It was a really nice long weekend, an we got a lot done around the house, and did some travel planning. Any time there is travel planning, there is an opportunity to both spend & save! Here's how we did.
Saving on things we buy
- I used a $20 grocery reward to pick up a few things (2 large boxes of cereal, two gallons of ice cream, two packages of sliced cheese, sandwich bread, deli meat, tortillas, & Keto friendly wraps. My after reward total was $17.68, and I also saved another $3.60 via iBotta & a bit more using Fetch. I also picked up a Gatorade protein bar, which was the Friday freebie.
- M & I had planned on doing a dinner out on Sunday, but opted to come home, hang by the pool, make drinks & grill steaks. Sam & a friend unexpectedly dropped by for dinner, so we extended our meal to feed four. I warmed a loaf of bread, took some old peaches from the fruit drawer & made that into a mozzarella/peach/basil salad, used a bagged salad, and we cut the steak into smaller pieces. It worked great & was definitely cheaper than a meal out, despite splurging on steak.
- We are planning a final all family ski week for next February (Sam will be unlikely to join the following year, as he'll be in college). Sam got to vote on his top location, so I've been pricing out Whistler. I was able to find the hotel we wanted, for $500 cheaper by using Costco travel, and it includes a car rental & a $40/day free parking option. I'm so happy I thought to price out the same hotel via Costco. All told, we will save close to $1000 by booking this way.
- When the boys opted to stay with my parents after the wedding, & had to cancel their return flight (the same airline didn't service Pasco & Portland), so we ended up with a hard to use credit with a bunch of limitations (due to using 1/2 of it, but not all of the ticket). I was able to rebook another one way flight for them, and cancel another reservation, saving about $300.
Earning money
- Sold an outgrown reffing kit on FB, for $25
- Both boys got paid for their camp weeks
Avoiding spending
- Found a Subway gift card while I was cleaning my desk area, and used that to order lunch for Sam on a busy day. He picked it up while out running errands, and was able to have lunch for "free".
Eating what we have
- I had leftover chicken & beans for a quick breakfast, after a workout. It was a nontraditional breakfast meal, but it was delicious, and good to clean it out of the fridge.
- I've been eating less than usual, which has the side benefit of requiring less food. ;-)
- Used up the last of the sliced provolone (leftover from a Philly cheesesteak dinner) on a couple of sandwiches.
- On a related note, used hoagie rolls as substitute hot dog buns for our 4th of July dinner
- Ate leftovers for dinner during the week
For others
- Washed up Sam's PE uniform, and gave that away on BN, saving a local parent $30 on the cost of the mandatory school PE uniform.
- Gave away a few other BN items
What about you? Any wins to share?
I am with Sam. We love Whistler and used to go yearly . Great job on the reservations!
ReplyDeleteWhistler is so much fun! M & I went a few times before kids, I went on a girls trip (looooong before kids & M) & we've been once with the kids (2020, right before everything shut down). We had the five best ski weather days we've ever had, all in a row. It was perfection.
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ReplyDelete$20 in grocery rewards is excellent as is saving $300 on that hard to use up credit. The non traditional breakfast foods work for us too. We often have leftover chicken for breakfast. I had chicken fajitas for breakfast today. The protein is good to stave off hunger for a good long time.
ReplyDeleteI was thrilled to figure out how to use the flight credit. It wasn't explained anywhere, and the site kept rejecting my original attempts (I thought I could just apply it to any flight, vs needing it to be a one way). I called the United line & the agent walked me through how to use. It was a worthwhile 5 minute chat for sure.
DeleteI often eat breakfast at work (free), but on weekends, I get creative as well, and the protein definitely keeps you full longer.
Amazing how diligent you are in leveraging your grocery rewards- I stan you, lol.
ReplyDeleteMy primary means of controlling our grocery spend is knowing where to get the best prices for most of the items on my list each week. It can be a drudge to consistently split my list between three stores (Aldis, Trader Joes, and the supermarket in order to restock our proteins depending on what items are being featured on sale), but the savings are so significant, I continue to do so each week.
I smiled at your reference to eating less being a cost saver. Yep, I'm quite familiar with that one as well. On the success side, however, I'm within just six pounds of my ideal vanity weight (120), so will keep it up, and enjoy the savings it's delivering along with how much better I'm looking in my clothes.
- Tamara R
Yes, the grocery store rewards are awesome! They help us build in splurges, that don't feel like too much of a splurge. And, it's nice to have that flexibility. We're lucky that our local grocery store does regular gift card promos, that generate the rewards.
DeleteIt's awesome that you do such a good job of staying on top of where to buy each item. Honestly, we do not do that, and mostly shop at Costco. I fill in at Trader Joes for things that only they sell, and use the grocery store for items either Costco doesn't sell, or we need in a pinch, as it's so much closer. I do keep my eye open for sales, and occasionally take advantage, but it's not something I invest a ton of time in, so it's pretty hit or miss.
Nice work on being so close to your goal vanity weight! Love it. And yes, it's really interesting how your eating habits have to change over time. I've fought against that for a long time, but honestly, as you adjust, it gets easier. Each time you are making changes, it's pretty uncomfortable for a few weeks (who likes to feel hungry?!), but then it gets a lot more manageable.
I had leftover 4th of July meat with coleslaw for breakfast… lol. Great job on using the flight and planning ahead. It takes me weeks to recover from an across the country flight. I cannot imagine how you do/did all the international flights over the years.
ReplyDeleteCindy in the South
I enjoy most travel planning, and the savings from effectively planning it is pretty big, so feels worth it in the money saving arena.
DeleteIt takes me at least a week to get into a regular schedule again after an international flight. I'm a morning workout person, so I'm always most frustrated that it really disrupts my workout plans.