1. I got a $5 rabies shot for our cat
We are required to keep her up on her rabies shots, even though she is strictly an indoor cat. A rabies shot is kind of expensive at our vet, but the animal shelter offers a $5 rabies shot clinic about once a month.
Since I got over there later than I wanted to, I figured I’d be at the end of a super, super long line.
But apparently, in this case, it pays to be late. The workers said if you come in the last hour, there’s usually no wait.
So, yay! I had one person in front of me, so we were in and out super quickly.
She meowed the whole way there and back, even though I said nice things to her like, “It’s ok. I’m right here.” Ha.
I also needed to renew our cat’s license with the county, but all I had to do was walk to the next office, fork over another $5, and now our cat is all set for rabies/license for another three years.
Ten dollars every three years is pretty darn reasonable.
(much more affordable than her $500 x-rays!)
2. I used more Erie YourTurn Rewards
Zoe was meeting up with a friend to go thrifting, and I decided to hang out at Starbucks while I waited for them to be done.
So, I redeemed some of my YourTurn rewards for a free coffee to drink while I waited.
And I read my book club selection while I waited (which, of course, I got for free from the library.)
For those who are interested, we are reading A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles.
So far, I like it much better than his earlier novel, Rules of Civility. And this is largely because in Rules of Civility, there were no quotation marks in the dialogue, and I found that to be rather confusing.
A Gentleman in Moscow has quotation marks in abundance. Thank you, Mr. Towles!
3. I found a used copy of a horticulture textbook
Zoe and Sonia are both taking a horticulture class this semester, and while they do have the ebook option through the college, Sonia really wanted a hard copy.
(Which I understand! I don’t love e-textbooks because they are so annoying to “flip” through.)
Unfortunately, to buy it through the college, we’d have had to pay $199. But we hopped onto eBay and found a used one for $18.
What a steal!
I really love eBay; it’s awesome for me as a buyer and also as a Seller Of Extraneous Household Items.
4. I made two more Instagram reels
Oddly, Instagram offered me another bonus this month if I make more Reels (dependent on the number of plays they get, of course.)
I made two so far and Instagram says my bonus is $112. Not too shabby for two little reels!
(I don’t really know why they call this a bonus, because it’s not like Instagram pays me for posting anything under normal circumstances. Ha. Also, in case you are not familiar with Instagram, Reels are short little videos.)
5. I cancelled my Hungry Harvest box this week
I do not need more produce this week, and I know if I got a box, some of the contents might go to waste.
And that really defeats the whole purpose of a Hungry Harvest box!
(Which is to rescue product that would otherwise go to waste.)
So, better to skip if I can’t use the food.
smh
Thursday 20th of January 2022
Agreed that A Gentleman in Moscow is excellent! I'm on the local library's waiting list for his latest, The Lincoln Highway.
Becca
Wednesday 19th of January 2022
Picked up an extra shift at work for bonus.
After work stopped at the cheaper further away grocery store and grabbed some clearance fruit and a clearance pork roast.
Finally did some returns that had been sitting in my car for months.
Made banana pancakes, muffins, and dried bananas with some bananas about to go bad.
Made soup with a ham bone from the freezer
Michele
Wednesday 19th of January 2022
1. I have resumed meal planning- helps me use up what I have and limits middle of the grocery aisle planning. My adult son and daughter-in-law are staying with us in between apartments (and a big move to WY), so this has been helpful. 2. I cancelled a boat insurance policy for a boat we never use and a gym membership for a gym I never use. 3. Keeping track of monthly expenses. Helps me see more clearly where our money is going. 4. Keeping up with all my sinking funds. Made paying for car insurance and car registrations painless!!! 5. Packing lunches, making coffee at home.
Katy in Africa
Tuesday 18th of January 2022
-Bought 3 loaves of clearance rye bread and froze it. - Went walking/running (free exercise). Used free run keeper app. Found 9 cents while out walking. The sole of my shoe fell off, so I glued it (and glued the other sole as it was starting to come off too). - Bought multiple things at Goodwill. - Switched house insurance and will save about $1000 a year!!!! - Gave away a couch and washer. Not frugal for us, but we've received plenty of free things in our lives.
Jenzer
Tuesday 18th of January 2022
In December I bought a loaf of stollen (bread with nuts and candied fruit) from a local bakery. The crust turned out to be far too overdone … not burnt, but definitely very, very browned and not tasty. I tossed the rest of the bread in the freezer and took it out a few weeks ago to make bread pudding. The overdone crusts got trimmed off before the rest of the bread was cubed and mixed with the wet ingredients. The pudding was a big hit with my family.
My son did an intensive driver's ed class over the holiday break. Each session was two hours long, at a high school about a 20-minute drive from our house. Instead of driving all the way back home -- only to turn around and drive back again to pick him up -- I took my laptop computer and set up shop at the public library closest to the high school while he was in class. On days when the library wasn't open, I went to the local coffee shop and bought myself treats with a Visa gift card we'd been given.
Last weekend I took part in a guided hike at a local nature preserve. It was free to participate, and the guide was friendly and interesting. With temps just below freezing and winds gusting that afternoon, I made sure to pack a thermos of hot tea to enjoy in my car afterwards.
A family member gave us about a dozen votive candles she wasn't using. We light homemade candles almost every evening in winter, so this addition to our stash was very appreciated.
Inspired by Mrs. Frugalwoods' photos of her twinkly kitchen windowsill (https://www.instagram.com/p/CXQ6Eh-gHif/ ), I did the same above our kitchen sink. The shiny things I picked -- vintage blue canning jars, some decorative blue glass pieces, a string of white twinkle lights -- were things we already had around the house. The blue-and-white theme is winter-neutral, so I'll keep it up until March.