Author Topic: What small things did you do TODAY to save money? (Read 7615690 times)

MaybeBabyMustache · « **Reply #10450 on:** January 06, 2018, 05:57:39 PM »

-Used a grocery store gift card to pick up a discounted box of tea ($.57) & a box of muffins ($.97). Already baked the muffins, although three have mysteriously disappeared.
-Used Rite Aid points to pick up a cleaning product I needed for the house.
-Went through my clothes & found two more items to list on eBay
-Spoke to my husband about an expensive jewelry set his mother got me, that I've never worn. It's been 10+ years, and is totally not my style. My mother in law lives in another country & it's highly unlikely she will ever be in our home. Now clear to sell the jewelry & put the money in the kids college accounts. Will tell them the money is a gift from his mom.
-Walked to three stores instead of driving. Only about 3 miles, but combined exercise & errands.

Also, this is something we do all the time, but I thought might be a new tip for others. After I get back from the store, I put most of our vegetables into cloth bags, and then put the cloth bag into the plastic bag again. For things like: broccoli, fresh spices, lettuce, celery, etc, this greatly extends the life of the vegetables. I can sometimes get lettuce to last for nearly three weeks this way.

radram · « **Reply #10451 on:** January 06, 2018, 06:13:16 PM »

Quote from: MaybeBabyMustache on January 06, 2018, 05:57:39 PM

Already baked the muffins, although three have mysteriously disappeared.

That too shall pass.

Step37 · « **Reply #10452 on:** January 06, 2018, 10:48:37 PM »

@MaybeBabyMustache, what kind of cloth bags? I’m assuming just cotton, and that I could sew some out of t-shirts destined for the rag bin. Thanks for the tip. I don’t have much of an issue with veggies going bad, but fresher is always better!

HappierAtHome · « **Reply #10453 on:** January 07, 2018, 12:19:06 AM »

Quote from: halftimer on January 04, 2018, 10:04:06 PM

Yesterday morning I discovered as I was getting ready that my favorite pants were becoming worn on the rear - since I was running late I just opted to hide the problem with a long sweater over top. At the end of the day I saw the true extent of the damage and had to retire the pair. I didn't plan to replace them, but when I checked my clothing capsule app I realized that they are my most versatile item and because they are maroon add a lot of color and variety. (They go with work outfits and casual outfits in more than 30+ combinations.) Today in the midst of other errands I went looking for replacements - the store where I originally bought them more than 6 years ago with a gift card no longer carries them. But I tried on a few similar pairs at a thrift store and got something nearly identical with a slightly better fit to the leg. Total time spent: maybe 30 minutes total; price: $5. Score! I'm also looking at the old pair to refashion into either a children's overall, or maybe a messenger bag. I already know it would match almost everything I own...

@halftimer which clothing capsule app do you use?

mustachepungoeshere · « **Reply #10454 on:** January 07, 2018, 12:35:30 AM »

It hit 35 degrees in my suburb today. Closed blinds, a fan, lots of cold water, no AC.

I cold-washed, line-dried two loads of washing.

Still using up scented bar soap instead of liquid hand soap.

I've collected 15 more bottles and cans to cash in.

I have two kilos chicken breast in the slow cooker (will freeze in lunch portions).

11ducks · « **Reply #10455 on:** January 07, 2018, 04:47:50 AM »

I've started the year with the Uber frugal monthly challenge - just gone 7 days
with no unnecessary spends! Have been particularly proud of myself for resisting takeaway temptation (I have a bit of a burrito problem).

-Using the fan rather than the aircon through our latest heatwave.

-Snagged a pair of rattan outdoor chairs a family member was giving away - got them today and they are perfect for our outdoor space and really comfy!

-Found two things to sell on Gumtree (Craigslist) this month - I'm going to try for 12 hustles/extra income this year - aiming to make extra cash once a month to boost my savings goals.

