June Frugals

Involuntary frugal - I start my staycation today. My local brother who I was going to do things with is sick. This will save me some gas picking him up and dropping him off. He does not drive. I would have rather spent the money and had the company, but it is what it is.

Out of town germaphobe brother and SIL are postponing their trip.

DB got sick after overdoing it in the yard on a hot, humid day. May be sunstroke, or he thinks chronic Lyme recurring. I doubt it is contagious and I will still go see him and my parents. I am not a germaphobe.

Best laid plans...

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Originally Posted by Yppej

Involuntary frugal - I start my staycation today. My local brother who I was going to do things with is sick. This will save me some gas picking him up and dropping him off. He does not drive. I would have rather spent the money and had the company, but it is what it is.

Out of town germaphobe brother and SIL are postponing their trip.

DB got sick after overdoing it in the yard on a hot, humid day. May be sunstroke, or he thinks chronic Lyme recurring. I doubt it is contagious and I will still go see him and my parents. I am not a germaphobe.

Best laid plans...

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Sorry that happened, that sounded fun. The whole staycation idea sounds intriguing.

Just planted some cherry tomato seeds that are 3rd generation from a plant I bought back in Traverse City on a table in someone's front yard for a quarter, labeled Mexican Heirloom Tomatoes.

Now that is value!! Like investing, only way, way better.

Jeppy: I hope your brother feels better and that you are able to enjoy your time off.
Tybee: That is an amazing value!
I do have a small frugal. The apron I wear for pottery class is one I snagged from Mom's during a decluttering session, so that saved me a few dollars.

I could not find bottled unsweetened green tea so I got tea bags which are much cheaper, and I plan to stick with them going forward.

Nice, jeppy! I don't like to spend money on bottled tea either! we drink a LOT of tea, it's our beverage of choice, after coffee! I don't like green tea but I make several quarts of really really strong black tea at a time, and keep it in the fridge. Our 2nd kid likes sweet tea so for them, I just pour the hot tea concentrate over sugar into a quart jar to make a sweet-tea syrup. for either, pour a little of the tea concentrate in a glass or bottle, add cold water, and we're good to go.

Interesting early morning. I wonder if stevia would work the same way.

Bought tickets to an event I now cannot attend due to a scheduling conflict. No refunds, though tickets are transferable. Friend wanted to go but current cost is out of his budget, he paid me what I paid for it and I transferred it to him.

Put the money in the travel fund for future epic vacation.

AARP sent me renewal cards but I don't think I will renew. Since I do not use data on my phone I break even on the membership fees given my Consumer Cellular account, no net savings. I am tired of the spam and I also disagree with some of the views on covid they espouse in their magazine, which isn't very interesting reading in general.

nothing major - hung laundry (finally, a day without rain!!). Found a pair of shoes to replace my recently discarded canvas shoes I wore as slippers, for $10 at Aldi. I generally get 4-5 yrs out of a pair, and wear them outside a fair bit, so can't complain. So I've ended my 30 month no-new-clothes stint - I've bought the shoes, a reunion tee shirt, and four nice tops from a yard sale ($2 each, like new!). I could really use a couple more pair of knit shorts or thin slacks, but I'm not going looking - if they fall my way, I may bite, but otherwise, I'm good - but as far as clothing replacements, I count these as fairly frugal.

Went to a citywide garage sale today and found a number of items for GD and a nice Columbia raincoat for me. Was an idyllic day to be outside!

Visiting free sites on my vacation, mainly outdoors.

Yesterday was the last full day of school, so the cafeteria is no more. Left over yogurt and peach slices free for the taking. I managed four yogurt cups and a bunch of sliced peaches. Will make good snacks and desserts.

Went to a protest and offered gas money to the driver but she refused it, saying she was going anyways.

Was thinking of getting a plug-in GPS but I made it through my vacation without one. The one I was given 7 or so years ago broke and the program on my phone is a data hog so I don't use it.

You can always stop at a gas station and ask for directions or ask people walking alongside the road - did each once over the course of the week.

DH fixed the liftback on my car--gas struts were broken and he ordered parts in mail replaced them. Yay, DH!

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Originally Posted by Yppej

Was thinking of getting a plug-in GPS but I made it through my vacation without one. The one I was given 7 or so years ago broke and the program on my phone is a data hog so I don't use it.

You can always stop at a gas station and ask for directions or ask people walking alongside the road - did each once over the course of the week.

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Garmin plug in GPS is totally worth it IMO although I haven’t priced them recently. And, you are not always near a gas station or people when you need directions.

Fire departments are a good place to get directions. Maps!!!! I just printed out google map directions for our trip to MA- 7 hours...trying to avoid too much traffic, but will use the gps too if I can get her to go the way I want!!! with the Google step by step I think I can program her to do it!
But we will take maps, too.

I love the maps. I have had my phone service conk out so many times, especially here in Maine, and we bought a state gazette, very reassuring.

I also have a 50 state atlas when I go on trips. And for some reason, three maps of Vermont in my car!! Guess it is wishful thinking.

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Originally Posted by Tybee

I love the maps. I have had my phone service conk out so many times, especially here in Maine, and we bought a state gazette, very reassuring.

I also have a 50 state atlas when I go on trips. And for some reason, three maps of Vermont in my car!! Guess it is wishful thinking.

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We certainly have state maps in the car and a highway atlas at home, consulted but they’re there as back up to GPS.

But it is within a city that I really need GPS because you can’t get those paper maps easily.My standard process for going to a new place in the St Louis region is:


1) Look it up on a digital map, And take a screenshot of a couple of views.


2) Figure out my route, and draw it out on paper with pencil


3) set my cell phone GPS to the destination


Using all three methods I usually get there without mishap although it’s not unusual for me to get lost at least once on each sojourn.

When I go to a new place as I did recently in Chicago and Madison, I eyeball the highways which were easy in this case, and then rely entirely on GPS to get me to the specific destination.

Those paper maths I draw? I have a file of those because they are places I go perhaps no more often than once or twice a year, But they are ongoing.

I write down directions from Google maps on paper before I go, but they're not always accurate. I also look at satellite image view.

I strictly use my phone gps with no issues.

Removed my gel pedicure and haven't gotten my hair cut this month. Received some grocery coupons in the mail and hope to finish the month on budget. Non monthly expenses were furnace cleaning and repairs and vacation which included celebrating my parents' 60th anniversary, and Father's Day.

Next month's biggie will be quarterly real estate taxes. A customer at work from NH was saying his real estate taxes went up 20% this year and I heard on the radio utility prices there are going up 50% and the state may use its surplus to help with $100 off utilities, which as a one time payment is very small. It's giving me pause about moving there someday.

I think it would be more affordable down south, but my company isn't there yet for me to transfer.

Stopped on the way home from work and picked wild blueberries. I got a good amount and they are organic so I figure I saved as much as my gross hourly wage for the time I spent picking them and it was fun.