November 2015 Frugals [Archive] - Simple Living Forums

cdttmm

11-5-15, 7:17am

Well, it's been a less than frugal few weeks around here, but I'm doing my best to start November off right.

Opted for the free pizza lunch at work yesterday. Probably could have brought something healthier from home, but wasn't organized enough in the morning to pack anything so free pizza for the win. And I've been fighting the urge to get takeout for dinner. Instead have successfully been making and eating dinner at home.

Have been experimenting with making a second pot of tea by reusing the loose tea leaves. So far seems to be working. Of course, I probably don't need to drink two pots of tea each day, but.

Finally needed to buy some new semi-professional attire for work. I loathe clothes shopping and have not had the time or energy to search the thrift stores for possible options. So I went with the next best plan. Picked out a few things online from stores that I've had success with in the past and then patiently waiting for emails with discount codes and free shipping offers. Of course, free shipping usually means the slowest possible shipping option, but who cares. Packages should arrive next week and I'll know whether my strategy has worked.

The biggest frugal for this month...cancelling a trip to southern Illinois that would have cost me ~$900 between the flight, rental car, gas, hotel room, meals, and airport parking. I had planned to go to run a race, but training didn't go as planned so I decided to save the cash and stay home.

Gardnr

11-5-15, 7:58am

First frost was yesterday morning. We went out Tuesday night and gleaned the garden. Likely 80 pounds of tomatoes-about half ready to use. We cooked up 15 pints of tomato sauce Tuesday night and another 15 pints Wed night (after work).

Got another 10 cucumbers, about 9 pounds of eggplant......we left the kale/beets/onions/leeks in the ground. They'll keep better there for another week or 2. One can only get so much food processed before it's time to relax and prepare for sleep.

rosarugosa

11-6-15, 8:20am

That's some impressive gleaning, Gardnr!
Cdttmm: I wished I hated clothes shopping a little more, haha :)
Expensive lunch out isn't frugal, but I'm going to share since we did use a hack. We both had the day off and were at Costco to pick up a prescription post-MD appointment. DH asked where I was taking him for lunch because I used to take him out post-urologist visit, and he joked that I owed him since he doesn't usually feel up to going out after those visits. So we decided to go to lunch at Legal C Bar. I remembered that Costco sells 2 $50. gift cards for $80., so we bought the 2 gift cards. We had already been planning to go there for Thanksgiving since DH will be working 10 -3 on the holiday, so we'll use one of the cards then. So not cheap, but less expensive than it would have been otherwise. Picked up two movies from the library afterwards.

cdttmm

11-7-15, 8:45pm

rosa -- good hack using the discounted gift cards for your meals out! We belong to BJs rather than Costco and the only discounted gift cards that they carry that we find useful are the ones for iTunes. In fact, I just lucked out and got $60 in iTunes gifts cards for $52 on my last BJs run. We use them to rent movies and watch TV shows that we like. So much less expensive than cable. Of course, it would be even better if we could get our entire TV viewing fix through our Netflix subscription, but baby steps, right?

Been feeling really wiped out by the craziness of this semester so I've been spending a lot of time at home this week. Which has meant that I've been cooking meals at home, which is always a good thing. Beyond that, not much in the way of real major frugals happening over here.

Sold 4 pounds of honey this week. Will hopefully sell some more over the next few weeks as some of my friends have expressed interest in buying them as holiday gifts for family members. I need to get my act together and finish my new labels, though, so that the product looks professional. I've got everything I need, except a printer. (Ours is currently not working due to some technical issue we've yet to resolve.) I can print the labels at school, I just have to be willing to spend an extra hour or so there one day actually doing it. But that was not going to happen this week.

In other financial news, I just found out that I will get a raise in January. It is not huge -- works out to be ~$100 per course per semester. But if 2016 is anything like 2015, that will work out to be an extra $1500 over the course of the year.

rosarugosa

11-9-15, 5:59am

We came in well under budget for groceries this week. We've changed our Trader Joe's run to every other week, and that is definitely saving us money, because much of what we buy there falls more into a wants than a needs category.

rodeosweetheart

11-10-15, 9:26am

I probably could have gotten it cheaper online, a lot cheaper, but I went to the local Battery and Bulbs store and bought a new battery for my failing laptop because I like to shop at the local merchants, and because it was cheaper than going to Best buy and having them diagnose and then sell me a battery. I took a chance that the battery was the problem, and I have 14 days to return it to the local battery store if I guessed wrong.

awakenedsoul

11-10-15, 11:21am

I haven't been posting here lately because I recently spent $21,000. out of pocket for my hip replacement surgery. I had both hips done, and chose the top surgeon in LA. It was worth it to me. He charges $6,500 per hip, and only takes cash. He is very exact, and I am able to live a full life again. I will be getting a reimbursement from Blue Shield for the surgery. They will cover between $1,000. and $13,000. I'm hoping it will be on the higher end.