MaybeBabyMustache · « **Reply #10456 on:** January 07, 2018, 08:23:15 AM »

Quote from: Step37 on January 06, 2018, 10:48:37 PM

@MaybeBabyMustache, what kind of cloth bags? I’m assuming just cotton, and that I could sew some out of t-shirts destined for the rag bin. Thanks for the tip. I don’t have much of an issue with veggies going bad, but fresher is always better!

My MIL made them for me. They may not need to be exactly like this, but ours are cotton (not as soft as a tshirt material), but she bought cheapie fabric & then sewed a gather at the top with a cord. They are various sizes. So, for example, I have cilantro for the guac I'm making later in the week in the tiny bag, and our romaine in the bigger bags. I probably have 5 or so bags. Took her 15 minutes to sew, so have to assume they were easy, but . . . I don't sew. :-)

Chippewa · « **Reply #10457 on:** January 07, 2018, 08:45:49 AM »

Yesterday, went to the library for some frugal fun.

Step37 · « **Reply #10458 on:** January 07, 2018, 09:19:43 AM »

@MaybeBabyMustache, thank you - I will give it a try. This would be the extent of my sewing skills! I do own a machine (from a relative who upgraded hers), though, and it’s good to practice once every few years;-) My dogs need new snow boots soon...

I’m having a day at home, so no driving at all. A couple of people are supposed to come and pick up items I’ve listed for sale, so hopefully will get a bit of cash in.

Jenny Wren · « **Reply #10459 on:** January 07, 2018, 09:26:40 AM »

Yesterday was a good day!

* Temps raised above freezing and the dangerous ice turned to slush. I got in a long "urban hike" along the river after lunch. I needed the outdoor time!

* Did food prep for the week -- roasted chickpeas, soaked sprouting seeds, made breakfast burritos for the freezer, made a batch of oat milk, and a few other things I can't immediately recall.

* Went grocery shopping and stuck to the budget.

* The big winner: Date night at home!!!! This means no ridiculous restaurant/bar/theater/what-have-you expenses. :D We haven't been out since before Christmas, most definitely a new record!

Imma · « **Reply #10460 on:** January 07, 2018, 01:37:50 PM »

We needed to replace our broom, as we had moisture problems in our shed last winter. We used the rotten broom for as long as we could until it really broke beyond repair.

We are slowly replacing all of our tools by Gardena tools when they break / we need something new. The tools are much more durable and because you only need one handle, they take up much less space too. I went to buy the broom tool today. The tool cost €21 originally, but I had a 25% off coupon so it was only €16. The store has a promotion where you get double loyalty points with every purchase + I had a coupon for 250 bonus points with your next purchase. I ended up with 282 points instead of 16. We're saving up the points to get free tickets to an amusement park my s/o wants to go to, but I think is too expensive. We need 3000 points for a free ticket, so this has been a helpful purchase. We're not buying anything that we don't need, but I try to plan purchases so we get bonus points.

Needless to say we're storing the new tools in the house until we've solved the shed problem.

Linea_Norway · « **Reply #10461 on:** January 07, 2018, 02:10:43 PM »

Quote from: Imma on January 07, 2018, 01:37:50 PM

We needed to replace our broom, as we had moisture problems in our shed last winter. We used the rotten broom for as long as we could until it really broke beyond repair.

Today I noticed the stick of one of brooms. This broom is stored outside on the terrace, facing the south. We bought it one year ago. I noticed to day that the side of the stick towards the sunside is almost rotten. The opposite side is still as new. Obviously sunligh5 does this. We should try to f8nd some other storage place with less sunlight. This rotting is disasteous.

mustachepungoeshere · « **Reply #10462 on:** January 07, 2018, 03:44:54 PM »

Realised something I had ordered on eBay in early December hadn't arrived.

Decided, on reflection, that I didn't need it, so I contacted the seller and requested a refund.

$20 back in my account.

Over the weekend, a friend gave me a bag of new clothes. A couple of hours later another friend offered me a bag of baby clothes for a relative.

