Author Topic: What small things did you do TODAY to save money? (Read 8357602 times)

handsnhearts · « **Reply #3250 on:** April 28, 2015, 01:07:28 AM »

Brought leftovers for lunch

Sister is visiting from out of town. Made dinner at home from ingredients at home, rather than out to eat. She said it was tastier and healthier than going out! I made zucchini noodles sauted in olive oil and salt. Tomato sauce with the precooked ground beef, and leftover fresh parsley, rest of garlic. Baked carrots in olive oil and dill. Heated up harder sourdough baguette, after moistening. Was edible then instead of trash.

11ducks · « **Reply #3251 on:** April 28, 2015, 04:38:56 AM »

Kept up with morning veggie smoothie- used some soft grapes and the rest of an older bag of spinach.

Took leftover vegie curry sauce to work, paired with a pack of konjac noodles that I bought a year ago (don't love the taste, but it was edible and I'm a grownup- time to suck it up), and a cup of applesauce that had been in the cupboard for ages.

Didn't get the $1 can of soda I wanted- drank water instead.

Had leftover meatballs with frozen veg for tea.

Got paid, immediately transferred money into my savings account (no excuses) and got out cash for groceries etc

Sorted through the fridge tonight, grated some soon-to-expire cabbage with a few carrots n some chopped onion-will add balsamic and some leftover fried noodles for a crunchy noodle salad for lunch tomorrow

Spent $19 at the grocery store on fruit/veg/milk/chicken to last until the weekend.

Have been on a great run with bringing lunch from home for work- only had one lunch out in 2 months!

Using cash envelopes for the past 6 weeks has been a massive success - by spending mindfully I've managed to add an extra $240 towards debt!

horsepoor · « **Reply #3252 on:** April 28, 2015, 11:46:37 AM »

Didn't have time to make lunch due to some horse drama, so used the freebie on my Starbucks card to get a vent I frappucino. Should hold me till dinner.

jengod · « **Reply #3253 on:** April 28, 2015, 06:54:00 PM »

I joined Freecycle recently and today a gal listed "FREE FOOD" as part of her moving sale. I'm pretty sure she is dead broke and that's why she has to move. She reminds me of me when I was her age. I spent $20 on Pyrex and children's books for resale at the "moving sale." The list below shows what I brought home from her pantry.

I couldn't bring myself to go into her fridge/freezer (which she was also clearing out), and I left many many things for others take. Of possible interest to Mustachians: She had a cupboard full to the brim of neatly stacked and washed takeout containers. Like, hundreds. Unless she runs a restaurant supply business dealing in takeout containers, I think it's safe to say that she is partly broke because she spent all her money eating takeout instead of cooking all the food she already had at home. I totally remember being young and feeling like you'll die if you have to go home alone and eat out of your cupboards, but I also remember being confused about why I was always destitute.

OPENED:

3 boxes Ziploc (5 gallon, 10 quart, ~50 sandwich size)
1 box wooden matches (100 left)
8 oz baking cocoa
3 lbs white rice (plus reusable zipper burlap sack with handle, wire-bale reusable glass storage jar)
8 oz old-fashioned oats
2.5 lbs granulated white sugar
1.5 lbs whole wheat flour
5 lbs all-purpose flour

NEW IN BOX OR BAG:

1 lb lentils
1 lb baking soda
4 lbs brown sugar
2.5 lbs yellow cornmeal
1 can cannellini beans
1 can peeled plum tomatoes
1 can stewed tomatoes
5 cans chicken noodle soup
1 can sardines in tomato sauce

The stewed tomatoes and cannellini beans are already in a vegetable broth that I had on standby. Carrots (bulk, sale) and red onions are softening in the cast iron skillet for minestrone soup.

She was a really sweet kid with a good heart. She could have thrown out all the food to simplify her life, but she thoughtfully posted it on freecycle. Good karma isn't worthless!

