Author Topic: Cheap Things That Make You Happy  (Read 939015 times)

Trifle

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1000 on: August 08, 2018, 07:19:43 AM »
So my toddler and I have a game we started a long time ago where I cover his face and enthusiastically ask “where’s the baby?!?!” followed by removing the cover and saying “there he is!!!”  Later we stopped saying “baby” and started using his name as a way to teach him that, anyway....  now he’s talking, and we still play the game except when he pulls the cover off his head HE says “there he is!!!” and it hits so hard in the heart that I can’t make myself correct him.

This is the cutest, and I'm going to be so sad the day our toddler doesn't want to play peekaboo like this anymore <3

This made me smile, and remember happy times with our kids when they were younger (they're 12 and 15 now).  When I see pictures of them as toddlers my heart aches.  And yet -- I have to say that I absolutely love each successive stage, and I would not go backward for anything.  Each age really is more wonderful than the last.  Seeing a child bloom all the way from birth to adulthood, with all of life's ups and downs, is the best thing in life.


OtherJen

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1001 on: August 08, 2018, 08:35:51 AM »
The weather has cooled off after several days of high heat and humidity. It's cool and breezy this morning and one of my neighbors apparently has a wood fire going, so the breeze blowing in my window smells like camping in Northern Michigan (i.e., my happy place).

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1002 on: August 08, 2018, 08:38:33 AM »
Waking up an hour earlier than I have been so far this summer; it gives me more time to get stuff done before the blazing sunshine hits. Which, in turn, makes me feel more successful and productive.

MrFancypants

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1003 on: August 08, 2018, 03:28:10 PM »
So my toddler and I have a game we started a long time ago where I cover his face and enthusiastically ask “where’s the baby?!?!” followed by removing the cover and saying “there he is!!!”  Later we stopped saying “baby” and started using his name as a way to teach him that, anyway....  now he’s talking, and we still play the game except when he pulls the cover off his head HE says “there he is!!!” and it hits so hard in the heart that I can’t make myself correct him.

This is the cutest, and I'm going to be so sad the day our toddler doesn't want to play peekaboo like this anymore <3

This made me smile, and remember happy times with our kids when they were younger (they're 12 and 15 now).  When I see pictures of them as toddlers my heart aches.  And yet -- I have to say that I absolutely love each successive stage, and I would not go backward for anything.  Each age really is more wonderful than the last.  Seeing a child bloom all the way from birth to adulthood, with all of life's ups and downs, is the best thing in life.

It's pretty amazing.  You have one of those "how can it get better than this?" moments and then you notice your kid trying to sing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' with their tiny voice and toddler enunciation and you're back to "awwwwww!!!"

Linea_Norway

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1004 on: August 13, 2018, 07:51:36 AM »
Last week we were at our cabin. I found lots of mushrooms. Finally, after a long summer of draught. I also did a mushroom trip with a beginner who lives locally and who really appreciated it.

There were lots of Penny Buns (Boletus Edulis and Boletus pinophilus). I didn't have my food dryer there, but I used the oven to dry a lot of them. Maybe I'll sell some as a side-hustle. I have ordered nice plastic bags to sell them in.

Just Joe

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1005 on: August 14, 2018, 09:45:39 AM »
Walking my dog a few times a day.

Your canine friend would prob say that this is their favorite cheap activity too. ;)

Just Joe

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1006 on: August 14, 2018, 09:49:13 AM »
So my toddler and I have a game we started a long time ago where I cover his face and enthusiastically ask “where’s the baby?!?!” followed by removing the cover and saying “there he is!!!”  Later we stopped saying “baby” and started using his name as a way to teach him that, anyway....  now he’s talking, and we still play the game except when he pulls the cover off his head HE says “there he is!!!” and it hits so hard in the heart that I can’t make myself correct him.