SimpleCycle · « **Reply #10463 on:** January 07, 2018, 06:51:07 PM »

-Did food prep for the kids (sweet potatoes and puréed squash) and me (hummus, sweet potato noodles, mason jar salad)
-Took public transportation instead of driving, although we were out more than 2 hours so it may not have saved any money. It’s good for our general badassity though.
-Baked in the toaster oven instead of the big oven.

MaybeBabyMustache · « **Reply #10464 on:** January 07, 2018, 07:40:12 PM »

-Went on a hike with a friend, for free entertainment. We can both walk from our house, & no rain today
-Drove our electric car for further away errands
-Made homemade hummus with my 10 year old, who did the majority of the work.
-Prepped 3 lbs of taco meat for the freezer. One batch will be consumed tomorrow, but the rest should make 5 other dinners (serving 4/each). Followed a tip I read on MMM, and added the last of a few almost bad potatoes to round out the meat.
-Returned a small Christmas gift that I almost gave up on. Got $2.75 back in cash.
-Exchanged my husband's gift for a different wash (jeans). Happened to be on sale, so pocketed the $20 difference.
-Returned all of the library books that are due tomorrow. Finally got in under the wire!
-Drank a glass of wine that I was given as a holiday gift. From my coworkers family vineyard. It was good. Not great, but definitely good enough for a Sunday evening.
-Heard about a crazy deal on toothpaste from a friend. Yes, we're exciting. Bought 6 tubes of toothpaste for $12. Earned $10 in Target gift cards. Did the free pickup in store when I was returning my Christmas gift. Also, made the purchase through eBates, earning another $.12, and a free Target shopping bag.

Jenny Wren · « **Reply #10465 on:** January 07, 2018, 07:53:23 PM »

Today was a lazy day spent mainly at home, so no spending was necessary.

I did have a board meeting to attend at a nearby coffee shop, but the club buys the coffee. Free coffee for volunteering for the win!

AO1FireTo · « **Reply #10466 on:** January 07, 2018, 07:58:53 PM »

Not sure it counts as saving money, but my wife and I sold a few Christmas gifts my daughter had received on Kijiji and took the money and put it into her educational savings fund. She never would have played with these gifts, and a couple were duplicates. I tried to persuade my family not to give gifts this year, but they seem to think it isn't Christmas unless they spend money on gifts. I prefer my wife's Chinese parents gifts, they just give money, common practice in China.

Suzanne · « **Reply #10467 on:** January 08, 2018, 01:14:21 AM »

I write my expenditure on a sheet and mark up those who really costs more.
I decrease on those item where my expenditure is high.
So I save myself.

horsepoor · « **Reply #10468 on:** January 08, 2018, 07:46:45 AM »

I'm reformulating my horse's diet after treating her for gastric ulcers. Since she won't change her diet until the course of meds is (hopefully) done next week, I decided on the supplements she'll need and signed up for the company's promo emails and waited. Today they came through with a 50% off the first month's supplements promo code, which will save me about $55.

Printed out the paperwork to sign up for gym membership reimbursement from work and will get the required info when I go to the gym tonight. My gym is only $18/month, but I'll get back around $108 at this time next year.

Almost got sucked into an Amazon Lightning Deal this morning when I went to the site to look at measuring cups. The site was slow and wouldn't allow me to add it to my cart right away, and that was enough time for me to come to my senses and realize that even if it was free, I had no use for this item (fancy kitchen knife).

MaybeBabyMustache · « **Reply #10469 on:** January 08, 2018, 02:19:10 PM »

Quote from: marcela on January 08, 2018, 07:07:52 AM

Quote from: MaybeBabyMustache on January 07, 2018, 07:40:12 PM
-Heard about a crazy deal on toothpaste from a friend. Yes, we're exciting. Bought 6 tubes of toothpaste for $12. Earned $10 in Target gift cards. Did the free pickup in store when I was returning my Christmas gift. Also, made the purchase through eBates, earning another $.12, and a free Target shopping bag.

Tell us more! I'm finding the cheap toothpaste, but not set up in a way that gets me the $10 in gift cards.