Eristheunorganized · « **Reply #3254 on:** April 28, 2015, 10:51:13 PM »

Nice score on the free food!

Today is a weekend for me, so I prepared my lunches for the week (pasta salad) and ate all at home.

Spent no money, and maxed out my Bing rewards points.

TheFixer · « **Reply #3255 on:** April 29, 2015, 11:22:26 AM »

Not really saving money, but accidentally made $50. Went to doctor for a followup (i'm fine, thanks for asking) and while I was waiting, was asked if I would participate in a survey to collect data for a study (it's a university teaching hospital). I said sure, answered a long medical/personal history questionaire & gave up a test tube of blood, and got compensated w/ $50 while waiting to be seen by doctor. I woulda done it for free in the name of science, so it was a free money to me.
Now I have $50 to spend! ;^)

Maya · « **Reply #3256 on:** April 29, 2015, 11:55:04 AM »

Biked kids around yesterday and today: 25 k yesterday, 16 today. Figured that saved me $5 and lots of good exercise.

Hung 3 loads of laundry on the line. Will smell so good!

Rheagar · « **Reply #3257 on:** April 29, 2015, 12:07:23 PM »

Just called our home alarm monitoring company to cancel our service. I can't believe we signed a 3 year deal with them when we moved in... 31 bucks a month down the toilet. Our contract is up in December and OF COURSE they require 30 days written notice or they will auto-renew the contract FOR ANOTHER YEAR. So I sent in our written notification and I have an extra 31 bucks a month to look forward to in 2016!

dorothyc · « **Reply #3258 on:** April 29, 2015, 01:28:09 PM »

Instead of using a K-cup for my morning coffee I reheated some espresso I had made a couple of days ago in my stovetop espresso maker, with a spoon of cocoa, some sugar and coconut milk to make it milder. I originally bought the Keurig to stop my college age daughter from buying Starbucks, and we buy the pods from Costco. Most of the time I drink tea during the day.

Took the bus to work - I live slightly under 3 miles from work and the bus takes me a shade under 2 miles of that distance. I would bicycle, but it is a 300 feet climb on the way home, and also my company subsidizes 75 per cent of the bus fare.

lunahsol · « **Reply #3259 on:** April 29, 2015, 01:50:44 PM »

Got home very late last night and did not have a chance to get lunch ready for today. Briefly considered that it would be "okay" to buy lunch at Chipotle today. Realized that I would essentially be paying $7 for rice and beans. Put a can of 69 cent black beans from the pantry, along with some leftover salsa and a corn tortilla in my bag and called it good.

Basically the same meal . . . approximate savings $6.

Better Late Than Never · « **Reply #3260 on:** April 29, 2015, 02:24:35 PM »

Received $1.99 back from Saving Star on groceries. Realized I had $7.30 in my account, which is enough to cash out into PayPal, and promptly transferred that to my checking account.

jooles · « **Reply #3261 on:** April 29, 2015, 05:24:02 PM »

I made headboards for 3 beds in my house. All were made with junk lying around the house.

1 - Painted a four panel door lemon yellow and mounted it (sideways) on a queen size bed.
2 - Covered a hollow core interior door in batting (from a freecycled twin size comforter) and some great decorator fabric.
3 - Cut a piece of left over bead board to fit the twin size bed and covered it in batting and coordinating fabric.

Viola' 3 purposefully decorated bedroom in our house.

Staging the house for sale on a budget.

