What small things did you do TODAY to save money?

[Freedomin5]

Made my own bagels.

[PMG]

Made my own bagels.

Homemade bagels.  Nothing like it.  The first time I made them they turned out so good that I was disappointed when I realized I’d just ruined the joy of grocery store bagels. So delicious!

[Dicey]

Since this happend eight hours ago, technically it was yesterday, but I'm counting it. I used a CC rewards night to "pay" for a stranded family member's lodging.

[FrugalShrew]

Despite high temperatures (over 90 F outside and even hotter in my car), I did not use the air conditioner in my car while I was running errands today.

[nessness]

Made my own bagels.

Homemade bagels.  Nothing like it.  The first time I made them they turned out so good that I was disappointed when I realized I’d just ruined the joy of grocery store bagels. So delicious!

Do you have a recipe you could share? I made them once and was disappointed, so I haven't tried again.

[Freedomin5]

Made my own bagels.

Homemade bagels.  Nothing like it.  The first time I made them they turned out so good that I was disappointed when I realized I’d just ruined the joy of grocery store bagels. So delicious!

Do you have a recipe you could share? I made them once and was disappointed, so I haven't tried again.

I used this recipe: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-everything-bagels/

I was too lazy to knead it by hand, so I threw everything into the bread machine and used the dough cycle. I let it rise in the bread machine because I was too lazy to grease a bowl. I just made plain bagels and sesame bagels, instead of everything bagels.

It was easy, turned out really well, and tasted great the second day, lightly toasted with cream cheese.

[PMG]

Made my own bagels.

Homemade bagels.  Nothing like it.  The first time I made them they turned out so good that I was disappointed when I realized I’d just ruined the joy of grocery store bagels. So delicious!

Do you have a recipe you could share? I made them once and was disappointed, so I haven't tried again.

I used this recipe: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-everything-bagels/

I was too lazy to knead it by hand, so I threw everything into the bread machine and used the dough cycle. I let it rise in the bread machine because I was too lazy to grease a bowl. I just made plain bagels and sesame bagels, instead of everything bagels.

It was easy, turned out really well, and tasted great the second day, lightly toasted with cream cheese.

I used that same recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction.  I used my kitchen aid. I didn’t have the barley malt syrup so I use honey like she suggests. I made everything and plain.  The first batch I let rise in the fridge overnight.  They had such deep developed flavor. The second batch I only let rise for about 6 hours. They were delicious but lacked some of the layers of the first batch.

[nessness]

Made my own bagels.

Homemade bagels.  Nothing like it.  The first time I made them they turned out so good that I was disappointed when I realized I’d just ruined the joy of grocery store bagels. So delicious!

Do you have a recipe you could share? I made them once and was disappointed, so I haven't tried again.

I used this recipe: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-everything-bagels/

I was too lazy to knead it by hand, so I threw everything into the bread machine and used the dough cycle. I let it rise in the bread machine because I was too lazy to grease a bowl. I just made plain bagels and sesame bagels, instead of everything bagels.

It was easy, turned out really well, and tasted great the second day, lightly toasted with cream cheese.

I used that same recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction.  I used my kitchen aid. I didn’t have the barley malt syrup so I use honey like she suggests. I made everything and plain.  The first batch I let rise in the fridge overnight.  They had such deep developed flavor. The second batch I only let rise for about 6 hours. They were delicious but lacked some of the layers of the first batch.

Thanks @PMG and @Freedomin5 ! I'll have to try that recipe soon.

[Imma]

I traded some of my garden produce with a fellow gardener. Now we both have some fresh veggies that we didn't grow ourselves.
Someone gave me a free ice cream maker. Ice cream makers have always sounded like a fun gadget to me but I wouldn't spend money on them. This looks like a good quality machine and we have lots of fruit from the garden. Looking forward to see how our ice cream will turn out. Looking at the ingredients it would absolutely be cheaper than buying. Ice cream has gotten expensive recently.

[FrugalShrew]

I traded some of my garden produce with a fellow gardener. Now we both have some fresh veggies that we didn't grow ourselves.
Someone gave me a free ice cream maker. Ice cream makers have always sounded like a fun gadget to me but I wouldn't spend money on them. This looks like a good quality machine and we have lots of fruit from the garden. Looking forward to see how our ice cream will turn out. Looking at the ingredients it would absolutely be cheaper than buying. Ice cream has gotten expensive recently.

That sounds like fun! :) Ice cream has gotten expensive recently...let us know how it turns out!

