Five Frugal Things | scrub stuff
1. I got some black scrub pants on eBay
My most comfortable pair of scrub pants is from a store called Scrubs and Beyond. Unfortunately, they are the pants I accidentally bleached at work.
I have been making do by scribbling the bleached area with a Sharpie before a shift, but I really wanted another pair. They don't make this exact pair in black anymore, though, so I hopped onto eBay and found a pair.
I don't mind that it's just the pants with no scrub top; I like to have the pants to wear with my hospital t-shirts (like the fundraiser ones we buy during Nurses Week).
2. I repaired the seam on my bleached pair
My poor pants with the bleach marks also developed a little top-stitching problem.
So, I snipped the extra thread off and used my machine to do a repair.
Not perfect, but certainly functional enough for a pair that already has a bleach issue. 😉
3. I got my fridge pretty empty!
As a person who tends to have a full fridge, this is an accomplishment, made possible by fairly minimal grocery shops for two weeks in a row.
This has forced me to use up what's already in there, and I took advantage of the emptiness by doing a thorough cleaning (like, taking all the shelves out and washing them!).
Now my fridge is tidy, I know exactly what's in there, and it feels like a fresh start, which is always good when you're fighting food waste on the regular. 🙂
4. I got a free tire repair
One of Zoe's tires had a slow leak, so we made an appointment at the Midas near us, because they offer free tire inspections and repairs.
Apparently, the problem was a previous plug that had come a little loose, so they replaced that and now her tire is good to go.
I don't think every Midas offers this service, but if you have one near you, it's worth it to check! I've gotten lots of free tire repairs over the years this way.
5. I meal-prepped
I work Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday this week, so yesterday I did some food prep. Boring and predictable, but hey, it consistently saves me money.
I've been eating lots of overnight oats recently, but this week, I switched it up and made a batch of egg bites to cover me for breakfast (in the morning, I just heat them up and add a piece of toasted whole grain bread, plus some fruit.)
And then for lunches, I made some chili-over-rice bowls, with cilantro-lime sauce to go on top.
I really need to clean out my fridge!
Frugal things, Switzerland edition:
1. I bought a four day Swiss travel pass. This was not cheap at first glance, but it covered all public transport, boat trips, various museums and offered a 50% discount on other museums and a cable car. I used it numerous times every day (including a day where I went wrong on a mountain trail and had to take two cable cars and a bus!) so it definitely paid itself back and it saved time on buying tickets. I printed off the pass which wasn't frugal as such, but it saved time on finding it on the phone and not stressing about the phone running out of charge.
2. The hotel I stayed at included breakfast and the room had a Nespresso machine and fresh bottles of water were provided every day.
3. I brought snacks with me, such as cereal bars, mini pastries and raisins, and a water bottle. I ate dinner out one evening and otherwise had more snacky meals.
4. I went to Heidi Land (my childhood self adored the book so I had to go!) and there was a free shuttle bus to the site from the train station. You have to buy a ticket to go in but there's lots of beautiful nature to hike in for free nearby.
5. I brought toiletries and hayfever tablets with me (definitely a good decision because my allergies started going crazy!), a book to read and some food for the journey. Frugal fail: I forgot my earphones and umbrella and had to buy them (the umbrella was especially annoying because the rain stopped soon after I bought it and it didn't rain again). I don't consider this a frugal fail but I splashed out on going into the business lounge at the airport on the way back. I had never done this before and probably won't again, but there were very few places to sit or eat in the general airport area, I was tired and feeling miserable, and honestly, it was worth it to sit in a comfortable chair and to have drinks and buffet included in the price.
I spent a lot of money in general but it was completely worth it! Switzerland was beautiful and I'm so glad I went!
Your trip sounds amazing! I'm so happy for you.
I’m so glad you had such fun and took in so many places. My aunt (and Swiss uncle) are long gone and I miss visiting them. Enjoyed the memories your visit evoked, thanks.
Thank you! I'm glad I was able to bring some happy memories 🙂 I also went swimming in Lake Zurich and Lake Lucerne - you have to pay for most swimming areas but I found a couple of free ones. It was wonderful after hiking!
Kristen,
Check out Mercari (similar to EBay) for scrubs. Some are brand new, some gently used and some have a bit of wear. Just another option to find the style you like when they have been discontinued!
Have a great day!!