I use slickdeals to sniff out options. This one is now expired, but here's the link. https://slickdeals.net/f/11133755-6-pack-6oz-colgate-max-fresh-toothpaste-10-target-gift-card-12-free-store-pickup?src=SiteSearchV2_SearchBarV2Algo1

MaybeBabyMustache · « **Reply #10470 on:** January 08, 2018, 02:22:43 PM »

-Free breakfast, lunch & fruit at work
-Charged electric car for free
-Picked up another book off of the freebie table
-Tracked down a large Costco rebate we were expecting but haven't received. Finished final step for it (a survey)

I know spending money to save doesn't really "count", but I ordered a set of patches for my favorite jeans. They have rubbed at the thighs, creating small holes. (Yes, this probably belongs in the "losing weight in January thread".) Hoping to try out the patches to see if I can extend the life of the jeans. They are very nice, fit well & are good for work. The holes are in an area not visible during normal wear.

Imma · « **Reply #10471 on:** January 08, 2018, 02:40:49 PM »

Applied for cashback for something I purchased last week. Nearly forgot about it. The money will take up to 2 months to arrive, but hey, it's 2 minutes work to earn €15, so I'm not complaining.

Spruit · « **Reply #10472 on:** January 08, 2018, 03:02:38 PM »

Took the bike to work today, drank only tea and water, ate my own packed sandwiches and hung clothes to dry in the outside wind and (semi) sun.
Potted up some cuttings of houseplants taken some weeks ago and rooted in a layer of water.

Dollar Slice · « **Reply #10473 on:** January 08, 2018, 03:14:07 PM »

I had an *almost* no-spend weekend. I spent $7 and change on a digital download, but that was it from the time I got home Friday night to when I left for work this morning.

Someone gave me a subscription to the NYT for a holiday gift and it came with a code to get a free Google Home. The gift giver didn't know what a Google Home was, so they forwarded it to me. I first thought "ugh, that's the last thing I need" but then I thought about it and realized that there must be some way to make a profit by reselling a free $100+ piece of electronics. So I "invested" $10 on shipping and I'll try to flip it on eBay or something.

mustachepungoeshere · « **Reply #10474 on:** January 08, 2018, 03:43:00 PM »

Quote from: Imma on January 08, 2018, 02:40:49 PM

Applied for cashback for something I purchased last week. Nearly forgot about it. The money will take up to 2 months to arrive, but hey, it's 2 minutes work to earn €15, so I'm not complaining.

Good stuff.

I got an emailing yesterday confirming I will receive a $70 rebate for a purchase.

horsepoor · « **Reply #10475 on:** January 08, 2018, 07:52:34 PM »

Quote from: horsepoor on January 08, 2018, 07:46:45 AM

I'm reformulating my horse's diet after treating her for gastric ulcers. Since she won't change her diet until the course of meds is (hopefully) done next week, I decided on the supplements she'll need and signed up for the company's promo emails and waited. Today they came through with a 50% off the first month's supplements promo code, which will save me about $55.

Went to the site to order them just now and realized I could get an 8-week supply with the 50% off code instead of just 4 weeks, and ended up saving $94 instead of $55. Yay.

SimpleCycle · « **Reply #10476 on:** January 08, 2018, 08:21:05 PM »

Walked home instead of taking transit, saving $2.50.

Used less bacon than a recipe called for, so now I have half a package left over.

Jenny Wren · « **Reply #10477 on:** January 08, 2018, 09:00:23 PM »

* Took the bus to school again. Freezing fog and black ice were on the menu, so I'm glad I wasn't driving!

* Fought the urge to go get a coffee when I ended up stuck on campus for longer than initially expected.

* We had a bunch of roasted veg leftover from our NYE dinner, which I tossed together into a bag and froze that night, along with some excess fondue cheese. The cheese and veg were combined with some veggie stock and a few things from the produce drawer that were past their prime to create a surprisingly good cheesy vegetable soup for tonight's dinner.

mustachedali · « **Reply #10478 on:** January 09, 2018, 12:13:41 AM »

I participated in a short photo shoot and got a free coworking space pass. :) Also where I live has $1USD local lunch.

