1. I got a free lamp
I was on Facebook Marketplace looking for something else entirely, and then I noticed that someone had a lamp that was originally listed for $10, but currently marked down to $0.
I said, “Ooh, that is a price I like.”
Interior designer Maria Killam is always saying that every home could do with more lamps, so I decided to pick this one up.
The lamp sits on a table I got from a Buy Nothing group when I was still living with my parents!
I like how big it is! The only downside to it is that the shade is rather opaque. But for $0, I don’t feel too upset about that.
And I could always buy another shade if I really wanted to.
2. I used an old jar of marshmallow fluff to make a fruit dip
I found an opened jar of marshmallow fluff in my pantry, and it had started to separate a bit. So, I used it to make that classic fruit dip which is one jar of marshmallow fluff/creme and one brick of cream cheese, mixed together.
I figured for a dip, it wouldn’t matter a lot if the fluff had separated a bit, and I was right!
3. I got a free pot for my spider plant
Sonia propagated a little spider plant for me last year when I moved in here, and it had definitely outgrown its original pot at this point. It was so, so top-heavy.
I’d messaged a few sellers on Facebook about the pots they were selling, but no one got back to me. Then yesterday, someone posted a bunch of free yard sale leftovers nearby, first come first serve, and I saw some pots in the photos!
I had a minute, so I hopped in my car, drove over, and snagged a few of the plant pots that were there.
I repotted the spider plant in the new pot, and since the new pot has big drainage holes in the bottom, I needed something to protect my furniture.
Luckily, I had kept some small plates (from a Buy Nothing group offer) specifically for this purpose! So, my pot will not be leaking water onto my tables. Sweet.
4. I bought two fans on Facebook Marketplace
I don’t know if it’s because this house is on the older side, but sometimes I feel like the summer air circulation here is not that good, especially in the bedrooms.
This house has no ceiling fans and obviously, I am not about to purchase ceiling fans for a rental house!
So, I hopped on Facebook Marketplace and I found someone selling two Honeywell tower fans for $30 apiece. These are normally $65 new, so I figured this was a pretty decent price.
I like that this style of fan takes up so little floor space; it’s pretty unobtrusive in a bedroom.
Annnnd….I can take them with me when I move out of this house one day (an important fact as a renter!)
Chiquita had to inspect the new fans, of course.
5. I…
- strained and saved my oil when I made chicken fingers. It’s in the fridge waiting for future use.
- ate lots of random-bits-from-the-fridge meals
- got eggs at Aldi for $1/dozen
- made coffee at home
Colleen
Friday 14th of July 2023
- been watching videos to learn how to make elevated coffees at home, shaken espresso, iced latte & hot lattes with special flavors.
- walked 2.5 miles to pickup a bag of 100 washi tapes & planner stickers. I have 10-15 penpals and adding decoration on envelopes & letters is fun when I’m able.
-am doing a 3 month trial period of Amazon reading
- went through my books to make swaps at the little library near us, it has cookbooks!
- have been collecting bottles & cans when I walk daily to bring to the redemption center for $ back. Each week I set a goal and try to beat the last week’s in my collection
Lindsay B
Thursday 13th of July 2023
1. DH was able to return a small item for me while running another errand on the other side of town.
2. Received a payment of $3.57 for an ATM surcharge class action settlement I don’t recall signing up for.
3. Continue to use up frozen sour milk when making waffles, which have hit the spot several times around here recently.
4. Picked up a free card at Hallmark when I was in the area (well, I did pay 16 cents in tax but basically free).
5. Vacationing with the in-laws is never cheap, and we are always pressured into doing expensive things because “we’re all together.” Fortunately, we held firm and did not spend $160 on an amusement park because we could make a case that it didn’t make any sense for us to go with a baby still who needs two naps. Unfortunately, we were pressured into spending $250+gas+taxes for an all-day pontoon rental. We will probably go for a couple hours (then bring the baby home to nap), even though neither of us thinks it’s a great use of money. I really dislike subsidizing everyone else’s expensive tastes– and we actually make more money than anyone else in the family! We just live frugally and they do not.
DebbieR
Thursday 13th of July 2023
Post-travel edition: 1. We asked our friends to watch our dog while we were away on vacation. Their kids loved him and we had peace of mind that he was being well-cared for while we were gone. We bought them some nice, consumable/practical gifts from Canada as a thank you when we got back. 2. One of the attractions we visited had a special family rate where kids (under 15) were free during the first 2 hours of operation. We took advantage and saved over $50 in ticket fees. Plus there were shorter lines and fewer people to deal with during our visit. 3. We took advantage of having a kitchen or fridge in all the places we stayed and bought groceries for breakfast and picnic lunches for most days. I packed reuseable grocery bags with me to carry the groceries in since they charge you for using plastic bags in Canada. 4. I used points to book our return flight, one night in a hotel and to partially cover the rental car charges. This saved over $1500.
5. On 7/11, took advantage of free slurpees at 7-Eleven with my son and we also picked up 2 free 6" deli heroes subs from Subway for another promo.
Amanda
Wednesday 12th of July 2023
1) We have a 7-11 across from our house, and they've been running their 7-11 day free slurpie deal for two weeks. We have gotten so many free slurpies.
2) Last week at the architectural salvage shop I found eight window sashes to replace the eight window sashes that were removed from our house to make way for replacement windows. They are almost an exact match and they were . . . drumroll please . . . $15 each.
3) I really didn't want to make dinner last night. I really wanted to get takeout. But then I found enough leftovers and other things to pull it together with food we had.
4) My husband's chuck taylors were falling apart. He looked at several different places (dpop, poshmark, Amazon) and compared prices, and finally decided he would get the best price for what he wanted from the Converse website.
5) I had to make a run to Target for soap and shampoo. (Target seems to have better prices than other places for these basics.) While I was there I scanned the clearance rack for clothes for our daughter, and found a handful of new things at Goodwill prices. And she needed a couple extra summer shorts and shirts; she tends to lose clothes and stain them even faster than the boys. I bought nothing that wasn't on my list before I went.
DawnS
Wednesday 12th of July 2023
1. I did indulge in Prime day however, I purchased only the things that had been on my "wish list" while I patiently waited for sales. This included things for my Europe trip such as power adapters and an anti-theft purse, as well as Powerstep insoles (which seem to go up $10 per year!), a pair of work shoes and a replacement scraper paddle for my Kitchenaid. 2. We ate leftovers instead of going out. 3. We open windows every night to cool the house instead of turning on the AC (except when the smoke was bad one night) 4. As always, "clipped" coupons in my Fred Meyer app before shopping. 5. "Buy" free book downloads from BookBub and reserve everything new from my local library. 6. Pack my dinner for work, and add cold brew concentrate to my Fairlife chocolate protein shake or Slimfast shake as my "breakfast" for on the way to work (#nightshift), avoiding the cafeteria or cafe at work. 7. Making timely returns of an item from Amazon (under $7 but it's $7!), as well as a pair of Tevas to Zappos that weren't as comfortable as I had hoped, rather than keeping them and hoping they'd get better.