--Realized that the 4 bananas I'd gotten this week at Aldi had a rough trip to get to the store and were browning faster than I like. Not wanting to heat the house by baking, I peeled them all, broke them into about 8 pieces each, and froze them flat in a ziplock bag for smoothies (or muffins) later. Freezing flat in 1 layer means they're not in a big, unusable chunk when I need them.
--Have been enjoying a big container of spring mix to get my greens 🙂 $5 at Aldi vs the $7-8 that Giant wants.
--Thought about getting some loose leaf tea that was recommended by a friend, but deleted my cart after realizing I'm perfectly happy with my Yorkshire black tea.
--Needed a "kitty exhaustion" toy to wear out my 2 yr old brother kitties so they didn't wake me at 3 AM! Tied a long shoestring onto the remnants of a stick toy and they bounced and chased through the evening. Woke me at 4:45 :))) I'm a morning person so this is fine.
--Washed my daughter's old backpack and found a new home for it with the school's counseling office for students in need.
--Used a library digital pass to go to a local arboretum with a friend & enjoyed walking their trails through the woods outside of the fenced garden area. Free vs $18 each.
Sounds like Tyler Arboretum. I haven’t been for while.
--I loaned our dolly to a friend and offered to help with their upcoming house purge/reset to prepare for a family member's surgery.
--I used my $10 CVS Extra Bucks for toilet paper and snacks.
--Sale portabella mushroom caps = homemade cream of mushroom soup In the crockpot last night and mushroom "burgers" tonight.
--Using coupons and PetSmart points, I bought $30 worth of cat food and treats for $10. Have to keep our boys in the style to which they've become accustomed. 😉
--The garden has been contributing at least one "free" meal a day, plus turnip and beet greens for the freezer.
--I used extra wiggle room in this month's food budget to take advantage of a half-price sale from my favorite seed pusher. The weirder the world, the more I feel the need to add to my stash of vegetable seeds.
1. I picked up 2 rolling suit cases off Buy Nothing. We are going on a cruise in a few weeks, so we needed more luggage.
2. My daughter had a play date at a trampoline park this weekend. I found a coupon for $10 off admission and we had the trampoline socks already.
3. I found 2 shirts my son needed at Goodwill. I get a discount at Goodwill for being a health care employee too!
4. Our car and home owner's insurance went up so we are get quotes to compare.
5. I went to an all-day yoga festival with friend. It was $30 for a full day of yoga classes and sound baths. I brought my own food and water. We got their early enough to avoid an admission fee into the park.
Wow, the yoga fest sounds great! A bargain, too, since most single classes cost at least $10.
Right! And it included cold plunging and use of saunas.
I am jealous of the yoga festival!
Kristen, why don't you sew a little patch over the bleached area? Like a little heart or butterfly. You can find iron-ons at the craft stores, or you can just cut one out of a cute piece of fabric.
Good morning! Frugal things from the very hot, very deep South:
I have a 8 x 10 tasseled jute rug in a main room that unfortunately got barfed on substantially by my cat, leaving a stain that would not clean. Since it has fringe at both ends, I cut horizontally the entire rug, cutting out the stain, and made new fringe. About a foot smaller but nobody can tell!
My herbs are growing amazingly fast. When I top them, I propagate them instead of throwing away the abundance. After they root I bring them to the community garden.
I unfortunately stepped off the beaten path during a hike and was devastated by about 100 hungry insects, causing a horrible allergic reaction. Silver lining was that I stayed at home which saved gas, used my food stores which saved money. (I also got to see a special look on my doctor's face when I showed him the bites) Win win.
My BF felt sorry for me and split her takeout Chinese tofu with me. I added lots of broccoli and made a meal for myself and son.
I collected seed pods from amaryllis and beautiful bulbs of some sort. Propagated them in water and now they're ready to become true plants for free.
Have a wonderful week and thanks again for doing this blog!
Out of town visiting family edition:
1. Spent the weekend at my Uncle's Hunting "But" Cabin with 2 cousins. It has running water BUT you can't drink it. It has TV BUT only gets 3 channels. Etc. Free accommodations for me.
2. I brought the food and most of it was from Walmart and non extravagant (but nutritious real meals!).
3. Yesterday at Mission BBQ chose the pulled pork. Brisket looked great but was an additional $5, and the pork was just slightly more expensive than chicken. Sweet spot for my taste buds and wallet.
4. Ice cream get together was Aldi ice cream and strawberries. And all the hours just sitting around talking with family are free!
