October Frugals

Preparing a lunch for memory loss folks and their caregivers (20 in total) to be served tomorrow at church - making homemade mac and cheese, green beans, sliced tomatoes and sugar cookies. Not counting the cookies (for which I used my ingredients), the meal will cost $21 of reimbursable expenses.

Otherwise walked to the USPS to ship two etsy sales, drove to the DDS for a checkup, and stopped on the way home for BOGO pork roasts and then to Joanne to get the supplies to fix DH's sport coat.

Tomorrow will be some driving but little spending - to church to serve food, hair cut appt (I've been going every 4 weeks but now that I am not working I think I am going to wait at least 5 weeks between) and then to the library for a board meeting.

I'm off work this week (had a week I needed to use or lose).

I needed more than one pair of thermal bottoms, so after checking out Target's website, I went to the store:

$16.99 each for Cuddl duds active top and bottom. I get the active as they are smooth on the outside, so easy to wear under any clothes. Luckily I got the last one in my size and color I wanted (black) for top and bottom. Being as I go as long as I can (usually December) without turning on the heat, and keep it very low when I do, these will be well worth the money.

http://www.target.com/c/thermal-unde...tc=733664|null

Made a pot of my tomato-mushroom soup.

I had been looking, for the past two years, to replace a couple of pairs of camel-colored socks I'd bought from America. They are the only socks that match a pair of trousers and shoes I often wear for work. Apparently, this color is virtually non-existent in the Israeli hoisery market. On my husband's last trip to America, I'd asked him to get me some replacements. The store was out of them (!) and he didn't have time to look elsewhere.

I'd just been thinking this morning that I should take a picture of these socks, and send it to my mother so she could go out scouting for me and send me a few pairs. Postage to Israel from America is eye-waterinlgy expensive, so I'd been hesitating about asking her...I'd be reimbursing her more money for postage than I would be for the socks themselves.

Well, as luck would have it, today I was in a shopping mall in a nearby town, where they have, of all things, a scanning center/clinic associated with a hospital. As I was waiting for my appointment there, I wandered into a shoe store to have a look around. Lo and behold, there was a pair of my beloved American camel kneesocks, and fifty percent off at that! Total price: about USD $3, instead of the $20-odd it would have cost me to have my mother send me some. Score! :)

Great scores, Tradd and Selah!

Here, doing ok, some wins, some fails. Today: birthday car wash including interior clean for free at The Downtowner (can use within a week of your birthday). Fail: Candy bar and also nuts. I spent about $5 on junk. Need to stock my cube with some better snacks, I guess.

Yesterday's score: Got a humidifier off CL for $5. Had to buy a filter for $6 for it, so all-in-all, still a good deal. Used it last night and it made a difference for the headache I've been waking up with daily, I believe from dry sinuses and nasal passages. I still had a bit of one, but not like they had been.

Also good from today: Passed on a glider rocker at a garage sale. I am not sure what furniture we want yet for the baby. It's hard to just pass on some opportunities that seem like deals, but if it's not what we ultimately want, then it's not a deal. Glider rockers are plentiful, there will be another opportunity. And if there never is, well, we have a rocker in the living room, and also other places to sit in our house. :~) The room s/he will have is difficult to plan furniture wise due to the placement of entrances and windows. We will figure it out, I'm sure, and probably change it many times in the coming years. :)

Kelli! How did I miss this fabulous bit of news?! Congratulations, I am thrilled for you. You guys are going to be wonderful parents!

Has anyone else started thinking about their Christmas list?

I recently found out that my goddaughter's family is going to be moving several hours away (due to her dad's job). Found out her mom is a huge letter writer like I am, also likes nice stationery. I have an unopened box of Crane paper, so that will be goddaughter's mom's Christmas gift. I'll add some boxes of Trade Joe's tea, as they won't have a store nearby. Goddaughter will be getting the entire set of Anne of Green Gables books. $26 on Amazon. Her mom was jumping for joy when I mentioned I wanted to eventually get her those books and said I could give them now. I'll throw in some craft supplies for the other kids.

Some homemade banana bread and a couple of coffee shop gift cards will round it out.

Thanks, Azure!

Tradd, sounds wonderful, simple and meaningful. We've managed to pare down our Xmases, but they are still far from blissful in the gift department. Oh well, baby steps.

Oh yeah, I had a frugal today, I went to Staples which got my gazingus pin brain just racing (loooooove office supplies) but managed to buy only a single pack of envelopes - only 12, not 100 even though the price per unit was better - we didn't need 100 envelopes. So I spent $3 instead of $15. I also wanted a single permanent marker, but could only buy them in packs, so I passed. We'll see them as singles somewhere else, and can survive with Sharpies until then. In fact, we probably would never HAVE to buy that marker ever.

Kelli, I had missed the announcement too. Congratulations!!! I am so excited for you!

I've my trip to NOLA 11/7-11/10. I'm being as frugal as I can be. Bought a pair of jeans, but that's pretty much it.

I thought I needed a new pair of shoes, but here's what I'm going to do instead. I'm going to wear my Chaco sandals I've had for several years. My only issue is that my left heel can crack something awful even after one day of wearing them in the summer. I'm going to take moleskin with me and stick it on my left heel each day. My friend and her DH live on a large acreage and we're planning on some long walks on the paths. I'm going to take my mesh summer athletic Mary Jane shoes that have a big hole from one toe. If these shoes get trashed more than they already are, I'll just pitch them. That will save me $100 in the Clarks shoes I was looking at online today.

If after the 31st paycheck, I decide I still want the shoes before my trip, I will revisit the shoes.

I've rediscovered Aldi. The one by me that seems to be somewhat newish has much better produce than I remember (it's been at least three years since I was in one). Will try to buy as much of my groceries as possible there. The only thing they really don't have is the apples & cinnamon instant oatmeal I like. I can get that at Target or Walmart for cheap.

My freezer is stocked with pork chops, chicken, and a bag of shrimp. Could stand to have some more veggies, but I can top off if necessary. Got lots of canned goods, too. I shouldn't have to do too much grocery shopping until the end of the month.