I've been making every effort to live on $1,000. a month, to rebuild my emergency fund. So far I'm not coming in under budget, but I am spending less than I would normally. There is an audition for Menopause the Musical later this month is Las Vegas. That means paying the dog kennel, gas to and from Vegas, and a one night stay in a hotel. They expect you to have seen the show, so I will buy a ticket, too. It all adds up, but it's part of the business. I will probably just take the money out of savings, since it's a step in the right direction. I'm just happy that I'll be able to do some simple choreography again. I'm no longer limping. Also, there aren't that many calls for women who look over 40.

Yesterday I went to the nursery and bought some lettuce, spinach, arugula, and potted herbs. I'll dry some of the herbs, and refill my spice jars. I'll also use them in homemade salad dressing.

I reheated the cream chipped beef yesterday. After doctoring it up with herbs, leftover hamburger, and fresh onion, it went from tasting like hospital food to tasting like a gourmet meal! I'm working through the 10 lb. bag of potatoes that I bought for $2.00. I made a batch of mashed potatoes last night. I boiled them with half of an onion, quartered. I whipped them with milk, and added salt, white pepper, and some butter. They were delicious. I also sauteed some sliced carrots in butter. I love gravy in the winter....it's delicious.

I went to Costco and spent a little over $100.00 stocking up for the month. I harvested a tree full of persimmons and Valencia oranges last month, so I haven't had to buy fruit, except for bananas. Braeburn apples were on sale at Vallarta, so I bought seven of those. I try not to buy produce if it's over a dollar a pound. The more I grow, the less I have to buy. Growing fruit is so satisfying! We've had some rain, so that really helps. I love my lettuce patch! I fed it some homemade compost the other day. The leaves doubled in size overnight.

My neighbor asked me to go to the swap meet with her this morning. She's going to pick me up. At first I hesitated. I'm not going to buy anything. But, it was nice of her to ask me, and she said we'll just walk around. That'll be good for my hips.

rosarugosa

11-14-15, 8:44am

Awakened: I think that is what frugality is all about, being wise with your money so you have the resources to spend on something really important to you, like your health.
I got an award at work last week, one of those deals where you can choose a gift from a website. I went with the Costco gift card ($150) because I can turn it into groceries. :)
Planning a low-key weekend with meals at home and entertainment in the garden or the woods.
I'm going to be able to move some extra money into savings this month because October was an "extra paycheck" month. I'm especially pleased because I'm also getting a dental crown, but will still be able to add extra to savings this month.

rodeosweetheart

11-14-15, 9:02am

Float On

11-14-15, 9:51am

SteveinMN

11-14-15, 7:18pm

I am using my paycheck this week on snowtires, and am searching for the most frugal approach.
I've been using winter tires on my cars for 35+ years. A couple of pointers:
- The kind to buy depends on the road conditions you face most. In rural Minnesota, the bigger issue is getting through the snow because the plow hasn't been by yet. In urban Minnesota, the bigger issue is that the plow has been through -- but left a solid pack of ice and snow. Driving through fresh snow calls for an open tread pattern; packed snow and ice calls for lots of rubber edges and ways to clear out the melted slush.
- Some states allow studded winter tires (rs, I don't think yours does). Even when studs were a choice for me, I went with studless. Just easier and (IMHO) safer.
- Bridgestone, Michelin, and Nokian make probably the best winter tires out there. But you will pay dearly for that last bit of performance. Consider some second-tier tire manufacturers. DW and I are using General Tire's Altimax Arctic, which is based on an old European tire design but still gets us around really well for not a lot of money. Also look for tires from Cooper, Hankook, or Kumho. Avoid tires made in China if you can.
- Consider mail-order. Tire Rack is well-regarded and they'll even ship the tires to a shop that can mount and install them for you. Might be cheaper than going locally. I've also had good experience with Discount Tire.

This is the expensive time of year to buy winter tires. But most insurance deductibles will wipe out whatever you'd save by waiting till spring. So now is the time!

rodeosweetheart

11-14-15, 7:35pm

I've been using winter tires on my cars for 35+ years. A couple of pointers:
- The kind to buy depends on the road conditions you face most. In rural Minnesota, the bigger issue is getting through the snow because the plow hasn't been by yet. In urban Minnesota, the bigger issue is that the plow has been through -- but left a solid pack of ice and snow. Driving through fresh snow calls for an open tread pattern; packed snow and ice calls for lots of rubber edges and ways to clear out the melted slush.
- Some states allow studded winter tires (rs, I don't think yours does). Even when studs were a choice for me, I went with studless. Just easier and (IMHO) safer.
- Bridgestone, Michelin, and Nokian make probably the best winter tires out there. But you will pay dearly for that last bit of performance. Consider some second-tier tire manufacturers. DW and I are using General Tire's Altimax Arctic, which is based on an old European tire design but still gets us around really well for not a lot of money. Also look for tires from Cooper, Hankook, or Kumho. Avoid tires made in China if you can.
- Consider mail-order. Tire Rack is well-regarded and they'll even ship the tires to a shop that can mount and install them for you. Might be cheaper than going locally. I've also had good experience with Discount Tire.