Erica/NWEdible · « **Reply #3262 on:** April 29, 2015, 06:25:50 PM »

Sold a thing we weren't using on ebay for $72!
Listed more stuff on ebay.
Hung clothing on line.
Fed everyone before going to school event (rice + beef and veg stirfry, ~ 1/2 of veg from garden)
Got 5% credit on tax refund by taking portion of refund as amzn g.c.
Enjoyed mason jar of homemade cider instead of purchased hooch!
Walked to pick up kid from bus instead of driving.
Replaced 2 burnt out floods with LED floods
Solar panels generated more electricity than we used.
Watched nervously as our duck hatched out 2 ducklings (Fair market value $8 per duckling. Our cost: $0). Cross your fingers there are more to come!

handsnhearts · « **Reply #3263 on:** April 29, 2015, 06:53:27 PM »

walked to grocery store with dog and stroller in 90 degree heat. Stuck to list and few other things, but was limited by the stroller basket. Saved gas, burned calories, brought water, and got it done! Then walked DD to sleep after putting groceries away. I wanted to get lazy and drive her in the car, but after the puke fest yesterday, the carseat can't be reinstalled until DH comes home tonight. So walked again and collected Meyer lemons from neighbors tree.

PJ · « **Reply #3264 on:** April 29, 2015, 06:54:28 PM »

Yesterday:
Sent in rebate offers for items purchased on Sunday
Submitted reimbursement forms at work
Forgot lunch at home, so went home for dog walking (before going back for an evening meeting) a little earlier so that I wouldn't give in to urge to go out for food

Today:
Left early for an appointment so I could fill up on gas at the 3 cents/litre cheaper place that I would be passing (have been holding off on getting gas the last couple of days because I knew I would be in the right area today)
Have let it get really dark in the house without turning on lights! (But now I need to give in and turn some on!)

lunahsol · « **Reply #3265 on:** April 29, 2015, 10:50:46 PM »

Bonus for today: walked to the grocery store to cash in the change jar.
Used Coinstar, so there was a fee . . . but I honestly would not make the effort for a less convenient option right now.
Came away with just under $9 . . . not huge, but enough to keep the momentum going :)

Ysera · « **Reply #3266 on:** April 29, 2015, 11:56:37 PM »

Quote from: lunahsol on April 26, 2015, 08:32:24 PM

Quote from: horsepoor on April 26, 2015, 06:53:27 PM
Got a big pot of chili ready to slow cook tomorrow in the InstantPot.

The InstantPot is the pressure cooker that I recently purchased and OMG, has it been a game changer on my weekly meal prep!

My victory for today:
* Only $4.62 spent on fresh produce for the week. I bought things I may not have ordinarily considered, but they were on sale . . . so time to test out my creativity and willingness to try new things :)

Thanks to the InstantPot, it is totally easy to cook/prep these veggies for later use. I swear I am not paid to write this - I am just a very happy customer.

I love my InstantPot! It makes amazing stews even out of tougher cuts of meat and veggies that have been around a while. My food waste has gone way down since I bought it.

Better Late Than Never · « **Reply #3267 on:** April 30, 2015, 02:23:25 PM »

Fixed my dryer today! One of the drum rollers was broken, and I figured the belt was getting old, so I ordered a kit for about $30 to replace both drum rollers, the tension roller and the belt. Turns out the belt was starting to fray, so I'm glad I bought the kit. It would have cost more to buy the drum rollers and the belt separately. I'm not sure what it would have cost for a repairman to come in, but I'm sure it would have been at least $150. DH is not handy at all, so learning to do these kinds of repairs by myself is a big deal.

Pooperman · « **Reply #3268 on:** April 30, 2015, 03:17:04 PM »

Sat down on the train to go home from NYC to NJ. Found a winning scratch off next to the seat someone must have left. $100! I'll cash it tomorrow on the way to work. Made a not great day at work a little better (boss unhappy I didn't ask for more work to do instead of playing a game of ping pong with coworker... Looking for a new job so not particularly caring about that kinda thing... Gotta work when I get home anyways, so why ask for more to do?).

lunahsol · « **Reply #3269 on:** April 30, 2015, 05:52:39 PM »

* had the other half of the can of beans from yesterday for today's lunch
* listed two more books for sale
* put another five in the jar
* will devote some time to another side gig later tonight

MMMaybe · « **Reply #3270 on:** April 30, 2015, 10:50:06 PM »

I am trying to reduce throw away items.

