August Frugals

[Selah]

Cooked a yummy meatless dinner last night: "spiralized" zucchini pasta (raw zucchini cut with a special hand-cranked machine that turns root vegetables into twisty, spaghetti-like noodles) with leftover red pepper, onion, spices and scrambled eggs, over rice. I LOVE my spiralizer! You can use it for potatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini, apples--all sorts of things, as it has three different blades. DH has celiac, and I need more green vegetables in my diet and less processed white carbs in my diet, so this is the perfect solution.

[SteveinMN]

I really want/need to get on this. It seems like the last few months have been anything but frugal: replacing flooring after the basement flooded in summer rains; new eyeglasses (could barely see out of one really scratched lens); a couple of good-sized repair bills on my car (though they were the first serious bills in two years).

I suppose some frugal behavior has been internalized -- I do it without even thinking about it anymore. But I know we've made several choices based less on frugality and more on just getting a task or project done. Time/money; a classic trade.

[awakenedsoul]

Steve, That's so true. Some of the frugal activities I do are so time consuming. Sometimes I spend hours a day on food preparation. But, it's worth it at the end of the year when I tally up my expenses. Taking the bus and riding the bike isn't as fast as driving, but it's enjoyable, good for the environment, and saves me mileage on my car.

So far this year I've been about $2,000. under my goal of spending $20,000. So, even with this radiator bill, I think I can still come in under budget. If I had to, I could use the Internet at the library, and save $50.00 a month. But, I really enjoy having it at home. (Especially since I don't have t.v.)

Selah, That machine sound wonderful.

How's everyone else doing?

[kimberlyf0]

I think a lot of times the frugal things we do are really what we aren't doing, and thus are more passive ways of being frugal. I think that is why my active frugals are focused around food and homemaking, as there really isn't any way to go through life not eating, not washing clothing, etc.

I don't run my kids around from activity to activity to entertain them in the summer, even if the activities are free or very cheap. If they want to go bowl (using Kids Bowl Free) they can ride their bikes. If they want to go to the weekly $1 movie they can walk or ride their bikes. We don't make frequent summer beach trips; we don't go to the beach unless we are camping there or visiting family nearby. We could; it's about an hour drive and I know plenty of families who make a weekly beach trip, but it doesn't fit in with my frugal mindset. We get our dose of nature in the summer by driving to the mountains for races, trail maintenance, and pre-riding courses.

Likewise, we don't shop as entertainment. We don't go to the mall or bookstore or Target as a way to get out of the heat or pass time. I hate when a friend tells me that they went to the bookstore for the afternoon to save on electricity, but then their child is holding a new toy or book that cost a lot more than they would have spent on the A/C for a couple of hours. To each his or her own, of course, but it doesn't work for me.

Today is going to be another low-key frugal day. It should be a no drive day unless we decide to go to the pool this evening. We opened the windows this morning as it was cooler than usual; already the temperature in the house has dropped 3°. I am making a pot of heirloom beans (using up what we have in the pantry) for our main meal, using a pressure cooker, and they will be served with sautéed cabbage and some cornbread muffins from the freezer. I'll bake bread in the bread maker.

DH needed tea; what he drinks isn't cheap, but he does get it in bulk (1# packages). Today the company had an offer for a free tea system (cup + strainer + lid) so I ordered his tea. The cup will be a nice gift for someone at the holidays; probably my BIL as he buys loose tea. I did the same thing last year and gave the cup to my SIL.

[cdttmm]

Yes, for me it's really the little things that I need to continuously focus on or I end up with lifestyle creep. I can always be working to lower our utility bills and our grocery bills because they definitely aren't at the lowest possible level just yet. Other things are much harder for me to cut back on at this point. I'm not in a position to move closer to work as a way of cutting down on my transportation expenses. Both of our cars are paid for and well-maintained (by us whenever possible). Sure, we could sell one car and buy another one that is even more fuel efficient, but the ROI would be years and there are many other variables that could make this a moot point in far less time. Which means that most of what I have to report is pretty repetitive stuff and rarely something wonderfully newsworthy. But I like hearing about all the little things other people do because I find it inspiring and it helps to keep me on the right path. So keep on posting, everyone!

