Frugal Friday

It's been a really rough week, with the situation in Washington DC, and the pandemic.  I have lots of thoughts & feelings, but focusing on the things I can directly control today. Working on my own positive outlook will continue to be a challenge in 2021. 

Here are our frugal wins for the week:

Saving on things we buy

• I uploaded our receipts (plus, the one I found in my cart) to Fetch, for points
• I used a Rite Aid reward to offset the cost of some needed toiletries
• I emailed Rite Aid about an online order placed on December 5th, that still hasn't arrived. They credited me $10 in rewards for the trouble. 
• I used some of the $10 rewards (noted above) to buy two packages (3 in a pack) of Planters nuts, at 75% off. Six cans of nuts were $6.48, but $0 out of pocket. (I used the $3.50+ leftover to offset a prescription I picked up later in the week.)
• Used $11 in grocery store rewards to cut the price down on a fill in purchase we needed to make for some recipes. 

Earning money

• Had some sales on FB marketplace & Nextdoor. Sold a cargo mat, crystal cake stand & ski boots for a total of $95. Junk out, money in. It's definitely unusual to have three sales in a week, and these items had been listed for well over a month. 
• I had a few eBay sales: a book, two makeup products, & an art print I got in Hawaii (free giveaway) from a hotel we stayed at. 
• Relisted most of my paused eBay sales from ahead of the holidays, and listed a few new items. 

Avoiding spending

• Returned a few Christmas gifts that didn't work out. 
• Remembered we had potatoes in the back of the pantry, & used those in a chicken curry dish. I was so close to buying more, because I didn't properly look in the pantry.
• Used coconut milk that I made & froze back in September for the chicken curry
• Used up a bunch of veggies nearing their prime (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green onion) in the curry dish & salads. The veggies were either part off our Christmas veggie tray, or from a shop a few weeks back & really needed to be used up. 
• Finished the rest of the Christmas veggie tray items in a salad this week. The fridge looks much cleaner without all of the ends & odds hanging around. 
• M cut my hair, & it looks quite good. He cut off about four inches, and it's now my preferred length. I haven't had my hair cut in ~18 months or so, so I was long over due. 
• I had a breakfast burrito recipe on the menu this week (for Sam to make for quick breakfasts on school mornings). I made a list of things I needed, and then reminded myself that I could sub Greek yogurt for sour cream, and while I was in the store deciding between two different types of breakfast sausage, I remembered we had a package in the freezer I'd been trying to remember to use up. Avoiding spending & eliminating a random freezer item? Double win.
• One of my running shoes developed a hole on the interior liner after just a few runs. I checked my Amazon order & they were still eligible for a return. I explained the situation & was able to return them for full money back. 

For others

• Gave away multiple items on my local Buy Nothing group. Love to see items we don't want or need make their way into the hands of people who are excited to have them!
• Loaned a tool to a neighbor
• Volunteered at my non-profit job

What about you? Did you have any frugal or for other wins for the week?