[cool7hand]

Used Google to find a needed item on sale

[Loretta]

I got take out for roughly $25 instead of delivery chow for $50…. I know not great. 

[Arbitrage]

Did some tax-loss harvesting.  Still have more I should do but going to wait for funds to clear. 

[Imma]

I traded some of my garden produce with a fellow gardener. Now we both have some fresh veggies that we didn't grow ourselves.
Someone gave me a free ice cream maker. Ice cream makers have always sounded like a fun gadget to me but I wouldn't spend money on them. This looks like a good quality machine and we have lots of fruit from the garden. Looking forward to see how our ice cream will turn out. Looking at the ingredients it would absolutely be cheaper than buying. Ice cream has gotten expensive recently.

That sounds like fun! :) Ice cream has gotten expensive recently...let us know how it turns out!

I have a MPP now so it may take a while before I get to try it. When it was really hot a couple of days ago, our supermarket sold a lot of meat with large discounts (maybe one of their fridges broke? or it was so hot people didn't bother going out at all). So we stocked up and bought lots of meat and filled our freezer to the brim. But we don't eat a lot of meat so it will be a while until I have the freezer space to freeze the bowl.

[Freedomin5]

Biked instead of taking a taxi. Saved ~$12
Made my own mooncakes with ingredients I had on hand instead of buying them. Saved $120.

[cool7hand]

A product failed within the warranty and we filed a successful warranty claim

[midweststache]

I spent money unsuccessfully?

We're going on a trip and my kids have just reached the age of comprehending chapter books read aloud. (Still not reading independently yet.) I went to Target to pick up some final things before we left and, on a whim, grabbed the first Harry Potter book, which my eldest has been wanting to start, for ~$8.

Lo and behold, we discovered when we started last night that I grabbed #2 in the series, not #1. So I've pulled out my Kindle, put a hold on #1 through our library that SHOULD become available in the coming days, and will be returning the impulse purchase today before we leave.

(Also, laziness for the win? For said same trip we need a carseat for our youngest. (Our eldest is tall and can get away with a regular seat belt; our youngest is still in a harness seat.) We were going to rent one with the car rental company, but that fell through because we didn't book directly; we looked at travel car seats but the trip is a few days away and it's too late to organize purchasing one - and too late to put out the call in our parents' group to borrow one. Long story short, we decided to check our carseat and dropped $20 to buy a car seat check bag protector. (The car rental would've been $15+/day, to a total of at least $75.) So... sort of a win? We'll also be able to pass the travel bag along to my BIL and SIL, who are expecting their first in February and will be doing much more plane travel than we will with kid(s) in tow.)

[FrugalShrew]

I traded some of my garden produce with a fellow gardener. Now we both have some fresh veggies that we didn't grow ourselves.
Someone gave me a free ice cream maker. Ice cream makers have always sounded like a fun gadget to me but I wouldn't spend money on them. This looks like a good quality machine and we have lots of fruit from the garden. Looking forward to see how our ice cream will turn out. Looking at the ingredients it would absolutely be cheaper than buying. Ice cream has gotten expensive recently.

That sounds like fun! :) Ice cream has gotten expensive recently...let us know how it turns out!

I have a MPP now so it may take a while before I get to try it. When it was really hot a couple of days ago, our supermarket sold a lot of meat with large discounts (maybe one of their fridges broke? or it was so hot people didn't bother going out at all). So we stocked up and bought lots of meat and filled our freezer to the brim. But we don't eat a lot of meat so it will be a while until I have the freezer space to freeze the bowl.

Haha, oh dear, that is quite an MPP--not having freezer space to make homemade ice cream because your freezer is too full of bargain meat!

[Rosy]

GARDEN - produce - fruit - tea - spices
Made Key Lime Pie Parfait - oh so good:) - with fresh limes from the garden and used up one of three condensed milk left from Christmas baking that was about to expire.
Made two suppers for us and two work lunches for Mr. R. - from garden fresh meal preps I'd frozen in late spring.
Harvesting bananas and avocadoes at present.
This week, making tea with lemon balm, moringa flowers, and jasmine flowers. Propagating to get free plants and drying some herbs for spices and tea.