Bracken_Joy · « **Reply #10479 on:** January 09, 2018, 06:58:56 AM »

-I had selected to direct pay a company, since I knew my health insurance would reject the test (doctor told me). But they billed anyway! Which was rejected, and they sent me a bill for $388 instead of the $199 I was expecting to pay. I called them and told them (nicely) that they should not have billed insurance, and I wanted to only pay $199. And they did! It was so easy it shocked me. The guy was just like, "oh, okay, hold on, let me change your file then I can take your payment." Relief!

-Have a very spendy drug coming up. I'm waiting on preapproval from my insurance, but I looked up how much it will be for the course through my insurance poral- $730!!! There's no generic alternative yet. So, after the incredible @monstermonster mentioned copay assistance on her podcast, I went and looked and- yes! I should have full coverage by their copay assistance program and pay NOTHING for the med. It seems too good to be true, but I went through the criteria a ton of times. (And I'm *so mad* no one mentioned it to me- doctor or anyone. I wouldn't have known to look for that if not for the podcast! And I'm a nurse!)

Spruit · « **Reply #10480 on:** January 09, 2018, 07:32:44 AM »

Brackenjoy, medical costs are (made) complicated in your country...

Picked up a free tripod stool, for BF to use while birding. And if he doesn't use it, at least I have a place to sit down and knit, while he looks at geese or whatever. We're one exciting pair, aren't we ;)

Kept the thermostat on low for morning and afternoon, untill 5 min. ago when I had enough of it. Soaking kidney beans. Lunched with leftover pea soup (third day in a row).

Hirondelle · « **Reply #10481 on:** January 09, 2018, 11:47:50 AM »

New Years party/drinks at work - so free snacks that will count as tonight's dinner :D

Dollar Slice · « **Reply #10482 on:** January 09, 2018, 11:48:28 AM »

Entered a contest last week for a concert I wanted to attend. Just found out I won two tickets! They would have cost $28 apiece, so I saved that much, plus I get to treat a friend.

kaypinkHH · « **Reply #10483 on:** January 09, 2018, 02:29:03 PM »

Over this past weekend I "saved" approximately $650-$800 in travel/moving costs.

Due to storms and other craziness my travel plans to go pack up my house got all kerfuffled. I had to book a hotel room, using points, that I then needed to cancel, and "missed the refund period". A quick phone call got me my money and my points back.

Flight changes ended up being NBD (actually worked out better for us), but still got a $250 voucher for future travel...one for me and one for Mr.HH.

By changing the rental car to be a 1/2 hour LONGER, we saved $30. (Due to a 3 day rental promotion)

Coordinating/asking nicely with the moving company got me a discounted storage pod pick up rate :D. (Savings approximately $100)

...Just ignore the amount of money we spent on parking this weekend and we are all good!

MaybeBabyMustache · « **Reply #10484 on:** January 09, 2018, 02:55:55 PM »

-Free breakfast & lunch at work
-Booked my sister's flight (her Christmas/thank you gift for handling 90% of all family stuff due to location). Scoured for a discounted airfare, then moved on to discounted gift cards. Didn't save too much ($20 off of $200), but better than nothing.
-Avoided doing the early seating option, to save another $60 for both of us.
-Leftovers for dinner tonight. We're having Persian beef kebabs, rice & a yogurt/cucumber/dill sauce on the side. One of my favorite meals

I also have an agenda item to talk to my manager about time off in June. If I get the flexibility to work remotely for a few days, and she approves my overall time off, it will save around $300 in back & forth travel costs. We have two events, non-flexible dates, and spread out by only a few weeks.

mustachepungoeshere · « **Reply #10485 on:** January 09, 2018, 03:20:54 PM »

Received a small pay rise and some backpay to start the year. I dumped the backpay into an account earmarked for CommSec, and increased my super salary sacrifice to offset the raise.