This is the expensive time of year to buy winter tires. But most insurance deductibles will wipe out whatever you'd save by waiting till spring. So now is the time!

Steve, thank you so much--this is exactly what I am pondering.
No studded tires here.
DH just bought Blizzaks for his car today.
I was going to get what you have, the General Tire Altimax Artic, but I would have to order them and pay the shipping. Discount Tire can get them for me. They would come in around 420, I think, and he said they aren't making them anymore, hmm.
I have used tire rack for snow tires for cars before, but the shipping would add 14 dollars per tire. Pretty much comparable to getting local if I can find them local. I can find the Blizzaks, but a bit pricey=453 out the door for my little Yaris.
the ultragrip I could do for 279, with a special 80 dollar back deal.

What do you think of Goodyear Ultragrip? they don't sound as good as what you have from my research.

Do you like the General Tire Altimax Artic? Tire rack gave them wonderful reviews and they are actually apparently based on a Nokian tire.

We drive country and town-- lots of packed snow, no salt where we are, hills. Traction key.
The roads in town are always packed and icy, but they salt. But to get to town is 18 miles on unsalted snowpack.

I am absolute chicken winter driver, terrified all the time.

Would you do the General Tire Altimax Arctic?

Gardenarian

11-15-15, 12:37am

I am also a wimp when it comes to winter driving. I just refuse to go up the mountains where you never know there's an icy patch till you hit it. I got tires on sale back in CA, before we knew we were moving. They are Michelins, some kind of all-weather tire, but I don't know if they're good in snow. (I mainly chose them because they had an 80K mile warranty.) Anyhow, I need to have my tires rotated so I'll find out then.

We were planning on going to San Francisco to have Thanksgiving with friends - it would be a pricey trip. We've decided to stay home and make some new traditions. I'm slowly getting to know people here, but oh, I miss my old neighbors.

Dd is at a clothes swap tonight; she really could use some new things so I'm hoping she returns with some warm winter clothes.

I'm having no luck selling stuff on Craigslist lately. Wrong time of year??

I bought some landscape plants off CL (dig them yourself) and got 5 nice big plants for $10 - would have cost around $100 at the nursery.

No huge saves, but our bills are way down just from the change in location and lack of driving. All good.

JaneV2.0

11-15-15, 11:27am

This is me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7zptjhuVe4

iris lilies

11-15-15, 12:07pm

I spent 5 days in Eastern Kentucky and it was half the cost I kinda/sorta budgeted for. Between the meals provided by garden club ladies and depressed Appalachian prices, I spent an average of $100 per day, and those costs were for motel room, gas for the car, and registration cost for workshop. That's not cheap, and I could have gone lower by cutting out side trips and junk food, but it was still a good price overall.

SteveinMN

11-15-15, 12:49pm

What do you think of Goodyear Ultragrip? they don't sound as good as what you have from my research.

Do you like the General Tire Altimax Artic? Tire rack gave them wonderful reviews and they are actually apparently based on a Nokian tire.

We drive country and town-- lots of packed snow, no salt where we are, hills. Traction key.
The roads in town are always packed and icy, but they salt. But to get to town is 18 miles on unsalted snowpack.
IMHO, even low-rated winter tires are better than all-season tires. Spending more depends on how many miles you put on the car, how often you can defer travel until conditions improve, and how much peace of mind you give yourself by buying better tires.

The Generals actually are modeled after an old Vredestein tire (Vredestein and General have the same parent company). I haven't seen anywhere that they are no longer being produced. I like them. Back when we had money and I was commuting to work, I had no problem shelling out for great Nokian Hakka ice tires. But the Generals feel like maybe 80% of what I got with the Nokians for much less money. I would have no problem buying them again if I needed winter tires. And I'm comfortable enough with their capabilities to put my wife's car on them.

As for the Goodyears, my concern is this: on packed snow and ice, traction depends on the tires biting into the snow. That's why the very best ice tires have lots of tread blocks. If you examine those tread blocks, you'll see those they have additional cuts called sipes. As the tire rotates, the sipes spread out and provide additional biting edges. On the best ice tires, the sipes are jaggy; on the Ultragrips, they're not. Rather than each sipe providing maybe 10-15 edges against the snow, you get 2 or 3. This will make the tire quieter and handle a little better on dry roads. But it's not what you want for packed snow and ice.

So if it were me, I'd look at the Generals or another brand that had jaggy sipes (that basic tread pattern is in use by several companies, including Hankook, GTRadial for the most direct copies). One other caution -- tires with lots of freestanding blocks (i. e., like islands rather than peninsulas) may feel very squirmy on dry roads. I remember one dry-road lane change on the Interstate on Blizzaks (when they first came out) that spooked me some. Tire design is always a compromise. But this is what I've found works best for us here.

rodeosweetheart

11-15-15, 3:43pm

Steve, thanks so much! I did not see this before I went out and got the Goodyears. If I were driving a lot, I would have sent off for the General Altimax Arctic. But actually, as soon as the snow hits, I will put my Yaris in the barn until it stops snowing, and just drive with DH's car. I will have the snow tires if I need to drive on emergency basis to parents, but I plan to do virtually NO winter driving, just have them on it in case I HAVE to drive, so I couldn't justify spending the extra 150. I hear you about the sipes and that is extremely informative. If I were driving everyday, I would spring for a better tire. But seriously, I will put the car away and not drive it for months once the snow is on the ground for good.