FAVORITE thing this month - my Black Peppercorn (Spice) Plant (also white and red peppercorns) is taking off and decided it likes its spot. Who knew peppercorns (plants) are a climber and can be grown in Florida:).
I got tired of the cheap pepper dust and have been buying those pre-filled pepper mills, they don't appear to be refillable though. I don't want to contribute to disposable waste when I can help it.
However, I found a fancy peppermill last Christmas at a deep discount that actually does not hurt my arthritic hands - it turns so easy. I'm fairly sure it is refillable.
Fingers crossed my peppercorn plant will survive both the summer and equally important the winter.
 
PASSIVE INCOME
Opened a 3.3% interest CD ($1K min, add anytime up to $100K, 33 mo term)
I'd been looking for just such an opportunity as we are transitioning and facing uncertainties that might require access to cash. It will give us only around $2K interest in the first year but it will ramp up to the full $3,3K interest by the last year once I deposited the full 100K.

$25 Amazon GC - earned on SW so it was a free GC.
Then I turned it into an even sweeter deal - I waited for a 12% discount on the GC (which essentially gave me 300pts towards earning my next GC).
SW pretty much pays for all my personal orders on Amazon. Mostly books or the occasional need (undies) or indulgence (tech). 

TAKE OUT FOOD DELIVERY
Prices for restaurant meals have increased considerably and it seems the extra fees for delivery have doubled.
Implemented several changes that easily brought our food delivery expenses back down to earth, down by half, $300 - i.e. one restaurant dinner delivery averaged $70.
Disgusting how quickly we can fall into the convenience trap, the first orders we placed a year ago were around $42.

[Dollar Slice]

My air conditioning has really been struggling through the heat waves this summer (I live in a high-floor apartment with full afternoon sun exposure) so I've been closing off my bedroom and sleeping in the living room so I only air condition one room. This week I also tried blocking off the gaps around one of the honeycomb blinds that wasn't installed correctly, so it has big gaps - it actually seemed to help a lot! The room was 2F cooler than it was the day before even though it was hotter outside. Get those electric bills down! :-)

[getsorted]

Home haircuts last night for me and the kid. He looks very handsome. He was starting to object to home clipper cuts, but I bought extra-long (2") guides for the clippers so he could have the length on top he wanted, and this has been acceptable. This is his second haircut with the extra-long guides, so I consider the ROI met on that purchase.

The last time I paid someone to cut my hair was in 2016. I kind of miss having layers, but only a little.

[Josiecat22222]

@sadiesortsitout , we also the home haircuts! My son hasn't had a "professional" haircut in almost 10y and DH and I have been cutting each other's hair since the pandemic struck. I can't imagine going back to spending an hour at the shop and spending 60$ ever again. I love the time savings almost as much as I like the extra $$ in my stache!

[cool7hand]

Fixing electronic issues with a vehicle via YouTube

[Freedomin5]

Stacked coupons and promotional discounts and saved approx. 37% on groceries.

[cool7hand]

Still fixing a vehicle's electrical issues ourselves

[Rosy]

Wanted a Mediterranean Diet Cookbook but didn't want to part with $20 for my choice - took 10 min on Amazon to find an equivalent one for 99 cents.
 

[FrugalShrew]

Sewed the seam of a reusable bag that was starting to come apart. It was very pleasant to sit on my patio in the fresh air and make the repair :)

[cool7hand]

We're close to our data limit and wanted to download a podcast, so we walked a block off our route to pass a business with free Wi-Fi.

[getsorted]

Made soup stock from chicken bones. Really love how the electric pressure cooker makes this take very little hands-on time.

[nlsantamaria25]

I'm not talking about anything big -- just the little things that add up, things that other people might not consider doing.  Here's something I just did:

Last night I sautéd a yellow squash, a zucchini, and an onion as a side dish.  We had perhaps 2/3 a cup of vegetables leftover.  No one would've eaten those as leftovers.  Knowing I was going to make chili tonight, I saved them, chopped them up finely, and hid them in the chili.  It bulked up the chili, perhaps adding one more serving, and it added some extra veggie-power to the chili.  No one else will even know that last night's vegetables are making a second appearance.

Also, earlier today I took a ziplock of homemade soup to work for lunch.  I made it a month or so ago, and no one else in the family liked it . . . so instead of watching it slowly go bad in the refrigerator, I froze it into individual portions for my own lunches.  Added benefit:  I love having homemade ready-to-go lunches.  Negative:  If I leave them in the refrigerator at work, the night janitors steal them.

Today I went to a restaurant for my lunch and bring water for drink and I brought textiles to make my clothes creation.


Sent from my SM-A127M using Tapatalk

[Dollar Slice]

Made soup stock from chicken bones. Really love how the electric pressure cooker makes this take very little hands-on time.

