
I made a huge batch of Thai red curry with tofu and mixed vegetables. I added cabbage, carrots, mushrooms and onions. Note that the veggies are all on the humble side, no need to choose pricier options when I can cobble together something healthy and delicious from cheaper ingredients.
So tasty and plentiful, with enough leftovers to share with my adult kids.
-
My husband and I spent $40 on my gold band and $30 on his in 1993. A far cry from Taylor Swift’s $550,000 engagment ring. Of course, that’s a drop in the bucket for her.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
Like this post? Then please share it with your friends!
Like this:
Like Loading...