The first year we were here in the far north, I did not put the car in the shed, and it literally froze into the driveway. This is not something I am proud to admit. I decided from then on, put the car in the barn and only get it out if necessary.

And bless it, both years the Yaris just sprang to life, no problem. It is a great little car.

I will tell DH that those Blizzaks are weird on dry pavement and to get them off the first week in May.

On the other hand, I remember last winter not seeing pavement for 3 and 4 weeks at a time--NEVER seeing it, anywhere. As I said, no salt here, not like Chicago, and they just drive the snow pack. Plowing is infrequent at best.

rosarugosa

11-15-15, 4:14pm

We were down to two wineglasses in the house - how do they keep breaking? :) I had one of those $10. off promotional cards for Kohl's, so I got a package of 4 wineglasses for $3.18 out of pocket.

rodeosweetheart

11-15-15, 4:36pm

This is me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7zptjhuVe4

Jane, me, too! How funny! I was so happy living in South Carolina, even with the occasional hurricane.

nswef

11-15-15, 5:07pm

I am so glad to not have to think about snow tires...not that they wouldn't be handy a week or so out of the year. I do not drive in snow unless it is absolutely unavoidable. Now that we are retired we can choose to not drive in it. We're in central/western Maryland, base of the mountains- well we're in the mountains. The state and county do an EXCELLENT job on the roads so the only scary times are while it's snowing and in traffic with all those SUV drivers who think they can go the speed limit in spite of icy roads. I suppose if I had to do it, I could as I grew up in Pittsburgh, learned to drive with a stick shift, but left at 18, so not as much experience driving in the snow as I could use for confidence.

cdttmm

11-15-15, 7:44pm

Making leftover cabbage soup for dinner. Doctored it up a little bit with a can of diced tomatoes, some wilted spinach, and a bunch of Mrs. Dash spice mix that has been in the spice rack for as long as we've lived here (yikes!). Bought a loaf of bread at the supermarket rather than baking our own because we weren't that organized today. But I did managed to bake two loaves of cream cheese/chocolate chip pound cake this morning. A new-to-me recipe and one that is a definite keeper. Definitely not good for the waistline or cholesterol level, though!

I've been brewing two pots of tea with my loose tea leaves most days. This is not really adding anything to my frugality, just adding to my tea drinking.

Aside from that, a big un-frugal this week. Had to buy a plane ticket for a quick trip to MN. My best friend's father passed away and I'm going to the funeral as he was like a second father to me when I was growing up. I'm glad I have solid frugal habits so that buying an expensive plane ticket at the last minute is something I can do without it negatively impacting my financial well-being.

SteveinMN

11-15-15, 9:08pm

I plan to do virtually NO winter driving, just have them on it in case I HAVE to drive, so I couldn't justify spending the extra 150. I hear you about the sipes and that is extremely informative. If I were driving everyday, I would spring for a better tire. But seriously, I will put the car away and not drive it for months once the snow is on the ground for good.
rs, you'll be fine with the Ultragrips. Don't worry.

One option you might have is if the place that sold you the Goodyears (or maybe even another tire shop in town) can sipe these tires after the fact. They simply cut more (straight) sipes into the tire. They can only do this with new tires (because tires quickly pick up items which would damage the siping machine). It costs $15 or so per tire (around here anyway) and it will make the tire wear a little quicker, but it doesn't sound like you'll be driving that many miles before these tires expire anyway.

I will tell DH that those Blizzaks are weird on dry pavement and to get them off the first week in May.
Bridgestone has been making Blizzaks for years. I'm guessing they've addressed to the degree possible that "driving on erasers" behavior. But it is a feature of some tread patterns and it is endemic with winter tires once the weather gets warm. DH will want to be careful the first couple of times he does something at speed but then he'll have an idea of how the tires behave and can drive accordingly. He will want to get them off the car by spring because warmer temperatures will cause winter tires to wear quickly.

in traffic with all those SUV drivers who think they can go the speed limit in spite of icy roads.
Oh, they can! It's just turning and stopping that are the problems....:0!

rodeosweetheart

11-15-15, 9:45pm

rs, you'll be fine with the Ultragrips. Don't worry.

One option you might have is if the place that sold you the Goodyears (or maybe even another tire shop in town) can sipe these tires after the fact. They simply cut more (straight) sipes into the tire. They can only do this with new tires (because tires quickly pick up items which would damage the siping machine). It costs $15 or so per tire (around here anyway) and it will make the tire wear a little quicker, but it doesn't sound like you'll be driving that many miles before these tires expire anyway.