5. Now visiting my grandma, and from the hunting cabin I avoided tolls all the way here.
5+. A vicarious entry - my friend is traveling this week and rented a large van instead of a hotel and car. They are finding legal places to park for sleeping and are showering at Planet Fitnesses with their membership .
That is a great idea to use the gym membership to take showers!
I went through an "ioverlander" app phase thinking at some point I would be car camping for travel and adventure. Planet fitness is a big hack in that community. At some point hubby said he would not be comfortable me sleeping in lonely BLM stretches by myself. Thinking things through I didn't put up too much of a fight. I still backpack but never meet a soul up there.
1) My sister's birthday gifts (brand new ATK Bread Illustrated cookbook and a like new Brahmin handbag) were all given to me for free by my BFF. I only paid for shipping the gifts to my sister.
2) I got a pair of pants from our Buy Nothing group from our daughter's MIL.
3) Canceled a streaming workout service I haven't been using much before the autorenewal.
4) We are starting to harvest vegetables from our garden to supplement our meals.
5) Paid for husband's car service with a debit card to avoid the service fee they charge for using a credit card. Typically, we put everything on the credit card to earn cash back but the % we earned would not have covered the fee charged.
I need to do a fridge clean out. Ours is full and I don't even want to look in the veggie drawer!
I think knowing how to make simple sewing repairs is so frugal. I taught my son how to do this years ago, but I'm not sure he uses this skill. I should revisit that. My mom was a big sewer and I have had the same sewing machine since I was 16. It's a Singer that's now more than 50 years old and it has been a workhorse for me. One of things I love about sewing is that everything you make is unique. No one will ever have those same kitchen valances, those pot holders or whatever else you make. The creativity of sewing fills my soul. I miss JoAnn fabrics and all the creativity it inspired.
Here are my 5 FFTs
– I made 2 sets of potholders from fabric I already had for hostess gifts for an upcoming trip. And I made a set for me!
– I picked up marked down croissants and Danish rolls at Walmart.
– I gave 2 meals of leftovers to my sister so food wasn't wasted.
– I got a free murder mystery book for my friend from a free little library in my neighborhood.
– I used my credit card cash back rewards to save 50 cents a gallon on gas. I kinda did this accidently. While out of town on a day trip, I stopped at a Shell gas station and noticed their gas price was way low – $3.49 a gallon. I decided to fill my tank and when I put my credit card in at the pump, it asked if I wanted to use my credit card rewards for 50 cents off a gallon -- well, yes! So I paid $2.99 a gallon! And now I know that two gas stations in my area will let me use my credit card rewards. We usually applied the cash rewards dollars toward our credit card balance. So I might have to rethink that to see what makes the most sense. Any ideas on that?
I need to do a fridge clean out. Ours is full and I don't even want to look in the veggie drawer!
I think knowing how to make simple sewing repairs is so frugal. I taught my son how to do this years ago, but I'm not sure he uses this skill. I should revisit that. My mom was a big sewer and I have had the same sewing machine since I was 16. I also took Home Ec in highschool. Is that even offered anymore? My sewing machine is a Singer then I bought when it was 5 years old. It's now more than 50 years old and it has been a workhorse for me. One of things I love about sewing is that everything you make is unique. No one will ever have those same kitchen valances, those pot holders or whatever else you make. The creativity of sewing fills my soul. I miss JoAnn fabrics and all the creativity it inspired.
Here are my 5 FFTs
– I sewed 2 sets of potholders from fabric I already had for hostess gifts for an upcoming trip. And I made another set for me!
– I picked up marked down croissants and Danish rolls at Walmart.
– I gave 2 meals of leftovers to my sister so food wasn't wasted. I froze some blackberries to save them.
– I got a free murder mystery book for my friend from a free little library in my neighborhood.
– I used my credit card cash back rewards to save 50 cents a gallon on gas. I kinda did this accidently. While out of town on a day trip, I stopped at a Shell gas station and noticed their gas price was way low – $3.49 a gallon. I decided to fill my tank and when I put my credit card in at the pump, it asked if I wanted to use my credit card rewards for 50 cents off a gallon -- well, yes! So I paid $2.99 a gallon! I later looked up info on our credit card's cash reward program. Now I know that two gas stations in my area will let me use my credit card rewards. We usually applied the cash rewards dollars toward our credit card balance. So I might have to rethink that to see what makes the most sense. Any ideas on that?