This is the cutest, and I'm going to be so sad the day our toddler doesn't want to play peekaboo like this anymore <3

This made me smile, and remember happy times with our kids when they were younger (they're 12 and 15 now).  When I see pictures of them as toddlers my heart aches.  And yet -- I have to say that I absolutely love each successive stage, and I would not go backward for anything.  Each age really is more wonderful than the last.  Seeing a child bloom all the way from birth to adulthood, with all of life's ups and downs, is the best thing in life.

Hear! Hear! Child rearing is not however a cheap thing... ;)

We're at the stage where the eldest teen is hardly home anymore. On the cusp of moving out.

We'd gladly time travel to get an evening of little kid time again. Nothing permanent b/c we too have enjoyed each stage. Now has been fun too.
« Last Edit: August 14, 2018, 09:51:05 AM by Just Joe »

Freedomin5

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1007 on: August 19, 2018, 04:01:26 AM »
The view of the lake through the trees from our cottage.

Picking wild raspberries.

Hot running water for a shower (this one made me very happy after spending a week in a rural village in China with no running water)

Trifle

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1008 on: August 19, 2018, 04:14:19 AM »
Long trail run yesterday with my kids.

Listening to a screech owl singing in the pre-dawn hours.

lemanfan

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1009 on: August 19, 2018, 05:08:34 AM »
Sorting my tools.  Also found a decent toolbox for sale at a heavily discounted price.  :)

Linea_Norway

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1010 on: August 20, 2018, 05:48:20 AM »
Apple cake. I made one from leftover apples in the office. Spent approx. 1,5 $ on the cake.

Goodidea

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1011 on: August 22, 2018, 07:50:12 PM »
A handwritten note from my wife. Even if it's a few words scribbled on the back of an envelope, it makes me smile.

middo

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1012 on: August 22, 2018, 09:40:58 PM »
A lunchtime walk, that meant I could meet with my wife who works nearby and chat for a while.


Linea_Norway

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1013 on: August 23, 2018, 01:21:15 AM »
The daily page in the cartoon calendar that we have on the dining table. BIL gave that to my DH as a Christmas present. It has office-jokes.

Gyosho

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1014 on: August 23, 2018, 09:39:34 AM »
PERFECTLY peeled and hard-cooked eggs from Trader Joe's.

$2.99 for 6.


Linea_Norway

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1015 on: August 24, 2018, 01:46:13 AM »
I'm going to a free festival in the city tomorrow, using DH's train ticket. DH will drive as a passenger in someone else's car. I will meet a friend who lives in the city and who has been trying to meet me.

Trifle

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1016 on: August 24, 2018, 05:31:49 AM »
So I am 100 work days from FIRE now.  I borrowed an idea from forum member Okcisok, and printed off a free coloring page showing a lovely beach scene.  I numbered the sections from 1 to 100, and each day I color in a section.  So much fun.  I'm taking a picture each day too, so at the end we can combine them into a happy little fill-in-the-color video.  :)


Linea_Norway

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1017 on: August 24, 2018, 06:19:43 AM »
So I am 100 work days from FIRE now.  I borrowed an idea from forum member Okcisok, and printed off a free coloring page showing a lovely beach scene.  I numbered the sections from 1 to 100, and each day I color in a section.  So much fun.  I'm taking a picture each day too, so at the end we can combine them into a happy little fill-in-the-color video.  :)

Congrats. A 100 days, that is just a little over 3 months!

Dicey

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1018 on: August 24, 2018, 07:03:29 AM »
Having a refrigerator in your room when you are away on business.
Followed up with finding a reason anyone would pay money for hard boiled peeled eggs vs a box of eggs.
PERFECTLY peeled and hard-cooked eggs from Trader Joe's.
$2.99 for 6.
Hmmm...

Trifle

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1019 on: August 24, 2018, 07:25:32 AM »
So I am 100 work days from FIRE now.  I borrowed an idea from forum member Okcisok, and printed off a free coloring page showing a lovely beach scene.  I numbered the sections from 1 to 100, and each day I color in a section.  So much fun.  I'm taking a picture each day too, so at the end we can combine them into a happy little fill-in-the-color video.  :)

Congrats. A 100 days, that is just a little over 3 months!

