It's a good thing I try to build frugal habits, because I spent very little mental energy on it this week. Here are a few things we did to save money:
Saving on things we buy
- I received a $20 Uber Eats offer, so used it to order a Saturday night pizza for the boys. They were thrilled. I spent a bit out of pocket to cover the tip & tax.
- Purchased Starbucks gift cards at the grocery store to earn $60 in rewards. This will be enough Starbucks cards for the next year or two, depending on whether we ever go back to a more "normal" life, but either way, the boys occasionally bike to Starbucks to get an iced tea.
- Used a $1 coupon to buy a box of pasta for $.50, found other pasta on sale $5/5. The $.50 is unheard of, and was a limit of one. The $1/box is my stock up price, and I will likely go back for more.
- I try to make Gatorade/sports drinks a rare purchase, but we've had continued temperatures in the 90s, and the boys are playing (modified) soccer. They had a great store deal ($3.99 for a 12 pack, as long as you bought 5) & there was a Fetch offer as well.
Earning money
- Continued to sell a few things on eBay, although it's still very slow
- Cleats Nick didn't get a chance to wear much (COVID)
- A running watch I bought from a neighbor for Sam, but didn't work for his needs. Sold it for exactly what I paid for, so at least I didn't lose any money
- A top I never wear
- Sold our toaster oven (we used during the remodel) on Nextdoor. Left out on our porch, for a contactless pickup.
Avoiding spending
- I've been giving a bunch of stuff away on our local "Buy Nothing" group. While I was posting, I noticed someone was giving away padded envelopes. I picked them up & will use them for mailing out eBay sales.
- I paused our produce box delivery. I love it, but I'm working on cutting back our grocery bill, and this is an easy way to reduce at least part of our spending
- Continued to meal plan, eat leftovers, and enjoy our tomatoes from the garden
Things for others
- Made several cash donations
- Donated pantry items to families in need at our school (included hand sanitizer & wipes, which can still be hard to find)
- Helped a neighbor who was struggling
- Made donations of goods to our local shelter
What about you? Any frugal wins to report?
I drink a lot of gatorade to stay hydrated between treatments and I like the orange best - they have it in powder form and is way cheaper and tastes exactly like the bottled form. Just a consideration for those hot days for your boys. As far as I know though they only have the one flavor in powdered form (at least in Canada, might have more in the states). Take care, and stay safe!
ReplyDeleteThey do sell them sometimes here as well (although, can be hard to find), but the powder clumps quite a bit. Maybe the heat when stored in our pantry? It's a good tip & I feel less than great about the plastic, so a good reminder to keep trying.
DeleteFor me personally, I love Nuun, which is a tablet you can drop into a water bottle. I use this for long distance runs, but they don't have sugar & you could probably use the extra calories right now.
I rely on Nuun as well, because I am prone to bonking during long, hot hikes, bikes, and runs. Heavy sweat-er here!
DeleteTamara - I'm also a super heavy sweater, and the weather is usually warm here. I love Nuun. I've gotten it for free at various events, so rarely have to pay for it, but it's worth it when you need it!
DeleteGreat and relaxing post!Love it.Have a nice weekend! <3
ReplyDeleteLikewise- enjoy your weekend!
DeleteWell done! I especially like the things for others part of this post. It is an area I need to improve on.
ReplyDeleteIt's really such a fun part for me, and a great jog of my memory to look for opportunities to help others. I've enjoyed it so much.
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