Bridgestone has been making Blizzaks for years. I'm guessing they've addressed to the degree possible that "driving on erasers" behavior. But it is a feature of some tread patterns and it is endemic with winter tires once the weather gets warm. DH will want to be careful the first couple of times he does something at speed but then he'll have an idea of how the tires behave and can drive accordingly. He will want to get them off the car by spring because warmer temperatures will cause winter tires to wear quickly.

Oh, they can! It's just turning and stopping that are the problems....:0!

Thank you so much for this info, Steve. I know just the place to call about the siping, too. I will give the Blizzak info to DH because I think this is really great advice, and of course today, after snow tire weekend, it was 57!

But hey, if that is what it takes to get it not to snow around here, buying two sets of snow tires a month, I'll pay it, haha!

Gardenarian

11-15-15, 9:59pm

This tire discussion has been really useful. I'm going to make sure we get good ice tires on at least one car, in case of emergency.

Like the freakout snowflake lady, I live on a hill :)

JaneV2.0

11-15-15, 10:09pm

This tire discussion has been really useful. I'm going to make sure we get good ice tires on at least one car, in case of emergency.

Like the freakout snowflake lady, I live on a hill :)

Yeah--that's my excuse. I've driven on snow and ice, and I'm through.

cdttmm

11-21-15, 9:27pm

Seems like we're light on frugals in this month's thread. I'm guessing the upcoming holiday, Thanksgiving (here in the U.S.A.), might have something to do with that.

I had my teaching observation/evaluation on Thursday. My first since I've been in this job. I haven't gotten back the written evaluation so don't know how I did, but I suspect it was acceptable. I don't think it was my best day of teaching by any stretch of the imagination, but it was most likely fine. I had just flown back the day before from attending my best friend's father's funeral, so it was a stressful week in general. But, in the midst of all that, I remembered to bring tea/snacks/lunch to work both Thursday and Friday this week. I've even managed to put off purchasing more loose tea even though I finished off the green tea earlier this week. I've been making do with the various black teas that I have on hand. I am really not a big black tea drinker, but I figure I can power through for a few days until I can make a stop to buy tea when I'm out on another errand.

I agreed to teach a Tae Kwon Do class on the next two Sundays so I'll get paid a little something for my time. Since I would have gone to class anyway, the paycheck will more than cover my driving expenses.

Ate up the corn chowder that I thawed from the freezer earlier in the week so that it wouldn't go to waste.

Put off doing a load of laundry today with the hopes that the weather will cooperate tomorrow and I can line dry a load. It would have been a good day to line dry it today, but I didn't think of it until fairly late in the day.

Skipped out on attending a beekeeping conference today. Was feeling a bit under the weather when I woke up and decided that I'd save myself the $75 registration fee and the 2-hour drive each way and just stay home instead. So it turned out to be a no-drive, no-spend day here. I did a little yard work, but mostly just spent the day napping and relaxing in the hopes that I won't come down with a cold.

Okay, not much else to report here. Anyone else have some frugals to share?

awakenedsoul

11-21-15, 10:53pm

I do. Yesterday I got a bill that my dad received that was addressed to me. It turns out that it was from the ambulance company that took me to the hospital after my bike accident in Sept. of 2014. I never received a bill. I called them and spent two hours on the phone straightening things out. The woman said that it was a mix up. Since they didn't have my address, they sent the bill to collections. I had my insurance card with me in my wallet, but they didn't ask for it. Anyway, after a lot of negotiating, I got a woman at Health Net to help me. They are going to resubmit the claim, and it will be covered. So, I won't have to pay the $1,700. bill. Phew! It also won't go on my credit report. It was a mess, but I plowed through it. I had to get kind of bitchy with the guy in collections. I think he was in the Phillipines, and I could barely hear him. I also could hardly understand him. It was very stressful. I was relieved with the outcome, though.

I made artichokes yesterday. I boiled them in water with meyer lemons from my tree and homemade Italian salad dressing. The day before I made homemade hash browns. I got the potatoes on sale. (10 lbs. for $1.00) I've been eating a lot of potatoes. I'm Irish. I love them. I bought Granny Smith apples on sale at Food For Less. They were .79 a lb. I'll use them in my apple cranberry cobbler next week.

A good friend of mine did Menopause the Musical off Broadway for two years, and she is going to send me her script. She also is going to try and send me the score, so I can start working on it. I put a call in to my vocal coach to see if she can work with me.

I unraveled an alpaca blanket that I knit a few years ago, and I'm redoing it. I like this pattern better. It should save me money on heat this winter. It's super soft, and nice and warm. That's about it for now. How is everyone else doing with their frugals?

Meezer_Mom

11-22-15, 1:31pm

Hi Everyone! Happy Turkey Week!

Here, it's a forced frugality for at least the next few days because week before last I had a balloon payment for my dental implant. (Which I had gotten for about 1/2 price thanks to a discount membership with Vital Savings.) The new tooth is now in and all my dental work is done. Yeah.

I have everything I need until the next pay day.

I've been focusing on just being consistent. I've been making my lunches, writing down every expenditure, comparing unit pricing, making things last, etc. I'm trying to listen more to my nature for what it wants as opposed to trying to fit it around a plan.