My exciting frugal of the day once again involves food. Surprise, surprise! I found an unopened box of ice cream cones ("old fashioned sugar cones" to be exact) on the top shelf in the pantry. Oddly, there was no expiration date printed on the box, but I'm pretty sure I bought them in 2010. And I'm pretty sure I bought 2 boxes. And I'm pretty sure they weren't all that good, which is why there is still one box remaining 4 years later... But I know that y'all know how much I hate to waste food and how I'm refusing to go to the grocery store unless absolutely necessary... So this morning half of the ice cream cones got crushed up and mixed with oatmeal to make the crumble topping for yet another blackberry crumble. Let's just say that this was not the best random concoction I have ever created in my kitchen. Fortunately, it was also not the worst. I will eat this blackberry crumble and then I will make another because there will be more blackberries to come and there are still 6 ice cream cones in the box...

I swear, I will never, ever complain about a lack of food again in my life. This has been one of the more interesting challenges I have imposed on myself.

[Lainey]

kimberlyf0,
I like the reminder that sometimes it's what we don't do that's actually a frugal savings.
In my case I don't get manicures and I don't have expensive jewelry.
I'll travel for pleasure once/twice every few years, not an annual blow-out vacation.
I'm not a foodie so a simple diet is fine for me, including cafe food if I'm out and about - a burrito, a sandwich and soup, etc. is just fine.
I don't buy fancy clothes, purses, shoes, or home decor.
I have a short hair with a basic style that costs about $12 for cuts every 2 months to maintain.

On the other hand, I admire those who are more aggressive in their frugality - growing and canning or freezing their own food, for example - but I know that's not for me, especially for a one-person household.

Many different roads to being frugal ...

[kimberlyf0]

I swear, I will never, ever complain about a lack of food again in my life. This has been one of the more interesting challenges I have imposed on myself.

I am right with you there! I'm kind of disgusted with myself for ever having gotten to a place where I could look into a full pantry, full refrigerator, and full freezer and declare that there is nothing to eat because there was nothing that appealed to my entitled palate at that moment. It's not like I grew up privileged; there was a period of time when I was a child where my most nutritious meal was the free lunch at school and my mother was serving popcorn for dinner on the 30th of the month because she wouldn't get more food stamps until the 1st and there really was no food for us to eat.

I love reading the small frugals! I think they are so important, and now if I ever have leftover ice cream cones I will know I can put them in a crisp topping. This afternoon I used cocoa butter (not deodorized, intended for human consumption) to make no-bake cookies. I bought 5 pounds of the stuff last fall thinking I would make vegan white chocolate and I found that it is really hard to do (it tastes fine but doesn't really temper). Rather than waste the cocoa butter I try to use it in sweet recipes that call for coconut oil.

I hear you on the cars! Someone suggested to me that we should sell my van and buy an electric car to save money. While it is true that I don't drive a lot of miles each year and that most of my trips are short, the reality is that my van is paid for, and even if I sold it private party I would have to pay more to have an electric car. Plus, since I don't have solar yet, the charging of said car would be at very high rates during the summer. I know it would still be cheaper than gas, but it would take a really long time to get the ROI. Plus I would bump up into higher registration costs since the car would be newer.

[rosarugosa]

Selah: Your spiral slicer sounds very cool
I am on day two of a four-day weekend. We were supposed to go to a concert last night, but it got cancelled, so that will be a $120. credit back to us (although we would have preferred to go to the concert, obviously). We went for a walk in the woods and to a local farmers' market yesterday. We spent about $40. at the market, but got some really fresh haddock from local fisherman which DH transformed into a wonderful dinner. We also got peaches and tomatoes and great baked goods for desserts last night and tonight. So not the cheapest of groceries, but good value for some pretty delectable dining. I also walked to the library and got three free movies for us to watch. I ordered tickets earlier in the week for "Cannibal, the Musical," from the writers of Book of Mormon. This is at the small theater in Lynn, so tickets were $25 each, and if you booked for opening weekend, they were $5 off per ticket. We're taking DSIL and DBIL for DBIL's birthday, so four theater tix for $80. = good deal, and spending money on experience vs. stuff.

