Frugal Friday

 Move in with Nick was expensive, as expected. A few wins, against all of the spending the weekend entailed. Also, zero regrets, because one of the reasons we try to make other financially advantageous choices is so we can help our kids & their friends during times of transition. 

Saving on things we buy

• We had a huge cart at Target, stocking up on kitchen supplies, plus some apartment furniture, towels, etc. The cashier offered us a 20% off college student coupon, but you had to jump through a bunch of hoops to verify identity. We had to pull our cart off to the side (after checkout, but before we paid) & spent another 10 minutes getting it to work, but we saved $120 on that coupon + some others I'd clipped in the app. I also earned a $15 Target gift card, but I rarely go there, and there's no one close to Nick, so I gave it to my mom to pass on to my special needs aunt. 
• Uploaded all of my many receipts for the weekend, and one of them triggered a 2800 Fetch bonus, which is unheard of for me. 
• Boulder has a "resale" shop that the university operates. They had tons of used dorm move in & apartment move in items. They were pretty cleaned out by the time we went on Sunday, but he did get: a headboard, multiple extension cord & power strips, some cups, an organizing container, and a shelving unit for $11. 
• I've gone back onto a new medicine that makes me exhausted, so offered to buy lunch for Sam if he would pick up my lunch as well. I was craving chicken & wild rice soup when I got back from Boulder. Used a $15 gift card for Panera & paid out of pocket for the rest. 

Earning money

• Just the usual stuff around here. Sam is working two jobs, Nick is going to test out going to a nearby company (the same one he worked with this summer) to help them out. He's hoping it is feasible without a car (he'll need to take the bus.) 
• Nick had a yearly physical (it had been a couple of years) & didn't really want to go, but he's had a lot of ear problems when flying. I remembered that I get a $100 (taxable) bonus from my insurance 1x/year for each person on our health plan who has a physical or from a list of other screenings. I offered him $50, and he somehow got in on the last day before we flew to Boulder. He was very happy to go to the doctor for $50. ;-) 
• Sold a shirt on eBay & made $12. 
• I'm actually home for a few weeks in a row now, so I listed a few new items on eBay. 

Avoiding spending

• I got three free checked bags on United, thanks to my status. I also offered the other three free checked bags to Nick's old roommate, who was flying with us, but he didn't make it to the airport in time, unfortunately. He had to pay out of pocket, and two of his bags were over weight. Poor guy. 
• We skipped our standard grocery store run last weekend, as I was in Boulder with Nick, and we knew M would be gone mid week for a trip of his own. Which, is good, because we certainly spent a lot outfitting Nick's apartment with food & supplies!
• Serendipitously given the above, I had to go to the office on Wednesday, and a coworker brought in tons of garden tomatoes, a few cucumber & squash. No one was taking it, so she encouraged me to take as much as I wanted. I left a bunch for others, but ended up with a very generous amount of grape & beefsteak tomatoes, a cucumber & a squash. I am so excited to have garden fresh tomatoes, and expect them to go quickly. 

Eating what we have

• Nick & I went to the lounge before our flight on Friday. I filled up my water bottle, and he had a bagel. He reports it wasn't very good, but it was free, so...? 
• Made Sam a freezer dinner of spring rolls & meatballs, and paired that with pineapple slices. 

For others

• Provided lots of transportation, took kids shopping with us, fed kids meals & generally tried to provide as much support as possible last weekend.

What about you? Any wins to share?