Thanks Linda!  Well, it's 100 work days . . . so a bit longer.  But yes getting closer!

Gyosho

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1020 on: August 24, 2018, 09:52:40 AM »
Having a refrigerator in your room when you are away on business.
Followed up with finding a reason anyone would pay money for hard boiled peeled eggs vs a box of eggs.
PERFECTLY peeled and hard-cooked eggs from Trader Joe's.
$2.99 for 6.
Hmmm...

I was hungry. I didn't have time to cook the eggs myself. They were $2.99 for 6, which, at 2 eggs per meal, equals 50 cents a meal, ALREADY COOKED AND PREPARED.

Those eggs made me really happy.

ElleFiji

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1021 on: August 24, 2018, 10:36:49 AM »
Rest days
Kitten snores
Baked beans

Stachey

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1022 on: August 24, 2018, 10:45:19 AM »
Sitting in the park on a beautiful summer day.
Listening to the birds. Petting the cat that wandered by.
Nowhere I had to be ... just sitting and relaxing.
Bliss.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1023 on: August 24, 2018, 12:35:16 PM »
Taking a short hike in the forest close to my house. It is extremely dry, but I went to the narrow crevasse that is a bit humid and found a few edible mushrooms that we had for dinner. Also found a new species compared to last weekend.

During dinner we saw an amazing rainbow.

sequoia

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1024 on: August 24, 2018, 10:42:07 PM »
I bought one of those basketball hoop that you usually see in the backyard. The kid (an aspiring NBA player haha) and I been playing one on one  everyday as long as it is not raining outside.

ElleFiji

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1025 on: August 29, 2018, 06:52:47 AM »
Hummus

Just Joe

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1026 on: August 29, 2018, 09:47:18 AM »
Wife's apple pie. Wow she makes the best. I only ask for one maybe twice a year. I married such a smart lady. She's taught me how to cook enough to keep me and kids fed on nights when she is traveling for work. Nobody's died from my cooking yet but I'm more adventurous than the kids' palates still so I can't go wild in the kitchen.

zeli2033

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1027 on: August 31, 2018, 04:51:56 PM »
Home-roasted coffee in the afternoon. It might keep me up too late into the evening but DH roasts and brews a mean batch of coffee...

lemanfan

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1028 on: August 31, 2018, 07:06:43 PM »
Re-reading a good book you haven't read in a few years.

zeli2033

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1029 on: September 01, 2018, 08:05:21 AM »
Re-reading a good book you haven't read in a few years.

+10.

On a related note, now that the weather is slowly indicating a change to fall, I'm looking forward to re-reading all of Harry Potter as another cheap thing that makes me happy. The change in seasons kicks off the desire to re-read something nostalgic while bundled up in my well-loved robe and cozy socks with a warm beverage at my side. *swoon*

OtherJen

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1030 on: September 01, 2018, 03:02:00 PM »
Local apples with peanut butter.
Thunderstorms.

PiobStache

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1031 on: September 01, 2018, 03:17:18 PM »
Happy hour deals make me  happy.  $4 top shelf vodka martinis?  I know where I'll be in an hour.

sequoia

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1032 on: September 01, 2018, 05:05:13 PM »
Been wanting to have a rain barrel but too cheap to buy the barrels lol. We happen to stumble a local company who was giving away 50 gallon plastic barrels (used to store some sort of sauce) last week.

I been watching youtube trying to figure out the best (and cheapest) way to divert water from our gutter.

Exflyboy

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1033 on: September 01, 2018, 09:51:51 PM »
Our local car wash gives away its 55 gallon plastic drums that the car wash soap is shipped in. The drums are very stout.. I have aquired about 6 of them in recent years.