I've cut down heavily on paper towels but my next target is cotton wool/makeup remover pads. I cut up some waffle weave face cloths and these are working really well as a substitute. An old teeshirt was cut up this morning into eye make up remover pads. They get thrown in the wash and whiten up nicely on the outdoor drying rack.

PJ · « **Reply #3271 on:** April 30, 2015, 11:28:07 PM »

I had two meetings in different locations downtown today, and didn't want the hassle or cost of moving the car, paying for parking, etc. I thought (repeatedly) about driving to somewhere convenient, parking the car and taking the subway, instead of leaving the car in the driveway, walking to the bus stop, and taking the bus. But ultimately, I did the right thing. Very much cheaper! (I would eventually get reimbursed, but would have had to shell out about $30, plus gas). And I didn't want to put that much money out there, even if I could claim it back.

So I took the bus, and left the car at home.

Also, missed the free breakfast before the first meeting. Thought seriously of grabbing something on the go, but resisted. They served food at the first break, at which point I grabbed one small muffin and a coffee. Hours later, I've gone to the other location, attended my other meeting, and am on my way home. And I realize that one tiny muffin and a coffee are not enough to sustain me. I must have almost stopped at least a half times on my way home, but I resisted, and made myself something nice to eat when I came in the door.

I've also agreed to cover for someone else on Sunday afternoon, which will bring in a little extra cash to throw towards my debt.

Intoku · « **Reply #3272 on:** April 30, 2015, 11:35:30 PM »

After circuit training class, I walked up the hill to Safeway to pick up a couple of deals, and then walked to the gym I have access to and showered there for the first time ever. It was nice to take a long, hot shower and to shave without having to clean the bathtub afterwards (I use cheap coconut oil instead of shaving foam due to v. sensitive skin). Easy to wipe out their shower stall instead!

Then, I walked home and enjoyed the lovely weather, and also the smells coming from the slow cooker when I walked in the door. I don't know when the last time I ate out was -- a few weeks?

Bracken_Joy · « **Reply #3273 on:** May 01, 2015, 10:14:19 AM »

Quote from: 4alpacas on May 01, 2015, 10:11:15 AM

Quote from: MMMaybe on April 30, 2015, 10:50:06 PM
I am trying to reduce throw away items.

I've cut down heavily on paper towels but my next target is cotton wool/makeup remover pads. I cut up some waffle weave face cloths and these are working really well as a substitute. An old teeshirt was cut up this morning into eye make up remover pads. They get thrown in the wash and whiten up nicely on the outdoor drying rack.
OMG! The cut up tshirt is such a great idea! I'm going to steal your idea, so I don't have to continue to purchase cotton squares. I use one/day, so it won't be a huge savings. However, it will be one less item to buy and will easily fit into my laundry cycle.

This is actually a great idea. I won't even launder mine. SO wears out clothing often enough that I'll have an endless supply of tiny squares.

lunahsol · « **Reply #3274 on:** May 01, 2015, 07:20:46 PM »

* took lunch to work (leftover potato & lentil curry - so yum!)
* received electric bill - $11 less than last month - woohoo!
* watching free movies on hulu for entertainment tonight
* no money spent today

Joshin · « **Reply #3275 on:** May 01, 2015, 11:19:03 PM »

Pretty productive day:
* Went to the local dental hygiene school for my first of four periodontal cleaning sessions. I'm saving $800 having this necessary dental treatment done by a final year hygiene student!
* Used materials we had on hand to erect a temporary fence around the raised garden beds, until we can collect enough pallets to make a new fence for the duck area.
* Planted a bunch of flower seeds (nasturtiums mostly) in various pots and flower plots around the house. I collect these seeds every year.
* Added lavender and more thyme plants to the herb garden terrace. These were grown from cuttings collected from neighbors.
* Used some old, beginning to decay bamboo fencing to mulch over the veggie beds. Just cut holes through the bamboo "slats" for the plants. It's so worn that it's now similar to straw, without the need to buy anything.
* Made a stir-fry from all the leftover veggies in the fridge, in anticipation of going grocery shopping in the a.m.
* Took younger son to his astronomy club meeting tonight. For a mere $25 a year we get to attend free monthly science lectures, enjoy free snacks, borrow equipment, and he gets to participate in outreach events where he can teach others about the thing he loves most in the world. Pretty good deal for a Friday night's entertainment!
* Husband hit his one month nonsmoking milestone today!!!! (I hit mine this past Monday)
* Made 6 pints of lilac freezer jam. May make more, if I can bring myself to sacrifice anymore flowers!

