I’m following the Five Happy Things post from yesterday with a Five Frugal Things post today. 😉
1. I helped Sonia & Zoe look at unit prices.
They had some coupons they wanted to use at Bath and Body Works, plus some money in their pockets from cat-sitting.
They were initially going to buy a single item each, but I pointed out that things like the 3/$12 pricing only applies if you buy three.
I know it’s kind of a racket and that Bath and Body Works purposely sets things up so that it makes way more sense to buy multiple items. But still, if you’re going to shop there, you might as well play the game the smartest way!
Anyway, they each did a multi-item deal and we had a 20% off coupon on top of it, so they are all set for a while.
2. I started the process of filing a claim with Cigna.
We have some pretty large bills from an office that doesn’t participate with Cigna and also does not file on our behalf. This has never happened to me before, so I’m into uncharted territory.
It’s not a 100% guarantee that they will contribute to these bills, but I figure it’s worth a stamp and a few pieces of paper to at least try.
I am now freshly full of appreciation for the medical billing professionals who usually handle this stuff for me!
3. I went shopping while thirsty but mostly behaved myself.
You know how if you go shopping when you are hungry, you want to buy ALL OF THE FOOD?
Well, when you are thirsty, it’s tempting to buy ALL OF THE BEVERAGES.
Luckily, I just bought a small box of Aldi’s version of La Croix, and I popped one open to drink in the car on the way home.
(Sonia and I are on kind of a La Croix kick lately.)
4. Sonia and I watched a library movie.
Which is fabulous because it’s free.
(Though in full disclosure, she has another movie checked out from the library right now as well and I forgot to bring it back yesterday which means I have a $1 fine waiting for me. Still a decent deal, though!)
5. I got a sweater on clearance for Sonia.
She’s been wanting some sweaters for fall, and we happened to find one on clearance with a cat on it.
Which of course makes the sweater twice as good.
Your turn! Share your own Five Frugal Things in the comments.
Also, I’d love to hear your option on La Croix. Love it? Hate it?
Karen
Tuesday 4th of September 2018
I put us on a budget starting September 1st! It’s an adjustment for sure. So far I’ve done some frugal things: 1) Didn’t buy new shoes or clothes. I’m interviewing for jobs after being home for several years, and it’s tempting to get geared up with some new office attire. BUT, I actually have a few things that are interview/job appropriate, and I’ll make due with them for as long as possible. 2) I’m patiently waiting for my reserved book to become available from the library instead of buying it. 3) This sort of counts... I asked a very frugal friend for sources she goes to for frugal inspiration. This blog was one of them. :) 4) Shopped around for a much needed meat probe thermometer... local store has one for $50, but I found one online with free shipping for $17. 5) Bought meat and milk that were marked down to half price. Use or freeze immediately and it’s fine!
Kristen
Tuesday 4th of September 2018
A meat thermometer is an amazing tool. I seriously do not know how I lived without one before.
Rachel R
Wednesday 29th of August 2018
Love the 5 things kind of week! Here's my frugal list:
1. 1 found a set of 10 Consumer Reports magazines at my local thrift store for about $2. There's a wealth of current finance/health knowledge in them.
2. I waited for some dinnerware bowls at my grocery store to go on clearance. The wait paid off--6 bowls at $1.20 each vs $3.99 each.
3. We've been giving TIME to loved ones (neighbors & family) and have received so much back in return. Tending to relationships can cost so little financially & be so worth the effort.
4. Thinking of what we haven't spent in the summer...I haven't bought new swimsuits for the family in 3 years. We don't pay for outdoor pool visits. Our neighbors have a pool we're often invited over to use & splash pads are free. We ask for kid's swimsuits for family b-day gifts & use hand me downs. But I'm thinking this is the year for a new suit for me!
5. We use our library a lot and I've been trying to stay on top of renewal/return dates:)
Kaitlin
Wednesday 29th of August 2018
I don't know if I can come up with 5. Let's see what how I do:
1. Made dinner last night despite wanting to eat out. Found some things in the pantry that needed to be used up, and made a pretty nutritious dish of chicken and rice (and quinoa and couscous).
2. Tonight for dinner we are using a giftcard to a restaurant that is donating 50% of proceeds to my son's school. Even with the use of a giftcard! Super excited not to cook or spend cash and still support our school.
3. My husband has been recording himself reading aloud books we own so that when he's on business trips the kids have him participating in their nightly routine. Why is this frugal? When he's gone he feels bad that he can't be with the kids and buys them lots of trinkets instead. We're pretty confident this will curb that habit and be more meaningful to the kids.
4. We've been super diligent to return things to the store that we don't need. We had to redo our bathroom due to a plumbing problem and my husband bought a bunch of stuff so that he wouldn't get 1/3 of the way through the project and have to run out again. And all of the stuff he didn't end up using has been returned already.
5(ish). With all my bread-making, have decided to look into buying 25/50lb bags of flour or wheat berries (not convinced that wheat berries are cheaper, but probably more nutritious and definitely make a difference in bread quality. Aslo, freshly milled flour smells ahhmazing) So...not exactly frugal yet, but hopefully soon will figure out a way to make my bread habit less expensive and more sustainable so one day I can open a bakery. Any thoughts or recommendations for finding a good source for spring white wheat that doesn't charge an arm and a leg for shipping?
Lisa
Wednesday 29th of August 2018
That sweater is amazing. I think I will try to get a little more whimsy back into my wardrobe. I’ve been trying to just wear and rotate what I have to try to lessen my footprint but I will watch out for a fun sweater to add to my wardrobe. The cat even looks like yours!
I love La Croix! We also drink Polar Seltzer which is very well priced at a store near us (25 cents a can) vs La Croix which is 30 cents a can. A few flavors are totally worth it to us to just splurge on the La Croix. I also love the Aldi ones.
I definitely agree with you that shopping while thirsty sometimes means you come home with all the drinks!
Karen.
Wednesday 29th of August 2018
Valueless comment on fizzy water. ;) Aldis are few and far between here. My sister adores the Safeway store brand version of La Croix but will drink Kroger when Safeway is hundreds of miles away. I like plain seltzer, but I don't like paying for it when really I don't even like water that much — I prefer my fizzy beverages to be brown with sugar and caffeine — sad but true.
Kristen
Wednesday 29th of August 2018
Since I'm so new to the sparkling water game, I haven't explored any store brands besides Aldi. Now I'm curious about the Safeway version.
I have never, ever been able to enjoy plain seltzer, but I do like flavored seltzer, and I find it makes a good substitute when I might otherwise want a real soda.