1. Received food from Buy Nothing that no one else wanted: whole milk, real mayo, honey mustard dressing, and chow mein noodles that we'll use, along with a can of Beefaroni that I'll donate to the food shelf.
2. Bought some annuals at the local nursery for our front pots. Tucked some deer netting around the base of the plants to keep the squirrels from burying nuts in the pots and pulling out flowers in the process.
3. Was going to say that we had free dinner at a neighbor's high school graduation party, but then I remembered our cash gift. Used a blank card to write our own sentiments. I do this for all occasions.
4. Friend brought over lunch - pasta salad, sourdough bread, fruit, and lemon blueberry coffeecake. I supplied homemade iced tea and scintillating conversation. 😉 She also gave me leftovers.
5. Read two books from the library and would recommend both: A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern (memoir) and The American Queen by Vanessa Miller (a novel based on a true story).
Oh my gosh. What is it with the squirrels? I've gardened my whole life but the last year they've started digging up all my plants to the point where I have to cover all of my vegetables in netting. For the entire season. It's crazy, when you want to harvest something you have to go through and elaborate system to pull up all of the netting and not get entangled!
Sadly, little frugality here this week. We traveled for a graduation and what should have been a 9-hour trip home turned into a 36-hour odyssey. Plane delay of 23 hours was capped off by our car overheating on the drive home from the airport! All of this incurred some unexpected costs. Luckily, we were able to use hotel and meal vouchers provided by the airline. It just required some patience to get them. And we did not have to pay for the tow—AAA is more than paying for itself this year, even beyond the discounts we generally get with membership.
Ooh, with the bleached pants, have you considered dying them, either professionally or yourself? It's an easy colour to get right. Might be worth it!
Unfortunately, I have learned from experience that bleached fabric doesn't accept dye! At least, I have had zero success with bleach spots on black fabric.
Kristen-
I scraped up a pair of expensive jeans at the knees by falling. To fix the color that scraped off the fabric, I bought an art paint pen. It was much more permanent than Sharpie and worked great.
Thank you Kristen. Your post about talking to your CNO prompted me to ask for extra compensation at work for working through my break. I was told that I would be paid for the time.
1. I had three more marketplace sales. It’s not a lot of money but it’s stuff out and a little income in.
2. Cleaned out a closet and listed a few more things on marketplace.
3. Used some of the balance on my found Target gift card to buy some storage containers to organize the cleaned out closet.
4. Went to an Arts Festival to see a local band for a fun night of free entertainment
5. Split the cost of a birthday gift for a friend with another friend. It’s a big birthday and I wanted to get her something handmade at the arts festival. I wouldn’t have been able to do it alone so I asked a friend if she would like to go in on the gift together. Now my friend has a one of a kind hand made gift and we supported a local artist.
Yay! I'm so glad you were inspired to ask for what you deserve!
1. I am selling a large batch of clothes for my sister. I finally made the first sale -- a puffy jacket at a price too low. Oh well. There is still a large pile of things to list.
2. I looked around the alleys in student neighborhoods now that the term has ended. I didn't find much -- tshirt, light bulbs, drying rack, switch plate covers. Will probably get better as the week progresses, but rain will be the spoiler.
3. Beans, beans, beans! I made a bean salad with chickpeas and black beans and other fresh ingredients. I've had two servings and there's so much left! And it's playing havoc on my digestion. So I'm afraid food waste is coming. I also have pork and beans to use up. I'm bean-ed out.
4. I put a bunch of books on hold at the library and they're all coming in at once! Returning one today. For any fans of historical fiction, "Skylark" by Paula McClain is very good.
5. I have braved heat and humidity this long, but now my AC units are in the windows for the summer, thanks to my son and grandson. Haven't turned them on yet, except to test them. 90 degree weather is coming this week, so it will happen.
Beth, try freezing the beans in small amounts to enjoy later. I've had great success with that.
glad you fixed your favorite scrubs. yay you. in the prior frugal posts i don't think i mentioned that we have no dishwasher, no ac and no car. despite the fact that i am the takeout queen, we only do restaurants for special occasions. although my omie (german)for granny taught me to sew the tailor acros the street does a much better job than i do. also my hand tremor makes it impossible for me to sew.
Les Schwab Tires also does free repairs. We have taken advantage of this in several places.
A neighbor had some trees cut on their property. The man doing the work stopped our friends (who were walking past) and asked if they knew anyone who might want the firewood. Friends texted us and half an hour later we had about a cord of wood delivered.
