Five Frugal Things | free ski flights

-I trimmed my own long hair. Thanks to Youtube! -I deleted Prime. Too much impulse buying, and I can keep that $15/month. I am eyeing Netflix too. -I logged in my health insurance and found out I can get rewards for doing health activities. I did several of them and earned $70. I am signed up to do more. -I emailed my auto insurance and am raising the deductible to save some money. -I found several books at Goodwill for one of my kids' upcoming birthdays. -Used free Book-its for pizza night -I babysat at my church for a special event night and earned a little money.

Frugal things make me smile! I know that it all adds up!

1. Picked up free full-size dog treats, dip, and salad dressing for a sampling/review program I'm part of. Also participated in a waffle taste test study which yielded me $2.50 after covering the cost of the waffles (which I have to buy first). Perfect for my kids' easy breakfasts! 2. Returned some (expensive) dog toys I bought my dog that we decided not to use. Did buy a handmade snuffle mat that our trainer recommended, from a dog fostering organization at the local farmer's market, which I was happy to do. 3. Gave away some leftover new Valentine's cards on freecycle. My kids are too old to exchange cards anymore. :( 4. Some friends are new foster parents and got their first foster placement last week, 20 month old twins! Since their owns kids are teens, they needed almost everything for toddlers again. I put out a call to our church community and within less than a day they were loaned or given everything they needed for the twins. 5. Resisted buying some items which I totally didn't need, but would have been nice to have as they were on sale. Went as far as putting them in my online cart, then remembered to give myself at least 24 hours to think about it and then the desire to buy them went away by the next day. 6. Frugal fail: the heel cap on a pair of boots came loose last week and I meant to super glue them back on but forgot. I took the chance to wear them one more day thinking I'd get to it after I came back from my errand and somewhere along the way, the heel cap got lost. :( I'm getting it replaced at the local shoe repair shop, but its costing me waaaay more than if I just bought a tube of super glue and took care of it myself earlier on.

1. Made a huge batch of beef stew using reduced price meat from my local supermarket, and veg that's been in my fridge and pantry since before Christmas! This fed me and my local extended family for 2 evening meals. 2. Made healthy chocolate pudding using leftover avocado and pre-Christmas sweet potato (does it ever go bad?!) along with store cupboard items. 3. Made 2 servings of chicken tikka masala using reduced price chicken and a simmer sauce from a Christmas 2021 hamper. The remainder of the sauce will be used for a vegetable masala at the weekend, using canned chickpeas and yet more sweet potato! 4. As an insomniac I rely on audio drama to see me through long nights, this week I listened to a couple of very good science fiction drama free on Apple podcasts. In case anyone else is interested they were: "The Callisto Protocol - Helix Station" and "From Now". 5. Bought a couple of clothing items for an upcoming vacation using a returns gift card, the tops were on sale and both will be staples in my vacation and summer capsule wardrobe. Thanks so much for the USPS Covid test link, I have sent off for mine and will let friends and family know too.

Glad you are feeling better, Kristin. I still feel achy six months on... FFTs 1) made snickerdoodles from scratch with what I had in the cupboard -including pecans not used at Christmas time - to take to a friend's tea party 2) avoided tempting "lazy restaurant meals" by planning a bit and being creative with what we have - vegetable quiche, apple and pecan pie (good thing we like 'em...) etc 3) have been cleaning out post move and located "previously lost" items meant as gifts to my sister and cousins 4) still using up all cosmetics and cleaning items with no purchases aside from toothpaste 5) very much on track with no clothing purchases in 2023 challenge

1. I continue to work on eating up stuff in the freezer, including the three tubs of frozen food that must be finished before we have some above 32 degree temps in March. Next to one of the tubs was a pail full of flour, pounds and pounds of it. So, I copied grandma and her friends and invited over several women to make about 10,000 pierogies. One brought the eggs, one the sour cream, one the butter and another caramelized onions. I made mashed potatoes and donated the flour. We spent a day making them, listening to Vera Lynn music singing WWII songs (my father's CDs that he never stopped listening to; I missed the Beatles invasion because Vera Lynn reigned supreme in our house and at boarding school we were not allowed to listen to American radio. My siblings and I were all born in the 50s and 60s but the Second World War never ended at our home. Two of the women making pierogies are in their 40s and had never heard the music or of Vera Lynn.) No more bucket of flour but now there are bags of pierogies waiting for us.

2. Allbirds are the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned and they accomodate my leg brace, so when Allbirds had a sale of shoes that had been returned to them for various reasons, all at half-price, I snagged two pair. Money out now but money saved in the future because I would have bought them at full price next time I needed a pair.

3. Did six gas station shops on errand day, filling our tank for free and getting 12 bottles of Pepsi for free. Husband loves Pepsi but never buys it so this is his way of getting his fix for free. Plus we had fun running the errands and listening to a book.

4. Someone on a free site bought several jars of Better Than Boullion and hated it so gave away 3 and a half jars of it. I snagged them and am thrilled. I usually make stock but sometimes we run out and I love this brand.

5. The library.