SimpleCycle · « **Reply #10486 on:** January 09, 2018, 06:42:11 PM »

The baby is eating us out of house and home in those silly little Gerber tubs (daycare only takes sealed food) so I bought baby cereal to go with the fruit and veggie purees. Since it’s sealed daycare can take it, it has iron, and it’s about 25 cents a serving compared to 76 cents a serving of Gerber tubs.

I went to Target to restock baby food and combined it with my trip home, so no additional cost. Used a gift card from another deal.

Combined coupons to get a pound of smokehouse almonds for $5.65.

Jenny Wren · « **Reply #10487 on:** January 09, 2018, 07:14:23 PM »

Not sure if this counts. I try to stay in touch with past professors. I recently asked one for a recommendation on some reference material in his field of specialty. It caught me in the hallway today and gave me a copy of the text he recommended! It sells for $90+ on Amazon, so this saves me quite a bit.

*Took the bus even though I was tempted to get a day parking pass. It was pouring down rain, but I persevered!

*Made burritos for dinner using leftover beans and rice leftover from previous meals that I had tossed into the freezer.

eliza · « **Reply #10488 on:** January 09, 2018, 07:44:11 PM »

Added a $10 off 1 ride (expires May 1, 2018) to my uber account. Will need to use a few uber/lyfts on my trip this weekend, so sweet bonus.

Code is localfavorite. Seems like it's working for some, but not all Uber users, ymmv.

alewpanda · « **Reply #10489 on:** January 09, 2018, 08:46:09 PM »

I had a kohls gift card left from christmas that I had no plans for. I had browsed clearance once or twice, but never saw anything i needed, and I don't shop there typically. Remembered tonight that DH has been compaining about his 4 year old slippers being uncomfortable and falling apart. We like to ask for the nice ones with real soles on the bottom for morning and nighttime doggie runs for christmas every few years, but didn't this year. So I used my swagbucks link to earn 2 bucks per dollar, found a pair on clearance for less than half normal cost, and applied my 20.00 gift card. I paid 8 dollars and some change for a new pair of fancy slippers...which will make him very happy all the way around :)

Made dinners at home the last few days, even though schedules this week keep throwing us for loops and forcing us to rush around till late in the evenings. We can use every penny we can saved, because part of that rushing around and changing of schedules included 2 dogs in the vets office on Monday morning...to the tune of 300.00 ...yuck! But, seeing improvements already on the meds, so phew!

DH has never been one for the financial talk/details, but he has gotten very interested in some of the new technology advances and has been doing specific research on investment opportunities that he is very interested in. Its exciting to see his interest and enthusiasm!

Got some cash for the birthday this weekend from family. Am keeping a twenty in my wallet to use at the thrift stores to replace some jeans in the next month or so, but the rest is becoming an extra payment towards the car loan tomorrow :)

Used a gift card from christmas for my birthday takeout lunch. That and ice cream at the house was plenty on an icy, wet birthday Sunday.

Wings5 · « **Reply #10490 on:** January 09, 2018, 11:04:03 PM »

Re-purposed a thermos from when my son was little. We used it for warm water for his formula. Now I use it to make fancy coffee and bring it to work. I drink out of the cap and look ridiculous, but I don't care!

MaybeBabyMustache · « **Reply #10491 on:** January 10, 2018, 01:47:06 PM »

Quote from: MaybeBabyMustache on January 09, 2018, 02:55:55 PM

-Free breakfast & lunch at work
-Booked my sister's flight (her Christmas/thank you gift for handling 90% of all family stuff due to location). Scoured for a discounted airfare, then moved on to discounted gift cards. Didn't save too much ($20 off of $200), but better than nothing.
-Avoided doing the early seating option, to save another $60 for both of us.
-Leftovers for dinner tonight. We're having Persian beef kebabs, rice & a yogurt/cucumber/dill sauce on the side. One of my favorite meals

I also have an agenda item to talk to my manager about time off in June. If I get the flexibility to work remotely for a few days, and she approves my overall time off, it will save around $300 in back & forth travel costs. We have two events, non-flexible dates, and spread out by only a few weeks.