We enjoyed two free concerts in the park last week. We car-pooled with friends and packed picnic dinners.
We're eating lettuce, asparagus, rhubarb, bok choy, green onions and sugar snap peas from the garden.
I made a blouse from linen from a thrifted Pottery Barn duvet cover and my stash of old lace. I got this huge bag of lace from a rummage sale for $2 years ago. The duvet cover was $17 and I've already made another blouse and a dress from it, and still have several yards of linen left. The buttons were saved from one of my husband's old shirts that became cleaning rags.
I've been trying my hand at sewing clothing. I'm currently making a house dress from a sheet I bought at a thrift store for a couple dollars. I make bags and different things from old quilts, but clothing is still really tricky for me. I don't know that I could ever master buttons and pleats.
Cindi, clothing out of a linen duvet cover is simply the best!
Frugal getting 91 year old Mom home when she was exited by Medicare before she was independent.
1. I am moving in with her for awhile. Then my sisters will take shifts. This saves her 24 hour home care fees.
2. I picked up two canes, a shower chair and a commode fro the local senior center. I gave a donation. Everything was sanitized. What a wonderful service.
3. I purchased 2 Ubbi diaper pails - one for her ONLY bathroom upstairs and one for the commode I set up downstairs. She uses Depends and this make the whole process much nicer.
4. I am not a natural nurse and super squeamish about the whole toileting thing. In fact, I almost had a panic attack. This is not my wheel house but I am willing. Research led me to buying commode liners and gel packs. I think I can do this. The frugal part? We did not have to renovate her condo to add a downstair's bathroom. She already has an elevator chair in place.
Mary Ann, I am so sorry that you are dealing with this challenge with your Mother. She is so lucky she has you and your sisters. I know personally what a fight it is to get the system to care for our elderly. I swear they set it up so that people just give up. The number of appeals we have had to make to have my mom remain in physical therapy at her nursing home have been daunting and the time between the cut of PT and having it approved again has done nothing but set her back each time.
I feel you on the bathroom duties. Hopefully, over time it will become second nature. I wish you and your family the best.
Frugal:
Biked to post office instead of driving.
Bundled errands to one day to save on gas. Really thought about my path.
Eating no beef for two weeks running. Lots of ground turkey. (people are starting to complain!)
Meatless Mondays now two days a week.
We use ground turkey for tacos. Try using beef broth instead of water. It does help.
Sue in MN
I called my eye doctor because I got a bill for $27, and after checking my EOB, I owed nothing more than the copay that I had already paid. They fixed the error on their end.
I bought a beautiful berry bowl colander that was a signed pottery piece and still had the original price tag ($48) at a yard sale for $3. I will give it to my mom for her birthday next week along with the gift certificate for lunch at her favorite place. She loves pottery and she has blueberry and blackberry bushes that are starting to ripen, so it's a great gift.
I bought 2 pickle/olive jars at the same yard sale for $2 each. They're the kind that if you flip them over, the juice goes to the bottom so you can fetch your pickles or olives out without the juice. They run about $18/each on amazon.
I found a vintage 100% cotton floral sheet that has the perfect colors for a quilt I am making and will use it as the backing. For $3, it beats the $25 or so I would have spent on plain backing material.
We spent a couple hours Saturday morning while it was cool outside doing vehicle maintenance. DH rotated the tires, checked the brakes, and changed the oil in both vehicles. I washed them and vacuumed them.
1. I noticed a leaky area of my watering can and fixed it with a bit of duct tape. Hopefully the repair will last the summer.
2. I deposited my Upside rewards directly into my bank account and then sent my Fetch and Upside referral links to a couple friends – it’s easier to share the success of these apps when you have solid evidence that they work.
3. I used an empty egg carton as a book riser on my bookshelf so that I now have two rows of books on one shelf.
4. I thought we had buns in our freezer to make sandwiches for dinner but ended up making them from scratch when I discovered we had already eaten them. I have a cooking for two cookbook that has a nice baking section that is perfect for these situations.
5. I did a little redecorating/summer refresh using what I already had at home. I moved pictures, pillows, décor, plants (that are willing to move) around the house and it feels like I have all new spaces. Such a nice feeling for a new season.
I am prepping for a short vacay in a couple of weeks so I am
*doing a fridge and freezer clean-out. As I go, I am tossing some thing I know I will not eat, or taking them to work with a "free to a good home" or "for everyone to use" sign.
