Frugal Friday

 It's definitely not going to be a frugal week here, because I'm joining a friend on a very last minute (planned this week) hiking trip. We will be staying in her condo, but the trip involves a flight & sharing the cost of a rental car, so definitely still some expenses. 

Saving on things we buy

• Uploaded a couple of digital offers at the grocery store and saved a couple of bucks. Also added the receipt to iBotta & saved another $2.50.
• Reached out to Sam's roommate's mom (she's booking his holiday travel) to coordinate their flight times. This means they can share an Uber to the airport, which will save ~$50. 

Earning money

• Transferred $22.38 from iBotta to my savings account. Not a lot, but I'd rather cash it out, as some of these programs devalue points & earnings over time. 
• Signed up for a user study and earned $75/day on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday (three hours/day). 

Avoiding spending

• The only time M could take me to the airport was several hours before my flight, so I agreed to get to the airport *very* bright & early to avoid the cost of an Uber. 

Eating what we have

• M bought oat milk at Costco, and it wasn't the regular kind. I tried it, not knowing there was a big difference, & I'm really not a fan. It's Costco, so these are two large containers. I've been using 1/2 of my preferred brand, and 1/2 of the watery Costco version, to avoid waste. I'll be happy to see the end of that second container!
• The pomegranates are absolutely fantastic right now, and they have been a delicious dessert in the evenings. 
• I went out to a goodbye brunch for a friend that's moving, and brought home leftovers. Those served as my lunch the following day. 
• I fed myself, Nick & M after the user study on Tuesday, and then Nick let me know he was having five people over for a physics study group. So, I got busy finding other things they could all eat. They finished the ramen from the pantry, and ate a bunch of chicken tenders I keep in the freezer for just such occasions. 
• We've been buying the big containers of spinach from Costco, and it's always my goal to use it up before it gets slimy. I've been looking for recipes that use it up, and so far, so good. We've only had to toss a small amount. 
• I finally used up the cranberries from the freezer to make M cranberry muffins. Bonus that I used up some expired orange juice & yogurt that needed to go as well. 

For others

• Continued volunteering for the college students I'm mentoring. 

What about you? Any wins to share?