One of them I use as the tank on my homebuilt boom sprayer attachment for our tractor..:)

Trifle

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1034 on: September 02, 2018, 05:06:27 AM »
Been wanting to have a rain barrel but too cheap to buy the barrels lol. We happen to stumble a local company who was giving away 50 gallon plastic barrels (used to store some sort of sauce) last week.

I been watching youtube trying to figure out the best (and cheapest) way to divert water from our gutter.

We also got a barrel for free and did this with a kit we bought on line from EarthMinded for $30.  If you do that, be sure to buy a separate metal spigot, as the plastic one that comes with the kit is flimsy.  All-in it was about $45 bucks for us.  Works great.   

BZB

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1035 on: September 02, 2018, 03:19:21 PM »
Reading The Boys in the Boat while enjoying breakfast and a full French press of coffee on my balcony this morning

jengod

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1036 on: September 02, 2018, 09:45:32 PM »
Reading through the ASOIAF books for the first time after being a fan of the GOT TV show for years

Linea_Norway

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1037 on: September 02, 2018, 11:57:16 PM »
Finding a shitload of penny buns in the forest near our cabin. The 9-layer drying machine is running on full.

Meeting a local person for the second time, teaching her which mushrooms are safe to eat. We got along pretty well.

middo

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1038 on: September 04, 2018, 07:49:40 PM »
Home made espresso in a keep cup - enjoyed it on the way to work and didn't need to buy a coffee.  Thousands of dollars saved each year.

BookLoverL

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1039 on: September 06, 2018, 03:05:09 PM »
I went on a two hour walk with my friend yesterday, up and back down a local hill, which has a tower at the top. Beautiful day, beautiful view, excellent company. Cost: 0.

NV Teacher

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1040 on: September 06, 2018, 07:03:01 PM »
A really fresh Snickers bar, a bag of hot buttery microwave popcorn, and an interesting show on PBS.

Trifle

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1041 on: September 07, 2018, 12:34:03 AM »
We've been working hard on our house renovation.  Our house is half gutted, everything is disrupted, and we've fallen way behind in housekeeping.  I've been using the same increasingly dirty bath towel all week.

Last night when I got home from work I found my kids had done a load of whites, and I had a clean fluffy towel for my shower in the morning.  It made me so happy.

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1042 on: September 07, 2018, 02:48:42 AM »
Our local car wash gives away its 55 gallon plastic drums that the car wash soap is shipped in. The drums are very stout.. I have aquired about 6 of them in recent years.

One of them I use as the tank on my homebuilt boom sprayer attachment for our tractor..:)

Be careful with those, that "soap" is pretty strong stuff.  I got one with some dregs, so I poured them out on the asphalt and it started dissolving the pavement!

Candace

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1043 on: September 07, 2018, 07:52:13 AM »
I bought glass dishes at the thrift shop for the cat food and water bowl. The plate cost about $1 and the bowl about $2.30. They look fancy to me because they're cut glass with cool old-school patterns. I get a ridiculous amount of happiness every time I see them.

middo

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1044 on: September 07, 2018, 06:15:26 PM »
Free spring rolls being handed out at work because they had been defrosted and wouldn't last until Monday. Friday night dinnet was sorted for free.

OtherJen

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1045 on: September 07, 2018, 06:47:31 PM »
After several miserably hot, humid days, today was cool enough to make butternut squash soup for dinner.

HappierAtHome

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1046 on: September 10, 2018, 12:22:49 AM »
Sudoku and cryptic crossword books.

Linea_Norway

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1047 on: September 10, 2018, 02:32:37 AM »
Rain at home while I am somewhere else. We have had an extremely dry summer and we need rain.

Trifle

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1048 on: September 10, 2018, 04:56:32 AM »
Seeing one of the resident turtles walking around our farm.  We see them often enough that we can recognize individuals.  Seeing one of them just makes my day.     

lemanfan

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Re: Cheap Things That Make You Happy
« Reply #1049 on: September 10, 2018, 10:59:29 AM »
A nap that's a couple of hours longer than I planned.