*will pack snacks and wine before I get to my destination, where grocery prices are higher
*got some inexpensive summer reads from Goodwill at $2 each
*doing fewer errands and side trips so I can save that gas $ for my trip
Incidentally..what's that saying - don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good? When I do a repair like that, I figure if it works, it actually is perfect.
1. We get very little overtime at work yearly. My boss asked me to close up the building after election day, so I spent less than an hour and earned 2 hours of pay (2 hour minimum call out pay), plus I worked 4.5 hours at a weekend work function.
2. I received a $5.43 check in the mail from Rakuten and a yahoo data breach settlement payout of $8.14 was deposited in my account. Every little bit helps!
3. I planted my garden and will water it daily if it doesn't rain
4. I listed an item we bought on Ebay that the seller is making it difficult to return, so hopefully I can sell it on local garage sale sites.
5. We have an excess of eggs from our hens, so I put a post on our neighborhood page to try and sell them. I already got a response and will deliver after work.
1. Grabbed some sample sun screen from my dermatologist when I had an appointment there, which I added to my travel kit. Also replenished the kit with a small dental floss and toothpaste from my dental appointment this week.
2. Did a subscription inventory and cancelled Brit Box, as we're not watching any shows on this service right now.
3. Our neighbor has a new-to-him sailboat and needed help, to which my husband volunteered and is now getting some lessons and experience sailing at the same time (which is something he's been wanting to do for a long time). I went kayaking, which is a very frugal entertainment for us as our kayaks require almost no maintenance, only fee is the kayak spot we keep on the beach.
4. Leftover coffee goes into ice coffee on the afternoons.
5. Bought a new water hose on sale, combining some loyalty coupons from Ace, which made it very frugal. It's been very dry recently and I've been watering some new perennials frequently so that my investment in them doesn't go to waste. So far, all of them look like they are establishing well.
This week I . . .
1) Worked a bunch of extra hours for a bonus paycheck. In addition to being paid, I got a $30 uber eats voucher, which I used immediately for a treat for my husband and myself. If I let it sit, I would be more likely to forget. The app tricked me into accidentally signing up for some subscription service, but I took the time to google how to cancel it, cancel it, and not get charged.
2) Still planned meals and shopped at Aldi even though it would have been easier to get takeout.
3) Entertained the family by watching a DVD we have owned for decades, listened to a free podcast in the car, and enjoyed a $7 trip to a local public swimming area. My husband also got the kids $20 worth of ice cream at our favorite local dairy spot.
4) Got the oil changed and tires rotated on the car to keep that baby going for miles and miles. I usually pay with cash to get the 5% discount but I just didn't have the time to make sure I had cash on me (and it matters less when you spend $100 than when you spend $2,000). The office manager who knows me well enough to know I pay in cash had already rung me up for cash, so she gave me the discount anyway.
5) Plan to spend today having the weekend day I missed because I worked all weekend. Then I will apply to jobs (my current gig runs out on July 31) and take the kids to the free public pool in our neighborhood.
1. I returned some infant acetaminophen drops to Walmart for a store credit after realizing we wouldn’t use them. I used the credit for my purchase. This also included saving $1.25 off of my brand name mouthwash as some kind person had left paper coupons tucked under several items in this aisle.
2. I’ve had several Aisle freebies recently, including a protein bar, a seaweed snack, and some interesting-looking donuts that have some supposed health claim, haha. Since I have a sweet tooth I’m happy to try them but I certainly won’t be buying more. It is some effort at times as the receipts are often not accepted on the first try.
3. I submitted receipts for an FSA expense. I also submitted another $85 payment and took screenshots for when those receipts are requested. It’s a hassle, but it is worth it.
I had to come back and add a grumpy and unfrugal comment. I just found out that my husband managed to leave my son's scooter at the park last Friday. He checked tonight and (of course) it is no longer there. I'd found the exact scooter I wanted on shopgoodwill.com for around $40 NIB when these cost about $160 new. My son loved this scooter and doesn't yet realize it is gone. I was so thrilled to find the NIB version a month or two ago and I am so bummed and angry that it's gone. I've checked everywhere I can think of online and replacing it will be expensive. I've also posted on NextDoor and will try to post on FB in case someone is willing to return it, but I just needed to vent. Thanks all.
Ohhh, I'm sorry; that kind of thing hurts my frugal brain too..