For example, I'm comfortable with hand-noting what I've spent in my notebook. I'm not comfortable with transferring every expenditure to my spreadsheet. I am OK with totaling all like-items at the end of the month and then putting THAT on the spreadsheet.

There really is no reason to do the long form since the point is to see where I've been spending so I can think through how best to change that habit, if necessary. I've been giving up my 7-11 chicken habit but seem to have taken on a soda habit at the office. Once that reared its head, I've recommitted to drinking more water.

And so it goes...

rosarugosa

11-22-15, 4:36pm

We've been reasonably frugal, although nothing too noteworthy. I guess just not making a lot of extra purchases this time of year is a little bit of an accomplishment. We stayed within budget on groceries. We're going to need a swap gift, and I think I'm going to borrow an idea from another thread on the forums and get an adult coloring book or two and some colored pencils. I think that would go over pretty well with the folks involved in the swap. I do feel pleased that we don't have to run around doing a bunch of holiday shopping. I was amazed that gas only cost $1.90/gallon at Costco. I think National Grid electric rates start spiking upward this month though, so that's where the gas savings will probably go.
Awakened: I'm intrigued by your artichoke dish. I've always had them stuffed with a seasoned breadcrumb and Romano cheese mix. I really like them, I think mainly because they are fun to eat! Are you just eating the hearts with dressing, or do you eat the leaves too?
Meezer Mom: Good for you on finishing your dental work and fitting it into your budget. Dental work is so expensive. I get my permanent crown Saturday. I'm glad I have decent dental insurance, but it's still expensive!
Cdttmm: Sorry you weren't feeling well this weekend and I hope you bounce back quickly. Better to go to a conference like that when you're able to actually enjoy it.

rodeosweetheart

11-23-15, 11:54am

Got a free turkey from our propane company; will pass it along to someone in town who needs it this week.
Mended my silk Nepali mittens with a quick in the car darning session on way back from Michael's, using embroidery floss and lovely pair of embroidery scissors. Not exactly frugal, the little scissors, but they are exquisite and make darning fun.
Enjoying the new snow tires very much, and last week we managed to really prepare for winter--two sets of snow tires, chains for the little tractor, and a plow blade for the little tractor, so yesterday, DH got the chains and the plow on and plowed the driveway and parking area. Extremely satisfying. And sure beats paying someone else to snowplow, and we can use our mower year round this way.

Cypress

11-23-15, 12:56pm

I had a great frugal Saturday! At the community recycle center, I found in the swap shed four almost brand new top of the stove under the oven ring black drip bowls. They only needed a thorough wash. They fit my rings perfectly.

The other wow of an item was a wooden clothes drying rack. I couldn't believe when I saw it. Nothing wrong or warped about the rack. It's a king size and can hold so much. I am so excited and grateful. These are two things off my list of needs for the house.

cdttmm

11-27-15, 11:34am

Ate leftover pumpkin pie + whipped cream for breakfast. That was the extent on my Thanksgiving meal since I didn't attend the holiday gathering in NYC yesterday. So I guess that was a frugal, too, since I saved myself about $40 in gas. :~)

Been drinking up my tea stash. I've been out of green tea for more than a week, which is highly unusual for me. But in the meantime, I've managed to finish off a package of loose black tea with vanilla and almonds plus a package of loose puerh tea. This morning I'm using some black tea bags that were likely some samples sent with green tea I bought previously. I'll see if I can hold off buying green tea until next weekend when I can use a special discount code.

The weather is quite nice today so I think I'll get out the bird-feeders and assess the situation. I like to feed the birds, but it can really add up if you are feeding high quality seed. So need to find ways to minimize waste and keep the squirrels at bay (at least to some extent).

Hope everyone had a fabulous (and frugal!) Thanksgiving!

SteveinMN

11-27-15, 1:02pm

My frugal for this month is that I did not go shopping yesterday or today. :D

Seriously, I saw nothing in any BF sale circular that really appealed to me, nevermind going out in the cold (19*F this morning) and waiting to buy it. So that was easy. DW was tempted to go shopping early this morning with DD but the (grand)baby's schedule wasn't very cooperative. DW mostly wanted to spend time with DD anyway; her plan was to stand in line for checkout while DD shopped.

Thanksgiving was moderately frugal as portions of the meal were assigned to the attending famililes. We didn't end up with lots of leftovers (bummer) but I did grab the turkey carcass, which will become a few meals of soup for us (maybe it's a good thing we didn't have lots of turkey leftovers to work through).

Precious little about this month has been frugal; it's been more a month of checking things off the to-do list, which sometimes has required spending (carefully considered) money. I did harvest most of the leftover collards in our snowbird-neighbor's garden as winter truly has set in here. I stewed and then froze them in portions, so I have lots of lunches ahead. I found a refrigerator water filter new-in-box on Goodwill's auction site, and won it, spending less than half of the cost of one even purchased mail-order. Beyond that ... wow, not a very frugal month.

