1. I signed up for the student discount at Safeway
I was walking through Safeway the other night and an announcement came on the loudspeaker saying they have a student discount program.
So of course my ears perked up!
I signed up through the app (they just verify using your school email address) and now I have a 5% discount to use (I think you get a new one every month).
Does this make Safeway into an uber affordable store?
No.
But sometimes I press the easy button and go there to pick up a few things, and now it’ll be cheaper to do so!
2. I used a $10 discount at Safeway
I had points in my Safeway that were about to expire, so I redeemed them for a $10 reward, which I used on some chicken and ham that were on sale.
3. I mended a cloth bag
On this same trip to Safeway, I noticed that my canvas bag was coming apart at the handle area.
I know that cotton canvas reusable bags are one of the least eco-friendly options (largely because the fabric requires a lot of resources to make), so you have to use them around 123012003524968 times for them to be a sensible alternative to plastic.
Soooo, I figure the least I can do is mend mine when they need it.
That way I can keep using them (and using them and using them and using them.)
4. I made some pudding with the last of the milk
Zoe and I had the end of a gallon of milk that was perhaps slightly past its prime. Soooo, I made a batch of my chocolate pudding (a recipe from my grandma!)
By the way, that pudding recipe is super easy, uses pantry ingredients (plus milk of course) and is a million times better if you use dark cocoa powder.
5. I…
- packed all my lunches last week
- made all of my coffee at home
- cut Chiquita’s nails at home with Zoe’s help (she scruffs Chiquita’s neck and I do the clipping!)
- brought a granola bar to eat during the intermission of Sunday afternoon’s symphony (rather than buy food there)
Classy? No. Frugal? Yes.
Amanda in VA
Wednesday 2nd of October 2024
1) I got a "your balance is overdue" statement from a dentist we haven't visited in years. I left a message on the phone number provided on the invoice and heard nothing back. So this morning I called the main line for the dentist and got a very helpful person who was able to print off statements from 2021 that they claim were not paid by our insurance. I am almost 100% sure our insurance paid these claims. I check our claims site after every health-related visit to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. It would have been very unlike me to ignore an unpaid bill. So I then spent over an hour on the phone (while I did a more mindless work task) with the insurance company while they de-archived the claims from 2021. When I get all these files, I will match them up with the dentist's office statements. I'll pay anything we do owe, but I'll be surprised that is the case. What I really want to avoid is a collections call in six months over this dumb tiny bill.
2) I made covid and flu vaccine appointments for all six of us. Nothing like a free shot that helps keep you from missing work or worse due to illness.
3) I continue to eat up the lentils my mother in law passed along to us. Lunch every day this week is lentils. Luckily, I like them. But I probably will still take a lentil break when I finally get through them all.
4) I cleaned our electrostatic HVAC filter. Our HVAC man said these filters were good, washable filters, comparable to disposable hepa filters. One reusable filter was the same as buying a couple of disposable, but they should last for years if I keep up on maintenance. I set a monthly reminder to spray off the thing to keep it in top shape for years of "free" use.
5) I completed four more job applications yesterday, I postponed figuring out the kids winter clothing needs for when I will have time to strategize Goodwill and other used options, I batched errands yesterday on my way to campus, I got gas where I knew it would a little cheaper, my husband and I planned meals around what is already in the freezer and pantry, and I said no to a home exchange offer.
AW
Wednesday 2nd of October 2024
My Frugal 5’s
1)Had jury duty for 2 days and got paid $200. 2) Ate snacks they provided for lunch and stayed nearby for break so saving on gas. 3) My girl got a discounted Lego set off Amazon as one of her birthday gifts and enjoyed putting it together with her sisters. 4) Also got these huge gigantic chocolate chip cookies that were extra that the food pantry had for free. 5) Used up food from the fridge and cooked a few new recipes; Borrowed books and DVDs from the library
Cynthia
Wednesday 2nd of October 2024
@AW, Wow, your state is very generous with regard to jury duty compensation! Mine pays $12 per day.
M
Wednesday 2nd of October 2024
I have so many questions about the way plastic bags and cotton bags are assessed for eco friendly-ness. How heavily are the end of life impacts weighed? And why do we all know about how many, many times we need to reuse the bags but not how many times to reuse cotton shirts or jeans? This topic just always makes me wish I could sit around with people who work in this field and really pick their brains!
Nora8
Tuesday 1st of October 2024
5% off groceries is pretty meaningful these days.
1 - I used my Kohl's cash before it expired to get two pairs of shorts. They came to exactly the amount of cash I had and I'll pick up in store for free so zero out of pocket. 2 - I grabbed some kid leggings 50% off at Land's End and made sure I got enough product for free shipping. 3 - I sold an item on Etsy. 4 - I went for a nice long walk with a friend, during which I dropped off said Etsy package. 5 - I brought my own soap to the laundromat (washer is still broken) since buying it there is crazy expensive. The prices for the machines are actually pretty reasonable.
CrunchyCake
Tuesday 1st of October 2024
1. I used my rewards card to cash in on my free eyebrow threading. It's the one beauty splurge I regularly get done. 2. My daughter asked if we could get a specific set of 3 hand sanitizers. For $30. Cue eye roll. I said no. Instead we found a single pack that was $8. Still too much for hand sanitizer? Probably Yes. Better than $30? Also yes. We compromised on this one. 3. Almost stocked up on some items that seemed to be wonderfully priced in my grocery store app. Before checking out, realized that I needed to be part of a paid membership program to get those prices. No thanks. Returned the items to the shelves. 4. Downgraded my Costco membership as we have no major purchases planned this year and we didn't spend enough last year to make the executive membership worth it. Costco refunded the difference between the two membership levels and the amount we were out for paying for executive membership last year. 5. Ate weird meals to use up what we have :). I'm also baking cookies for my nephew who's away at his first year of college at the US Naval Academy based on what's in the pantry (including a jar of free peanut butter, oats and chocolate chips). Luckily it matches up with what he likes.