Happily, amazingly-- it was found today by our daycare provider! It was either at the park last night when DH went and he just didn't see it (it's a dark color and skinny, so I could imagine it being easy to miss), or my post on NextDoor encouraged someone to bring it back. Or who knows! Either way, I am glad to not have to replace it... good for both my mental energy, time, and of course it's frugal too. Whew!
1. Inspired by your fridge cleanout, I went through my kitchen refrigerator and threw out some hardened bread and hamburger buns. Frugal fail on not using them in time!
2. Transplanted a little bitty square flower pot of spearmint, which I'd bought at the farmer's market table at our store, to a larger flower pot. Will take the little bitty black plastic pot to the local mission's greenhouse so they can reuse it. Used some potting soil/compost mix I'd bought from the mission to fill out the larger flower pot, and watered with the rainwater from my makeshift rain barrel (an old trashcan). I love crushing the spearmint leaves in ice tea during the summer; my Grandma used to grow mint and we'd do that at her house all summer long. Very refreshing!
3. Refilled the pump bottle of hand sanitizer with an old bottle of same, which I'd bought on sale at a thrift store once the Covid stuff was over with. They were selling packs of three large bottles (without pumps) for a dollar.
4. Used the coupon from my fish taco receipt at Long John Silvers, the one where you take a survey and they give you a code number; it's good for a box of 1 pc fish and waffle fries for the cost of a large drink -- 3 dollars and change. Not exactly a free offer, but whatever. That was my late supper last night. I only drank part of the large diet Pepsi so the rest will be my beverage for lunch today.
5. This morning, I sat out on the patio and read my free book, gleaned from a Little Free Library, until it got too hot and humid to be comfortable out there. It's my day off, so this was part of my "staycation."
I have 2 big ones this week in particular, plus some smaller ones:
1. In February I purchased tickets for our trip to Europe in September. They weren't as expensive as 2 years ago, but nearly double what I paid last year (not all the same destination). After last year's excessive delays, I negotiated $300 voucher's back from the airlines for both of us. I used those for the purchase, bringing each ticket down to about $1700 (Comfort+ seats). I recently learned about a site called Junova, where you forward your ticket info and they monitor flights. Within 2 days, Delta had lowered the price and I was notified that we each got $525 vouchers in our accounts. While Junova keeps a 20% fee, it's still over $850 bonus $$$ back that we had considered spent. Since we tend to fly to Europe annually, we will use the vouchers for next year's trip.
2. The second "big" thing was that I was notified of my McAfee auto renewal triggering at full price plus taxes and fees. I recall finding a discount last year, so I quickly did a search and found an offer on Groupon for the same product. I contacted McAfee and cancelled the $132 product since I was in the 30 day window of expiration, and immediately downloaded the $19.99 product.
3. I was trying to change my flight for next week to an earlier day or time since my daughter and family are leaving (moving out of state) a day earlier and I am meeting them there to help set up the house. While I ended up keeping the day the same, I noticed that both the flight I had booked, as well as the one earlier, had decreased from $278 to $209. I immediately called Delta and got it changed and now have another $70 voucher in my account. Since I see many trips to St. Geroge via Las Vegas in my future, they will get used!
4. I had a rental car booked through Costco for that trip, as well as a trip to NH via Boston in July. The rental car for the week out of Boston was originally $931 (a horribly insane price!!!). I check back on the Costco site regularly, rebooking and canceling higher priced reservations, and have not only gotten that car down to $752, I also lowered my car for next weekend down by $50.
5. I am using a free Marriott night for my first night in St. George, and getting a condo for the last 4 instead of 5.
6. I used Marriott points for a hotel in Salem, OR for Sunday when we head down for my oldest granddaughter's graduation from OSU (Master's in Speech Language Pathology). That super frugal granddaughter paid cash for her first semester and worked to pay tuition for most of the rest, cash for her car, got a 0% interest loan from her parents for the last $30k and already has a plan to pay it off quickly. She also managed to endear herself to a visiting lecturer last fall, who asked her to apply for a job at her clinic in Las Vegas, and by December already had a job lined up, just under 2 hours from where her family is relocating!