JaneV2.0

11-27-15, 1:14pm

I'm looking forward to turning turkey bones from yesterday's meal into turkey meatball soup. Otherwise, I haven't been particularly frugal lately. But I've only got one more Xmas present to buy and I'm done. I got in on the $35 Kindle deal, and I think a friend will be happy with it.

awakenedsoul

11-27-15, 4:53pm

rosarugosa, I cook the artichokes on the stove in boiling water with Italian salad dressing and fresh lemons, quatered. I use a lot of dressing. I dip the leaves in mayo and eat the heart with mayo, too.

Sometimes I slice them in half and bake them. I cover them with Italian dressing and lemon juice. I wrap the the pan in foil and bake at 350 degrees until they are tender. They taste marinated when they're done.

kally

11-27-15, 5:31pm

I am just cooking, cooking, cooking like a crazed clown with a gastronomic habit with my new Instant Pot. We have lovely foods and are eating out even fewer times than before.

rosarugosa

11-27-15, 5:47pm

Cypress: Nice scores at the recycling center! I wish we had one of those.
Awakened: Thanks for the info. That sounds really good; maybe I can get DH to make them one of these days.
Cdttmm: We got this WBU Fundamentals Squirrel Proof Feeder from Wild Birds Unlimited probably about 5 years ago, and it is truly squirrel proof! I highly recommend it. I'm sure it's paid for itself in seed savings:
http://shop.wbu.com/p/wbu-fundamentals-squirrel-proof-bird-feeder/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders?pp=12

frugal-one

11-27-15, 5:49pm

Checked on line to see the lowest cost for the GPS I just bought (since it is Black Friday) and found it is selling for $30 less than I paid for it. I charged it on my CitiCard and one of the benefits is if you find that you buy something and you can prove it is sold less elsewhere, CitiCard will give you the difference. So I faxed the form in today. Woo Hoo!!

rosarugosa

11-27-15, 6:05pm

Oh and as far as frugals go, we had a pricey dinner out last night, so not really frugal, but we did enjoy ourselves. No shopping this weekend except for an anticipated trip for groceries tomorrow. My favorite little consignment store was have a 50% off the entire store sale today, but I resisted!

chrissieq

11-27-15, 11:44pm

We started Black Friday at 11:00AM with back to back eye exams - need to use up our HSA $$. Decided to eat at a Chinese restaurant (not a chain) for their lunch specials. The former owner was pretty grumpy but welcoming - always remembered we had a son and asked about him - new owners have jazzed the place up but did not increase prices - or change menu! It is next door to a consignment store and my husband desperately needs a new navy blazer (his current one is worn through at the neck and cuffs) - found one in his perfect size for $18. Picked up our daughter for a 1/2 day of baking Christmas cookies. She went home with most of them for her and her fiancee. Some are getting shipped to our son and family in DC. Dinner was bean soup from the freezer with added ham from yesterday's dinner - yes, yesterday was a 2 meat meal - turkey and ham - yum! Tomorrow and Sunday have volunteer commitments in place - no shopping for us.

Gardnr

11-28-15, 10:36am

HSA money does not have to be spent. You can accumulate it (there is a federal maximum contribution) over time. That's what I'm doing. I intend to save it for my Medicare years when my income goes down.

rosarugosa

11-28-15, 7:09pm

Maybe Chrissie meant FSA money? You can now carry over $500 to the next year, but you may already be taking that into account.

Lainey

11-29-15, 1:44pm

I wanted a battery-operated pre-lit Christmas wreath. I don't have an outdoor outlet but I wanted a little light. Turns out those types of wreaths are $40+. Then I found a small string of tiny white lights operated by battery for $12 which I then interwove into my existing wreath.
It's definitely more of a want than a frugal need, but I'm happy to have this for current and future holiday use, plus $20+ in the process.

rosarugosa

11-29-15, 5:32pm

Good for you Lainey. There's nothing necessarily wrong with fulfilling a want, especially since it sounds like you thought it out and came up with the most cost effective option. As for us:
The Good: Out of pocket for dental crown is a bit less than expected (by about $200). Groceries came in well within budget this week. I added a second "rung" to the CD ladder that I've started building for early retirement years. My goal is to add two rungs per year over a 5 year period. Rate of return is low, but it's much better than an online savings account, and I consider this part of our E-fund. Barclay is paying 2.25% for a 60 month CD.
The Bad: Unexpected furnace repair (oil pump replacement). Don't know the cost yet.
The Ugly: I was reviewing records for this past year and we totally suck about spending money in restaurants. I'll be looking to reduce this by at least 30% in 2016, and that will still be pretty indulgent. I also spent way too much on clothes this year. My immediate reaction was that this was due to going up a size and needing some new clothes, but that really only accounts for about half, so it's more a matter of just being undisciplined. I'm planning to reduce this by at east 50% in 2016.