-Talked to my manager about working remotely for a few days in June, and she approved. That will save me the $300ish in an additional round trip airfare. It also allows me to combine a bunch of personal trips, which could have each individually turned into flights. Yay!
-Booked flights for 3 (me + the kids) for above vacation, and paid $0 out of pocket. Used mileage for the majority, and had just enough in my airline credit account (like, to the penny) to cover the tax on the tickets. Saved $905!
-Ate breakfast, lunch & snacks at work.
-Dinner from leftovers at home. It may be a bit of a smorgasbord, where we all eat different leftovers.

It's that time of the year where I plan, budget & try to book travel, so you'll see more travel related things from me.

11ducks · « **Reply #10492 on:** January 10, 2018, 08:14:37 PM »

- Visited the library for books
- Found a birthday present for my sister - marked down to $7! Was expecting to pay $20 so was happily surprised.
- Cobbled together a lunch of leftovers from the fridge
- Cleaned out a cabinet with plans to sell it
- Spending some of my holiday time prepping for work, to reduce the stress/business of going back.

Jenny Wren · « **Reply #10493 on:** January 10, 2018, 09:03:44 PM »

* Took the bus! (My goal is for this to become so normal I no longer feel the urge to post it here!)

* Packaged up trail mix and stuck it into my backpack so I don't forget it. This way we have a snack upon arrival tomorrow. It's a short flight followed by a 90 minute drive. We'll have lunch before we leave for the airport, but we'll probably get peckish and this will hopefully save us from overpriced airport temptations.

* Also tossed the assorted chargers into my backpack. I hate it when we go on a trip and forget a charger, thus having to purchase yet another new one. Cords and assorted car and wall plugs are packaged and packed.

* Grabbed our national parks and state parks passes to take with us. We are planning to do some hiking on the trip, so this way we won't get pegged with day use fees if we end up at a trail head that charges.

* Mentioned my umbrella debacle to my mom, along with my task to go purchase a new one before our trip. Mom gave me an extra brand new umbrella she had, saving me the expense.

* renewed a library book online to avoid an imminent fine.

halftimer · « **Reply #10494 on:** January 10, 2018, 10:33:18 PM »

Quote from: HappierAtHome on January 07, 2018, 12:19:06 AM

Quote from: halftimer on January 04, 2018, 10:04:06 PM
...I didn't plan to replace them, but when I checked my clothing capsule app I realized that they are my most versatile item and because they are maroon add a lot of color and variety. (They go with work outfits and casual outfits in more than 30+ combinations.)...

@halftimer which clothing capsule app do you use?

@HappierAtHome I use StyleBook on my iOS device - it cost $4.99 I think but has been really great for the last 4 years. I use the calendar feature all the time, know that my clothes are all essentially pennies per wear at this point (except my most recent boots), and use the packing feature when needed. I also like taking it with me when clothes shopping to make sure the impulse purchase at the thrift store will match at least 3-5 other items and is not too similar to what I already have.

I'm retiring my iOS devices soon, so testing out the Android app Smart Closet for the last few weeks. It's not as comprehensive as Stylebook, but it's free and still has a calendar feature, stats to track usage vs price, and a neat area in the LookBook where you can create your own rules for making Random outfits, plus it can suggest an outfit for the day based on the season. So far I think it's going to be the replacement I use (earlier test with Stylicious app for Android was not nearly as impressive).

Hack: I find the standard clothing categories way too specific. I use the bare minimum number of categories for in season clothes (tops, bottoms, accessories, outer layers, dresses) for using the random outfit generator and saving the ones I like to the Season set. I move all out of season to a big category called 'out of season - warm' or 'out of season - cold'.