7. Last but not least, I promised my middle grandson a golf outing at my all time favorite, most beautiful course (on a lake with canals and Mt. Rainier at every turn). I golf less than once a year, but he took it up just a year ago and is a natural. In any case, I tried booking the tee time online and realized it was all full price, so I called to book and got the youth price for him. I will used "found" balls tomorrow, because guaranteed there will be many hit into the canals lol! If I hit poorly on one of the holes (across a canal and up a large hill), I know just where to find more n that hole and will grab balls instead of finishing that hole (and holding up others!)
Where is A. Marie - I am a bit concerned.
Life has felt decidedly unfrugal lately. I admire your ability to do a quick mend. I have not developed sewing skills beyond a button attachment yet.
My 5:
1. Continuing to make use of my health insurance with PT and dietitian visits.
2. Cooking dinner, eating leftovers for lunch, and making breakfast/coffee at home.
3. Patience in waiting for my holds list to come through on Libby. Currently reading How to be a Rich Old Lady.
4. Maximizing my Costco benefits - gas, groceries, vitamins. Contact lenses up next when I get my eye exam done.
5. I've had a pair of hokas that I don't wear much because the bouncy soles make my arches tired. I put some supportive insoles in and now they are comfy! I was going to donate them so this is a win.
I like cleaning out my fridge my eating all the food too!
My Frugals
• Ate the leftovers from the Free Summer Lunches that the girls didn’t finish.
• Scored surplus food—like lettuce, tomatoes, mangoes, and baked goods—that the food pantry couldn't distribute to the public.
• Enjoyed a free birthday cake gifted by my daughter, which we all shared as a family.
• Had a "baking date" at a friend’s house to learn how to make an Asian cream fruit cake (my favorite!). I brought ingredients from home to use up our mangoes, and she treated me to a delicious free lunch.
• Rewore clothes if they weren’t dirty or smelly to save on laundry costs.
Ordered like-new Chaco boots on Amazon for $15 below their lowest price for winter church shoes. However, my husband surprised me with a pair too, so I’ll be returning the Amazon order!
• Line-dried towels and swimsuits on the deck after trips to the river and lake so we could reuse them all week.
• Closed the blinds and curtains during the hottest parts of the day to cut down on AC costs.
• Signed my daughter up for free school busing for the upcoming school year.
Had my husband fix a sticky closet door that kept getting jammed.
• Read The Chronicles of Narnia (borrowed from my daughter) in the evenings instead of doom-scrolling.
• Built a Lego floral wreath I received for my birthday, which kept my hands busy and away from my phone.
• Played pickleball for free for the first time at the public outdoor courts by the tennis arena.
• Attended a free, school-sponsored event at the local amusement park with the whole family.
Sorry, I ended up correcting a few minor errors. I wish there was a way to go back and quickly edit if needed.
I like cleaning out my fridge my eating all the food too!
My Frugals
• Ate the leftovers from the Free Summer Lunches that the girls received but didn’t finish.
• Scored surplus food—like lettuce, tomatoes, mangoes, and baked goods—that the food pantry couldn't distribute to the public because of opened/ broken containers, missing pieces of food and/or being too ripe.
• Enjoyed a free birthday cake gifted by my daughter, which we all shared as a family.
• Had a "baking date" at a friend’s house to learn how to make an Asian cream fruit cake (my favorite!). I brought ingredients from home, including the overripe mangoes from the food pantry, and she treated me to a delicious lunch.
• Rewore clothes if they weren’t dirty or smelly to save on laundry costs.
• Ordered like-new Chaco boots on Amazon for $15 below their lowest price for winter church shoes. However, my husband surprised me with a pair too, so I’ll be returning the Amazon order!
• Line-dried towels and swimsuits on the deck after trips to the river and lake so we could reuse them all week.
• Closed the blinds and curtains during the hottest parts of the day to cut down on AC costs.
• Signed my daughter up for free school busing for the upcoming school year.
• Had my husband fix a sticky closet door that kept getting jammed.
• Read The Chronicles of Narnia (borrowed from my daughter) in the evenings instead of doom-scrolling.
• Built a Lego floral wreath I received for my birthday, which kept my hands busy and away from my phone.
• Played pickleball for free for the first time at the public outdoor courts by the tennis arena.
• Attended a free, school-sponsored event at the local amusement park with the whole family.
Have you thought about dyeing the scrub pants? Rit dye is only a couple dollars, and black is super easy. I will freshen up black clothing that has started to fade with the dye. It’s permanent, and since it’s all black, this is super easy. You just need a 5 gallon bucket (I wouldn’t risk inside with black dye unless you have a top load washing machine).