As you know, I had a bit of a rough time earlier this week.
Sometimes, things hit me harder than I expect; for instance, I thought I was gonna be fine the day I moved all my stuff from my house to my rental, but oof, once I was at my house, packing up all my possessions, I was most certainly not fine.
I cried a lot that day.
And earlier this month, I thought, “Hmm, I don’t have a lot of feelings about my upcoming anniversary. I’ll be fine.”
But then the day came and I was decidedly not-fine, in a lot of different flavors.
As I said on Instagram, it is possible to be sure you are making the right decision while simultaneously feeling very sad, angry, and hurt.
Anyway. I did my best to take care of myself in healthy ways, and because I am me, a little frugality crept in. So that’s the theme for items 1-3 this week!
1. I went for a hike on a new trail
One of the best free coping mechanisms for me: walking in the woods. It costs nothing, it’s good for my body, and it’s good for my mind.
I do get a little bored of walking the trails right by my house, though.
So on Monday when I was feeling sad, I drove a few minutes away to try some new trails in some new-to-me woods. It was a solid decision; I did feel better afterward, and all it cost me was a small amount of gas.
2. I got a hotel using my brother’s employee discount
I decided that perhaps a local night away would be just the thing for me, and happily, I was able to snag a Westin hotel night for a great price, thanks to my brother’s family discount.
I did basically nothing the whole time, aside from taking a super long shower. And it was just what the doctor ordered.
I highly recommend having a family member work for a nice hotel chain. I love my brother’s job! 😉
3. I got a free Starbucks coffee the next morning
Someone had kindly given me a Starbucks gift card, which I’d planned to use. But lo and behold, when I opened up the app, I saw that I actually had enough stars for a free drink.
(I say this with some surprise because I feel like it takes FOREVER to get enough Starbucks stars for anything useful.)
So, yay! Free coffee for me, and I still have my gift card waiting to be used.
4. I listed and sold a vacuum part
I made a mistake some weeks ago and ordered a vacuum accessory on eBay that I actually didn’t need. GAH!
I could have returned it, but I would have had to pay return shipping. So instead, I listed it on eBay myself, and now I am getting it out of my house without paying any shipping.
5. I submitted Zoe’s 50%-off paperwork
Since she’s a high school student taking college classes, she is eligible for a 50% discount on tuition. There are some paperwork hoops to jump through, of course, but a 50% discount is totally worth some paperwork.
I got it all submitted, and I paid her now-smaller bill in full.
Also, I bought the required poetry book (for her English class) used on eBay. And you know I will list that back for sale as soon as the semester is over. 😉
Tray
Thursday 18th of August 2022
Today I biked to mass, the pharmacy, the bank and the hardware store. With the exception of my trip to mass, I will be reimbursed for mileage for the other three destinations. It's not a lot but I exercised and I'll get some cash.
Nancy Stautz
Thursday 18th of August 2022
Moving from home of 20 yrs Alot of crying. No help from friends Save $$$$ anyway
Heather
Thursday 18th of August 2022
Self care can absolutely be a little frivolous and luxury, what is the point of self care if it is not about some indulgence? Sometimes you just really need to sleep in high thread count sheets, turn the A/C that you don't have to pay for down and get cozy. On another note, I can't imagine the feelings and thoughts that run through your head on your anniversary. I know that this is not how you thought that you would spend it on, but I hope you find peace and know that you are resilient and strong.
Anyways...FFT 1. A job that allows me a lot of overtime. I have a per diem job at a local hospital that I work at during my off weeks and it is nice to know that I can always pick up shifts there for extra cash or to help pay off something. 2. TikTok. Is it a mindless timekiller? Absolutely. But has it also helped me expand my personal style, show me the best thrift stores in my area and interior design trends on a budget? Also yes. 3. Phone calls. As a Millenial, I HATE phone calls. But my best friend lives on the opposite coast and we have gotten into the habit of weekly phone calls as I drive down from work and have a few hours to kill. And it is really nice to hear her voice. 4. Italian markets. I have 4 near me of various price points and the cheese, pasta, sauces and snacks are absurdly superior to what I have in my grocery store. 5. My job schedule. As insane as 24 hour shifts are, they allow me to have 9 days off in row. And when you have a lot of house projects you want to start, it is nice to have a stretch of time to finish them.
Katy in Africa
Thursday 18th of August 2022
I love walking too! Nature, excercise and time to think or pray really helps me.
1. I ordered a shutterfly book with a coupon code I had from a previous order. Savings $14.99 2. I ordered my daughter's history books from Masterbooks, except for one of the books. I earned some store credit from that order, so I then bought the downloadable version of the last book and used my store credit points towards it. Savings: $2.76 3. My husband is trying to buy some work boots off ebay. At sale price at the sporting goods store they're $100. He's thinks he'll be able to get them for $60 off ebay (he's waiting on a response to an offer right now). Potential savings: $40 (but we'll see) 4. We'll be heading back to Africa next month, so I organized the pantry and made a list of the foods that we need to eat up. I'm planning meals around those and trying to keep grocery purchases to mostly perishable items, and eating up the non-perisables in the cupboards. Savings: I'm really not sure, but hoping our grocery bill will be $25 + under an average month due to this. 5. I've been collecting the AC water to water our plants with as our last water bill was maybe the highest we've ever had. Savings: probably pretty minimul, but the little stuff can add up.
Linda
Wednesday 17th of August 2022
Selling the vacuum part instead of returning it is GENIUS