*edit - spelling. Stylicious not Sylicious

mustachepungoeshere · « **Reply #10495 on:** January 10, 2018, 10:51:33 PM »

Quote from: halftimer on January 10, 2018, 10:33:18 PM

Quote from: HappierAtHome on January 07, 2018, 12:19:06 AM
Quote from: halftimer on January 04, 2018, 10:04:06 PM
...I didn't plan to replace them, but when I checked my clothing capsule app I realized that they are my most versatile item and because they are maroon add a lot of color and variety. (They go with work outfits and casual outfits in more than 30+ combinations.)...

@halftimer which clothing capsule app do you use?

@HappierAtHome I use StyleBook on my iOS device - it cost $4.99 I think but has been really great for the last 4 years. I use the calendar feature all the time, know that my clothes are all essentially pennies per wear at this point (except my most recent boots), and use the packing feature when needed. I also like taking it with me when clothes shopping to make sure the impulse purchase at the thrift store will match at least 3-5 other items and is not too similar to what I already have.

I'm retiring my iOS devices soon, so testing out the Android app Smart Closet for the last few weeks. It's not as comprehensive as Stylebook, but it's free and still has a calendar feature, stats to track usage vs price, and a neat area in the LookBook where you can create your own rules for making Random outfits, plus it can suggest an outfit for the day based on the season. So far I think it's going to be the replacement I use (earlier test with Sylicious app for Android was not nearly as impressive).

Hack: I find the standard clothing categories way too specific. I use the bare minimum number of categories for in season clothes (tops, bottoms, accessories, outer layers, dresses) for using the random outfit generator and saving the ones I like to the Season set. I move all out of season to a big category called 'out of season - warm' or 'out of season - cold'.

Intrigued by this!

I'm going to have to look into the app.

HappierAtHome · « **Reply #10496 on:** January 10, 2018, 10:57:46 PM »

Thanks @halftimer !

SimpleCycle · « **Reply #10497 on:** January 10, 2018, 11:13:18 PM »

Signed up for our transit FSA at work.

Made a “use up” dinner with stuff in the house otherwise not planned for.

@halftimer, thanks for the reviews! I think an app like that probably would help me a lot.

halftimer · « **Reply #10498 on:** January 11, 2018, 08:42:36 AM »

Thanks all. Glad my capsule nerdiness is helpful to others. Local friends seem to marvel at the usefulness of the app, but (like Mustachianism) very few get into it themselves. Of course they also see my list-making, excel-sheet tendencies and assume it will require that type of mindset. Not really. I take photos of the clothes currently in season while at home, then edit out the background and make 'looks' and add to calendar while on my short bus commute. A month worth of clothing decision making is done for me on just 2 x 20 minute bus trips. The rest of the month I read books or just stare out the window on the bus. A few times per year when I get 'new' stuff I take pictures of those few items and everything else just stays on the app accumulating wears. (I made a 'new to shuffle' category for new items so they can be quickly mixed with everything else using the random generator. If the new items are tops, I shuffle them with everything but tops to get fast ideas. Then I move them into the correct clothing category once I've made enough looks)

Today's money saving: staying inside on my day off to catch up on projects and chores instead of shopping errands like last week. I'm making rice and beans with the leftover mushroom gravy from tourtiere dinner. That will be lunch today and tomorrow back at work.

Mrs Hen · « **Reply #10499 on:** January 11, 2018, 10:31:41 AM »

Hello All,

I've been away from here over the festive period, so a summary:

- Used vouchers and a workplace discount scheme to get a toaster for 30% less than the sale price.
- Bought a bag of porridge oats instead of the pre-packaged microwave ones.
- Bought bags of individual dried fruits and seeds to make a mix for the porridge. I now have enough to last the winter for way less £ than the pre-packaged ones.
- Tried using 1/2 a cap of fabric softener in the laundry (dried on the airer of course). Worked fine.
- Have taken all meals into work.
- 4 no spend days so far this year

And the big one - Since I quit smoking in November, I've been transferring the money I would have spent every day into savings. Today I broke the £1000 barrier.

News:

Author Topic: What small things did you do TODAY to save money? (Read 7615690 times)