Instant Pot chicken stock is the best :-)  If I were smart I would make some in advance for my mom's surgery in September, it's so great to have amazing stock on hand for under-the-weather cooking. But I don't think I have any room in the freezer right now. Project for the next few weeks...

My money saving this week: went to a free outdoor concert this weekend that was really fantastic. Also have been eating about half as much as usual since my chronic stomach problems are flaring up. Not exactly a choice but it definitely saves money! :-/

[cool7hand]

Did some research to optimize Amazon savings via subscribe and save

[getsorted]

Also have been eating about half as much as usual since my chronic stomach problems are flaring up. Not exactly a choice but it definitely saves money! :-/

I had some problems a couple of years ago that required a "bland diet" for several weeks. There were days of nothing but Jello and broth followed by weeks of nothing but white rice and broth. A very cheap diet indeed! And one I hope I never have to repeat.

[Dollar Slice]

Also have been eating about half as much as usual since my chronic stomach problems are flaring up. Not exactly a choice but it definitely saves money! :-/

I had some problems a couple of years ago that required a "bland diet" for several weeks. There were days of nothing but Jello and broth followed by weeks of nothing but white rice and broth. A very cheap diet indeed! And one I hope I never have to repeat.

Yeah, it's not quite that bad, thankfully, but I've been mostly doing rice, crackers, small amounts of ground meat, and water. I tried juice and very thoroughly cooked veg to try and get some other nutrients into me, but it didn't go well. I bought some Jello but I'm saving it for later in the week when it's supposed to get hotter. Ice-cold Jello from the fridge is a treat when it's 90F and you've been eating a lot of soup and rice.

[Rosy]

Made soup stock from chicken bones. Really love how the electric pressure cooker makes this take very little hands-on time.

Instant Pot chicken stock is the best :-)  If I were smart I would make some in advance for my mom's surgery in September, it's so great to have amazing stock on hand for under-the-weather cooking. But I don't think I have any room in the freezer right now. Project for the next few weeks...

My money saving this week: went to a free outdoor concert this weekend that was really fantastic. Also have been eating about half as much as usual since my chronic stomach problems are flaring up. Not exactly a choice but it definitely saves money! :-/

@Dollar Slice - how do you make the chicken stock in the Instant Pot? I just made some the old way:) but Instant Pot sounds brilliant!

I sympathize with you on the stomach problems, I'm in the same boat, tummy and esophagus are acting up. What makes it even more difficult is that obviously, Mr. R needs his supper when he arrives home from work - and - we (want to) eat together.
Besides, my eating habits and consumption have deteriorated so I need a reset. UGH!

[Dollar Slice]

@Dollar Slice - how do you make the chicken stock in the Instant Pot? I just made some the old way:) but Instant Pot sounds brilliant!

Toss in a chicken carcass, salt, pepper, cover with water, pressure cook for about an hour. I prefer to add any herbs/spices/vegetables to whatever final soup or stew that I use the stock in rather than pressure-cooking them for an hour, but some people do put celery/carrot/onion/seasoning in with the chicken. It's a preference. I usually make it right after I roast a chicken and then stick it in the freezer, so I just make plain salted chicken stock with flavorings TBD.

You don't have to fuss with letting it cool down slowly or anything - just release the pressure any which way. Strain it and etc. just like with your regular stock on the stove.

You could even cut the cook time down by 15 minutes if you wanted and it would probably not be that noticeable, but most of the effort is in the straining and cleanup anyway, so I just let it go for the full time.

I hope your stomach & esophagus calm down! Esophageal stuff can be really rough, my mom has had that for a long time.

[getsorted]

@Dollar Slice - how do you make the chicken stock in the Instant Pot? I just made some the old way:) but Instant Pot sounds brilliant!

Toss in a chicken carcass, salt, pepper, cover with water, pressure cook for about an hour. I prefer to add any herbs/spices/vegetables to whatever final soup or stew that I use the stock in rather than pressure-cooking them for an hour, but some people do put celery/carrot/onion/seasoning in with the chicken. It's a preference. I usually make it right after I roast a chicken and then stick it in the freezer, so I just make plain salted chicken stock with flavorings TBD.

You don't have to fuss with letting it cool down slowly or anything - just release the pressure any which way. Strain it and etc. just like with your regular stock on the stove.

You could even cut the cook time down by 15 minutes if you wanted and it would probably not be that noticeable, but most of the effort is in the straining and cleanup anyway, so I just let it go for the full time.