Selah

11-29-15, 8:57pm

I refused to spend $18.97 for a bottle of hair "product," and am instead going to use my husband's V05. Not as nice a smell, but works close enough to the fancy kind to make it worth saving the money. I also refused to spend $110 on a pair of black shoes that I need for my new job (and won't be seen by the public, as I will be standing behind a counter) and instead bought a $28.00 pair designed for waitresses. Am carpooling with a co-worker down to Seattle (85 miles one way) for three days of training. The company was going to put me up in a hotel, but wouldn't pay for my meals, so the co-worker and I decided to bite the bullet. DH and I only have one car, so she was kind enough to let me go in her car, so he wouldn't be stranded at home with no way to get into town.

danna

11-30-15, 12:09am

Great frugals all.....I have been reading put not getting around to posting.
Many not frugals this month...finally had most of the rugs changed to laminate on the basement level...love, love , love it.
But, it was a lot of money so need to be very frugal in the months to come.
A few frugals I can think of...
--still getting groceries very cheap and eating very well by cooking from scratch and eating at home
--did baking for a Seniors home bazaar and got all the ingredients on sale.
--went to a bazaar at a church this weekend and found a rack for my canning pot for $.50 and much, much more
their prices where amazing....
---I have lost some weight so I have just tried on all my clothes and will donate the too big ones now so others can use them
and found ones that will fit now with only a little alteration. Good to remind myself I don't need to shop!
---if you freeze leftover roast vegetables they reheat beautifully in stock you have frozen....yummy a almost free lunch!
--On a deal at one store you could buy $50.00 gift cards for $45.00 (I buy gas/garden/ house supplies/gifts here) where do you get that
back on your money?
--have bought most of my Christmas stuff and that was all on sale...yeah

All I can think of for now will try to post on a regular bases in Dec. it helps to post here it keeps me thinking about my frugals.
Rosarugosa My Ugly is the total I have ended up with for Small Household items (this seems to be just stuff) so my goal for 2016 is to half the amount
I have been spending and put it towards home maintenance projects something I can see and has a longer value!!!

SteveinMN

11-30-15, 3:40pm

In a final crowning touch to a fairly-spendy month, today I ended up buying a new snowthrower.

Our 13-year-old 'thrower was dead on arrival for this morning's storm -- didn't make a sound. Between that issue ("Yeah, Briggs and Stratton didn't do a very good job with that starter." Now I know that...) and the paddles that it consumes every few years, I was looking at a repair bill of at least $250 and an almost-two-week wait for a machine that has a life expectancy of just a couple more years. I should have tested it earlier this year. But that always was a task I could get to "tomorrow". :|(

At least this one has a four-stroke engine, so it's a little kinder to the environment. And it has a warranty. And it was ready today instead of a two weeks from now. Maybe if I'd tested the old one earlier and realized it was headed to the big scrapyard in the sky, I could have bought a newer one and saved some money. But the storm is here now and it's peak snowthrower season ($$) anyway. I suppose the "frugal" of all this that it was on sale (10% off). And I didn't go for the electric starter this time. It's just one more thing to break and I never used it more than once a year anyway. Happy birthday and Merry Christmas to me...

*sigh* I sure hope December is kinder than this.

rosarugosa

11-30-15, 9:49pm

Danna: Home maintenance and improvements are what I need to focus on as well, not new clothes!
Steve: It sounds like a carefully considered purchase that you'll put to good use, and at least you got it on sale.
DH & I each got $75 visa cards in the mail for participating in my employer's health coaching program this year. I had to keep nagging at DH or he would not have completed his sessions, so I should really get both cards, but I'll be nice.
I got an e-mail offering me a great deal on a play we want to see in Boston next spring (Peter & the Starcatcher). I got 3 tickets for $84.00 total (we'll bring my Mom). I thought that was an amazing price for Sat night theater tickets in Boston.

freshstart

12-1-15, 1:37am

I got an e-mail offering me a great deal on a play we want to see in Boston next spring (Peter & the Starcatcher). I got 3 tickets for $84.00 total (we'll bring my Mom). I thought that was an amazing price for Sat night theater tickets in Boston.

I read about that and wanted to see it as well, you got a great deal!

I'm new to this thread, I had a very spend-y Oct and Nov and need to get back on track. I got wrapped up in this weird thing with Kohl's that I got things incredibly cheaply, like once I ordered 3 inexpensive tops, 1 was out of stock but they still gave me all their stacked discounts and I ended up somehow with 2 shirts shipped for $2.75. Between Kohls cash and this new Yes program, I was on this deal cycle, well eventually I no longer needed a thing, not even for gifts. So that's done. The same thing happened with a deals site.

I piled everything I had bought, the keep pile included Christmas gifts obtained at ridiculously low prices and the few items I actually needed and 2 things for $20 each that I just wanted to keep as a "treat". The rest got returned, I was back below budget and I felt so much better.

Possibly overdid it on some gifts this weekend. I solved my problem, then went right back and repeated it. Everything can be easily returned, I did double check that before ordering. But I am done, I need a box of my mom's fav candy and since I am the only one who fills the stockings, everyone is just getting Christmas candy on sale at CVS. If I spend on anything other than those two things, I will be breaking a promise to myself. Time to stop, cheap deals aren't free. (Although the two tops for two bucks came close!)