Friday, September 11, 2020

Frugal Friday

It's been a hard week, with the continued wildfires, day 25 of smoke & low air quality, and the wildfires on the Oregon coast (amongst other west coast locations). I'm focused on the few positive things I can do each day to keep myself on track & as well as possible.


Frugal things this week.... 


Saving money on things we buy

  • I picked up four ears of corn for $.88 at the store, for a Labor Day weekend barbecue
  • Earned a $5 Walgreens rebate, and another $4/12 purchase, so used them both to pick up a few toiletries over the weekend

Earning money

  • Continued to list & sell things on eBay
    • A sweater that is very workish, and a little to warm to wear most of the time in our climate. 
    • A fancy dress that I haven't worn in a few years. As I've moved out of my 30s, I don't see myself wearing it again
    • A new with tags beanie that I purchased on the Oregon coast  for resale. I bought quite a few, and the rest sold during winter. This one has lingered for 9 months, so I accepted an offer for a couple of bucks what I paid for it, and now it's out of the house. 
    • A pair of pants that Nick outgrew before wearing
    • A pair of soccer cleats (they grew with almost no soccer season, due to COVID)
  • Sold our microwave/convection oven. I wanted to donate both the fridge & oven to people displaced from the wildfires (or, another good charitable option), but found it quite hard to do. Instead, sold via FB & donated the money instead

Avoiding spending

  • Bought a couple of pair of running shoes, and returned the pair that were my second choice (after trying them on). On an impulse, I also ordered a hoodie. When it arrived, it was fine, but nothing special. Sent it back with the shoes. I'm taking a very close eye at my entire closet, and don't want/need things that aren't a top choice. 
  • Used strawberries that were about to go bad in muffins, then froze the few extra. The kids make protein fruit smoothies every morning for breakfast, so I can always toss extra berries in the frozen fruit bag, if I catch them in time

Things for others this week:
  • Dropped off toiletries to a neighbor who was collecting items for a homeless shelter
  • Made a donation
  • Helped a friend with her resume
  • Referred another friend for a job
  • Emailed our neighborhood alias about our garden bounty & set out jalapenos for others to share
  • Bought lunch & drinks for contractors on a hot day, when we had to pick up food anyway (kitchen out of commission) 
  • Set out plastic cups, plastic silverware & paper plates on our driveway with a "free" sign, now that we're done with our construction. Neighbors happily picked them up, as they were picking up jalapenos. I hate waste & clutter & this freed up so much space in our pantry! Also, I don't like to use single use items, but a remodel is a special case & wanted to pay it forward in case others have a similar situation. One elderly neighbor told me that they've been using these types of items to have socially distanced get togethers with her daughter, which is awesome. I know she's lonely, & I'm happy to make it easier to spend a bit of time together during these challenging moments. 
Any frugal wins to report this week?

10 comments:

  1. You sound like a really nice person! All I have done is my paperwork for my job, talk to a few folks on the phone and cook for myself. I'll be glad when I feel safe to get out more or have someone in my home.

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    1. I've been making a concentrated effort to add more kindness in the world right now, which helps when I'm frustrated & overwhelmed by what's happening in the world

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  2. I love how generous of spirit your week was. When life is difficult, appreciating what we have and giving can make life better.

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    1. THanks. It's admittedly been a very, very hard week. This did help a bit.

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  3. It is a shame when kids outgrow clothes before they can wear them.

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    1. I've learned lessons about buying less.I also didn't expect there to be no soccer season, so they grew before wearing a bunch of soccer related items as well.

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  4. Life is so hard right now. The wildfire situation is beyond surreal, more than I can even take in fully. Tje pictures coming from the Bay Area alone are almost incomprehensible.

    I need to double down on being generous and patient with my fellow humans. Everyone is under stress even if it's not immediately obvious. So one thing I'm doing is letting people pull out in front of me in their cars as often as I notice them waiting. And I'm also working very hard to exhibit patience at the market when people block aisles while looking for their items.

    Frugal wins- I emailed two companies with product issues, and received replacement coupons, two per product. (A bottle of kombucha that was impossible to open, and a can of baking spray that clogged).

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    1. I've really struggled this week. Seeing my friends & family impacted (OR/WA), and what's happening in California, the air quality, not being able to be outside, which is such a critical part of my wellbeing during COVID... oh, it's a struggle. And no activities or fitness for the kids, who are already struggling. :-(

      I increased my "kind deeds" because it does help a bit, and to your point, other people are struggling, even if I don't know about it/see it. I love your idea. I'm not doing much driving lately, but I'll ad that one.

      Nice work with the product replies!

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  5. What kind of running shoes do you wear? I have had good luck with Brooks but I like to hear what other avid runners like. Sorry about the air quality. There was a large straw fire in town by a factory here that burned for a couple weeks. It affected the air quality and it was terrible.

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    1. We're on day 27 with the air quality, and it's so hard to not be able to be outside for any length of time. As soon as I see the air quality is even slightly improved, I get outside. It's been bothering my throat, but the tradeoff in my mental wellbeing is important.

      I love Brooks Ghosts. I ordered Asics Gel Kayanos as well, but preferred the Brooks. I'm going to order a second pair to keep on hand, because as you probably know, it's so hard to find a style that fits, and they make small adjustments to the product lines all the time.

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