Wings5 · « **Reply #3276 on:** May 01, 2015, 11:37:33 PM »

Every penny I've spent this week, I'm matched in my retirement account, above my normal contribution.

DagobertDuck · « **Reply #3277 on:** May 02, 2015, 12:53:45 AM »

Quote from: Joshin on May 01, 2015, 11:19:03 PM

* Husband hit his one month nonsmoking milestone today!!!! (I hit mine this past Monday)

Congratulations on that one! Keep it up!

2ndTimer · « **Reply #3278 on:** May 02, 2015, 08:10:34 AM »

Husband hit his one month nonsmoking milestone today!!!! (I hit mine this past Monday)

Bravo, this one isn't easy.

In the spirit of the thread: Just made our second pot of Saturday Morning coffee by throwing half the normal amount on the still warm grounds of the previous pot.

kander · « **Reply #3279 on:** May 02, 2015, 10:11:34 AM »

"Our" supermarket is closing for the last time today. So they had a sale! I've bought groceries for €70 and saved €70. Everything was with 50% discount!!

(Ofcourse I only bought stuff that we normally would use!)

La Bibliotecaria Feroz · « **Reply #3280 on:** May 02, 2015, 10:15:14 AM »

Sucked it up and put Little Brother to bed in two pairs of cotton Gerber pants with a nylon cover instead of a Pull-Up. Maybe if I start telling him that he won't pee in bed anymore after he turns three (this month)...

choppingwood · « **Reply #3281 on:** May 02, 2015, 10:45:34 AM »

Village is having its annual Clean up Village Day today. Volunteers came with a truck and trailer and took away my beat up queen-size bed, pipes and a double sink that a plumber replaced and never took away a year and a half ago, and a big old tv. No cost for transport and no charge at the landfill.

Quite a sight see me wrestle the bed out of my house and down to the curbside early this morning single-handled. Leverage, its all about leverage.

Now there is room in my small house for the furniture I want to bring back when my contract ends in the city later this month.

lunahsol · « **Reply #3282 on:** May 02, 2015, 03:55:45 PM »

Quote from: Wings5 on May 01, 2015, 11:37:33 PM

Every penny I've spent this week, I'm matched in my retirement account, above my normal contribution.

I love this idea! Great job!

choppingwood · « **Reply #3283 on:** May 02, 2015, 06:14:58 PM »

Quote from: Joshin on May 01, 2015, 11:19:03 PM

* Took younger son to his astronomy club meeting tonight. For a mere $25 a year we get to attend free monthly science lectures, enjoy free snacks, borrow equipment, and he gets to participate in outreach events where he can teach others about the thing he loves most in the world. Pretty good deal for a Friday night's entertainment!

* Made 6 pints of lilac freezer jam. May make more, if I can bring myself to sacrifice anymore flowers!

The astronomy club sounds like a great idea for you and your son, especially if he gets to use equipment and talk about his enthusiasm.

I've never heard of lilac jam! What do you use this for? I am interested because my little old house is surrounded by very big old lilacs that look like they are going to have a bumper crop of flowers in a few weeks. They are my favourite flower, but last such a short time. Do you have recipe you can share?