I hope your stomach & esophagus calm down! Esophageal stuff can be really rough, my mom has had that for a long time.

I do mine for two hours, with a splash of vinegar-- that gets me the "bone broth" that gels when it's cooled. An hour doesn't seem to be long enough usually, although it also depends on the ratio of bones to water.

[Dollar Slice]

I do mine for two hours, with a splash of vinegar-- that gets me the "bone broth" that gels when it's cooled. An hour doesn't seem to be long enough usually, although it also depends on the ratio of bones to water.

I found that 60-75 min gets the chicken bones so "done" that if I try to snap a thigh bone in two it was crumble in my fingers. Nutrition fully extracted :-) I find the gelling varies more with how the chicken was cooked originally. The more dark and crispy (like a store bought rotisserie) the less gel and the more color and flavor. If it's a lighter cook (like poached whole for soup or just barely cooked to 165F) it will gel but it's a lighter stock in flavor and color. Good either way.

[Josiecat22222]

Fixed our dryer ourselves!  Our dryer stopped making heat and tumbling the clothes.  We watched a few youtube videos and decided it was the thermal coupler.  Found the part on amazon for 6 dollars....procrastinated for six weeks line drying the clothes....then today finally pulled out the dryer and took it apart.  I think the issue was actually the belt wasn't seated well on the pulley, but we replaced the thermal coupler as well and IT WORKS!!!  (still going to line dry, but it was pretty exciting to fix it ourselves)

[cool7hand]

Another workout combining the home gym, the great outdoors, and the apparatus at the local park

[baconschteam]

Still using my old, wired headphones.

[Freedomin5]

Free breakfast at work this week. Fasted for lunch. Ate dinner at home. So basically only paid for one meal a day.

Plus, work gave each employee a couple hundred dollars "appreciation gift" to be spent at the company cafeteria. That means I can also skip breakfast, eat lunch at work and then skip dinner that day, effectively making my meals for the day *free*.

[marion10]

Got a free hearing screening at Walgreens and got $10 in Walgreens Cash. Got a referral card to give to my husband ,so if he gets one, we will each get a $25 gift card.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

Helped move soccer goals for the club my kids play with. Volunteer hours earn me $100 off of registration, x2 kids. I have about another hour to do before I've earned the full $200.

[baconschteam]

Built an aluminum ramp for my handicapped grandma instead of buying one. Fits better, looks better, only cost was time (used some scrap metal).

[Midwest_Handlebar]

Disassembled and reassembled a free, Covid quarantine era, raised bed from a neighbor. They spent $350 on it a couple years ago.

[Loretta]

I borrowed vacuum cleaner hose accessories from my mom instead of purchasing.  I was able to vacuum my cat tower and some other furniture and it looks so nice now. 

I drove her around this weekend and shared a Pyrex container of powdered detergent from a bulk purchase, so she made out pretty well. 

[cool7hand]

Fixing electronic issues with a vehicle via YouTube. Again.

[oneday]

Picked up a handful of adjustable window screens from some kind soul who put them as discards on the curb. This town has a strong culture of re-use/re-homing items via free curb give away and I love it.

[trashtalk]

Our dryer was over 20 years old and needed to be replaced. New they are over $600, so that wasn't an option.
  The spouse has a friend in the scrap metal business, so he called to see if the friend had any dryers that he hadn't scrapped and may be functional. Unfortunately, he didn't.

 More research turned up used dryers on Craigslist or FB Marketplace going for over $200, or $75 for an ancient model. Used appliance stores in town didn't have any dryers for sale.
 Just when we were looking at traveling to another town to pick up a used model, the scrap metal friend called. It seems that a couple hours after my spouse called, someone had him pick up a dryer they didn't want. The dryer is a decade old, much more modern in looks and style than our previous one, but it had some dings and stains, and the plastic on the front panel was cracked.
  The spouse went and picked it up, unscrewed the panels, cleaned out the air intake and the electrical coils, replaced the vent ducting, and voila - a working dryer. We gave the friend money for his time and effort picking up the dryer, plus what it would have earned him at the scrap yard. And of course he took our old dead dryer.
  But the spouse and I were both excited. It was serendipitous that the friend happened to get the call about a dryer that day. And my husband was willing to put in a bit of time to clean up the dryer. VS $600+ for a new, or over $200 for a used, we paid $20, a 90% savings over the other used dryers. And the friend came out ahead too!
 

Brilliant on all fronts. Great work everyone!