[awakenedsoul]

Yesterday I cleaned the bathroom with baking soda, and a vinegar and water spray. The toilet is an American Standard from many many years ago. I've had it rebuilt rather than replacing it. I don't flush often, to save water. The sink has a crack, so I plan to buy a matching used American standard to keep the vintage feel. I've seen a few on line. Enjoyed the pool, sauna, and jacuzzi yesterday. Had a nice talk with a man I see there regularly. Ran into some friends on the bus. It's always the same group of people. They're frugal and friendly. Am realizing that I prefer the bus and public transportation to driving these days. But, I do need the car for things like transporting the dogs and shopping at Costco. Doing all that cooking the other day provided lots of tasty leftovers. I've been eating up the fruit salad, macaroni and cheese, and reheating the beef stew. The fresh, chewy bread from the NY Times recipe has become one of my favorite staples. It's so inexpensive to make, and it's everything I look for in a loaf of bread. Since I cut my caffeine intake in half, my supply of coffee is going a lot further. I bought some organic coffee beans on sale at Costco and put them in the freezer. I really love gourmet coffee; this is from The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. It's a splurge and a luxury.
Today I will give the kitchen a good cleaning. It's amazing to me how much better my outlook is when I keep up on the housework. Same with the car. I get cranky if my car is dirty or if the seats have a layer of dog hair. Those car wash coupons have made all the difference. This morning I'm going to make taco meat out of some ground turkey that I defrosted. I like to get the cooking done early in the morning. Once the sun is up, I'll lower the curtains to keep the house cool.
kimberlyf0, That's how I feel about my car, too. Registration costs are still pretty high for my 2004 Kia. A new car would be too expensive to insure, register, etc. I may start renting a car for the longer trips. I can just use mine for short errand runs and auditions. I'm looking into taking the train and bike to my vocal coaching sessions. The station is near her house, and I can take my bike on the train. I have a bus pass, and it stops near the train station...may as well.

[cdttmm]

Well, today was a combination of frugals and not-so-frugals. My three beloved dogs cornered and, sadly, killed a groundhog yesterday. It was awful. And although none of them was bitten, they all had scratches on their faces as a result of the fight. I called the vet to be certain their rabies shots were up-to-date, which they were, but the vet's office kindly informed me that any contact with a wild animal means that they should, technically, get rabies boosters. Ugh. Not planned for. Then they told me that one dog was due for an annual exam. I was pretty sure this was wrong, but I was a bit distraught so just scheduled everything for today, since the rabies boosters need to be given within 24 hours. I was supposed to take them to the appointment right after work. Turns out there was a huge traffic delay and I ended up having to call and tell them I would be late and that I was fine just seeing a tech to give the rabies boosters and that I would reschedule for the annual exam. I finally get to the vet clinic, the tech is very sweet and efficient and we get the shots. I go to pay the bill and schedule the annual exam appointment and it turns out they were mistaken! We had done the annual exams in January, but somehow they read the records wrong yesterday because all the dog needed was a distemper vaccine. So we got that taken care of, too. Totally unfrugal to have your dogs battle giant groundhogs, but it could have been so much worse so I consider us lucky.

On the frugal side of the house... Ate the last of the homemade bread for breakfast (as toast with peanut butter), packed a few snacks for work, which I didn't end up eating because we were training students today and provided food so I got free lunch. I have to work tomorrow, even though it is Saturday, because we have an event happening and my co-worker is otherwise engaged. So it means I'll get extra hours this week -- woo-hoo (it'll help pay the vet bill!). After the vet visit and associated shenanigans I was so ready to just go out to dinner and treat myself tonight, but I resisted. Instead, I made the last batch of pancakes from the gluten free pancake mix (fyi, pancakes should never, ever be gluten free -- gah, it's like eating cardboard). But I gussied them up by mixing in a container of full fat plain yogurt (that was waaaaayyyyy past it's expiry date, but it's yogurt, so...what? it's gonna be a little "tangy" -- totally edible!), some homemade applesauce (in place of the vegetable oil), and some cinnamon and nutmeg. Still pretty bland tasting and we're out of frozen blueberries...so I added dark chocolate chips instead. Now that's the ticket! Not only tasty, but there are enough left for breakfast tomorrow!!!

Items used up in this cooking extravaganza:

pancake mix
eggs
yogurt
maple syrup

Soon I shall be forced to grocery shop! Ummm...okay...not really. I still have an embarrassing amount of food in this house.

Tomorrow I will make another blackberry crumble, complete with crushed ice cream cones & oatmeal for the topping.

The rest of the evening will be a relaxing adventure involving reading a good book, cuddling with the crazy pack of dogs and the cats, and perhaps a little movie watching via Netflix. Hope everyone had a fabulous Friday! Share your frugals -- I love the motivation it provides me!