Joshin · « **Reply #3284 on:** May 02, 2015, 08:49:20 PM »

Lilac jelly has a lovely lemon-ish flavor. You can even use the fresh blossoms in salads or to top desserts for a hint of citrus flavor. We have purple, pink, and white lilacs -- I tend to use the purple because I like the color of the jelly more but you can use any type of lilac. Just make sure you only have flowers -- no stems or green parts (these make the jelly bitter).

you need:
2 cups loose packed lilac flowers
2 tb lemon juice (not necessary, but prevents discoloration)
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 envelope pectin -- low sugar or freezer jam variety, preferably

Whirr the petals and half the water in the blender until completely blended, then add in the lemon juice. Mix in the sugar with the lilac paste.

Bring the remaining water and pectin to a hard boil for 1 minute. Mix it with the lilac paste. Jar, cool, and use or freeze for up to 1 year!

choppingwood · « **Reply #3285 on:** May 02, 2015, 09:23:27 PM »

Quote from: Joshin on May 02, 2015, 08:49:20 PM

You can even use the fresh blossoms in salads or to top desserts for a hint of citrus flavor.

Wonderful! Thanks for the jelly recipe.

Lilacs bloom around my birthday and my favorite birthday cake is vanilla with lemon icing. Looks like it is time to add my favorite flower on top!

Prairie Gal · « **Reply #3286 on:** May 03, 2015, 09:41:52 AM »

Did some online price comparisons for my auto insurance renewal. Looks like I might be able to save $200-300/year.

I'm going to steam clean my living room carpet today using my carpet cleaner I bought a few years ago. It is kind of annoying because the tank is so small that you constantly have to refill it, but I am going to suck it up and use it rather than renting one, or paying someone to come in and clean the carpets.

2ndTimer · « **Reply #3287 on:** May 03, 2015, 11:58:32 AM »

Read the neighbor's Sunday paper today. They are out of town for a few days and before they left, one of them stuck their head in my door and told me to make use of the paper while they were gone. The Hub and I read it with home brewed coffee and a slice of bakery cake. and clipped several coupons. A real coffee shop experience in my own kitchen. Love my frugal network.

Better Late Than Never · « **Reply #3288 on:** May 03, 2015, 06:53:07 PM »

Installed low flow shower heads in both of our showers today. My sons like to take very long, very hot showers, so I expect to save money on water, sewer, and gas (to heat the water). I have long hair, so I'm a little concerned that I'll need to take longer showers to rinse my hair. Tomorrow morning will be the test!

jengod · « **Reply #3289 on:** May 03, 2015, 08:44:46 PM »

* Used a coupon to save $1 on frozen yogurt on a mommy-son date with my older boy
* Used retailmenot coupon to save 20 percent on flowers for mom and mother-in-law
* Sold an extra compost bin via Craigslist for $40
* Saved shower water in a bucket for fig tree
* Used home eggs to make sourdough pancakes for the family
* Ate leftovers including homemade 10-bean soup
* Harvested this year's garlic crop; looks like we did well
* Used saved dryer lint and pencil shavings as starter for woodfire; roasted corn on the cob in the husk, and strawberries, potatoes and carrots in foil

lunahsol · « **Reply #3290 on:** May 03, 2015, 09:59:19 PM »

It is not exciting, but just lots of meal prep for the week that will prevent extra shopping trips and restaurant meals.

1967mama · « **Reply #3291 on:** May 03, 2015, 10:15:59 PM »

@lunahsol, What kinds of things did you do for meal prep? I'm always looking for new ideas!

lunahsol · « **Reply #3292 on:** May 03, 2015, 11:03:16 PM »

Hi there, mama!

Well, my prep revolved around whatever was left in my fridge/freezer that needed using up. For my lunches, etc, this week, I made:
- sweet potato/peanut butter soup
- white bean/broccoli soup
- rice milk (to be used in various recipes)
- fried rice with zucchini & orange peppers (and hot peanuts)
- tamales with pintos and (canned) ranchero sauce
- corn bread
- hummus
- smoothie packs (5 of them - spinach, carrot, banana, strawberries)
- mashed potatoes

I am left with at least 5 servings of the soups + cornbread for lunches. I will also have a smoothie to take M-F to work. For dinners, the tamales and fried rice will be staples. I can supplement with the hummus (although, feel like I need something else to serve with it).

My diet is vegan and gluten-free, so probably different than most . . . but if this can provide any inspiration, I am happy to share.

handsnhearts · « **Reply #3293 on:** May 04, 2015, 01:01:04 AM »

how do you make a smoothie pack? It all sounds yummy!

I ~~argued~~ discussed with Macy's customer service for 40 minutes about how they left a charge on my store card, but gave me too much back on a gift card. It was only $25.27, but there was no reason to pay that amount as my gift card was for over $60. Got it sorted finally, I think the manager just wanted me to go away. hahaha!

Bought a new face moisturizer with sunscreen for $10 cheaper than my other one. We'll see how it goes...I have super sensitive skin and many sunscreen allergies, so it is a bit nervous, but I am hopeful. And I saved 5% on my whole purchase because I used my new Target Redbird card.
DH wanted hamburger buns to go with the frozen burgers. There weren't any at the store, but I did finally find a bag of organic flour! So tonight I made buns, a raisin bread, a banana bread with chocolate chips (to take to work tomorrow because it is my last day!!!) and I also made a batch of soymilk.

BPA · « **Reply #3294 on:** May 04, 2015, 06:00:21 AM »

Sweet score at the thrift shop this weekend. Picked up four pairs of shorts for my teenage son and a space heater for $28. One pair of shorts was Patagonia. That should help sweeten the fact that I thrift shopped his clothes.

TheFixer · « **Reply #3295 on:** May 04, 2015, 07:08:14 AM »

Went garage/barn sale-ing Sat AM.
We wound up spending money, but saved about 90% off retail.
DW found a like new made in USA music stand for $1. (ARV $20)
I got a made in USA Bostitch air framing nailer for $30. (ARV $270)

Susan · « **Reply #3296 on:** May 04, 2015, 01:41:43 PM »

Returned my library books just in time to avoid the 0,10 penalty per book per day.

mabinogi · « **Reply #3297 on:** May 04, 2015, 01:42:51 PM »

1. I'm cooking a big old pot of beans in the crockpot right now. When they're done, I'll freeze them in 1.5-C portions so I'm not tempted to buy canned beans next time I want to eat beans. I bought a couple of different kinds of beans from the bulk section at Winco yesterday, and will do the same with the other kinds.
2. Toddler son eats a ton of Lara Bars, which, at $1 a pop, are pretty pricey. I'm making my own today with dried fruit I bought from the bulk bins at Winco. Man, I love Winco.
3. I slowed down the rate at which I'm filling our emergency fund (we've got $15k now, with the goal of $20k) in order to allocate more money to my Roth IRA. We'll now max out my Roth this year, for the first time ever! We'll still hit our EF goal by the end of the year as well.
4. Spent some time researching other rental options in the area. We're paying too much for rent right now (very little was available when we came to town on a house-hunting weekend last year) and are looking to move. Made an inquiry about a house that would save us $450/month. Fingers crossed!

dandarc · « **Reply #3298 on:** May 04, 2015, 01:44:54 PM »

Not strictly saving money, but donating blood after work today. I'm a couple weeks late on that, and got a text that they'll give a free movie ticket with a donation today. So between that and the $10 gift card received for donating a couple months ago, the wife and I will be having a < $5 movie date sometime this month.

iknowiyam · « **Reply #3299 on:** May 04, 2015, 04:17:02 PM »

Quote from: dandarc on May 04, 2015, 01:44:54 PM

Not strictly saving money, but donating blood after work today. I'm a couple weeks late on that, and got a text that they'll give a free movie ticket with a donation today. So between that and the $10 gift card received for donating a couple months ago, the wife and I will be having a < $5 movie date sometime this month.

Is this the Red Cross?

News:

Author Topic: What small things did you do TODAY to save money? (Read 8357602 times)