What small things did you do TODAY to save money?

[jengod]

* Installed a new 21-shelf wall-mounted bracket bookshelf ALL BY MYSELF. Saved on the "installer" fee (minimum install fee $180) and used purpose-cut coated plywood instead of the store's premade shelfing (saved probably $10 per shelf).

* Made veggie stir-fry for dinner with some homegrown cauliflower and broccoli.

* Took the kids for free cups of Yogurtland frozen yogurt, as apparently National Frozen Yogurt Day is a thing.

[jengod]

Started kombucha. "Bloomed" from one plain bottle I bought. 1 gallon for ~$4, instead of buying individual bottles.

Tell us more!

I'm not bracken, but you can definitely make a kombucha SCOBY starter from a regular bottle of kombucha. Best instructions are in Sandor Ellix Katz book The Art of Fermentation.

[Bracken_Joy]

Started kombucha. "Bloomed" from one plain bottle I bought. 1 gallon for ~$4, instead of buying individual bottles.

Tell us more!

I'm not bracken, but you can definitely make a kombucha SCOBY starter from a regular bottle of kombucha. Best instructions are in Sandor Ellix Katz book The Art of Fermentation.

Oh, I completely missed this!

Yes, it's SHOCKINGLY easy.

1. Buy a bottle of plain (not flavored) store bought kombucha. I have had good luck with Origin and Synergy in the past.
2. Pour into a clean glass jar
3. Cover with a papertowel and rubberband
4. Leave for 2 weeks. Come back, and your weird alien pancake is all ready!

To make your 'bucha:
Prep 1 gallon sweet tea- best results with black or green tea. Chai and herbals have compounds which inhibit bacterial growth, and you can end up with the wrong things growing instead. I do 4 cups water, steep 5 bags in for 15 min, then mix into a large glass jar (I saved a massive olive jar, works great). I mix with 1.5 cups sugar. Then add cold water to fill to 1 gallon. Be sure the tea isn't hot, or your Scoby will die. Once cool enough, with very clean hands, gently lower the scoby into the tea. Add the liquid it was floating in, too- good beasities still in there. Cover with paper towel and stick it in the back of a cupboard somewhere. Obvious things to consider- it'll absorb whats in the air. Don't stick it in with the cleaning supplies.
It'll take anywhere from 1 week to 1 month to ferment adequately. Just taste and see. Depends on temp, your culture, etc etc.
When it's done fermenting, take your scoby out and move it to the fridge. Your scoby will have grown a second scoby- the "baby". I usually keep the new one and compost the old one or give it away. Or, if we're doing lots of kombucha (ex was a huge fan), I would wait a week and stagger my batches with the mother and baby, until I had multiple jars in cycle.

Always store your scoby between batches in some of the finished liquid. Be sure to do a new batch every once in a while, or the scoby will "starve:

If you rebottle from the big jar:
a- do not use metal. For any of this. Acid + metal = bad
b- do not screw on any lids too tightly. Pressure can build. This can be disasterous (think glass exploding in fridge)

Anyway, it's pretty easy all in all. No fancy lids or one way valves required =)

[horsepoor]

Resisted  going to Chipotle for lunch when out running game errands.  Went back to the office and ate the leftovers I brought instead.

Didn't buy a jacket or any of the other stuff I'm sort of in the market for.

Made a delicious curry for dinner using up lots of random ingredients.

Packed some snacks to take on my work trip this week.  DH will drop me off early, so I'll have my yogurt and coffee before going through security.  Will also bring a steel water bottle and fill it at the airport.

[TravelJunkyQC]

My driver's side windeshield wiper stopped moving yesterday. Took 5 minutes out of my work day to explore online forums, confirmed my assumption that it was just a loose lug-nut (not sure of the actual term), took another 5 minutes before leaving for work this morning to tighten it, boom, done. Colleague's reaction at work «wow, how did you know how to do that?». *Facepalm*

[Bracken_Joy]

Had some milk that wasn't bad, but is past when I want to drink it (I'm very picky about milk... bad childhood experiences, lol). Using the InstantPot for my first attempts at yogurt making. If it fails, no loss. But otherwise- yogurt!

Yogurt turned out great. Also, there is something delightfully cathartic about squeezing whey through flour sack cloth. I felt simultaneously domestic and dangerous. =P Lots of fun.

Now to convince DH that the left over whey is even better than the whey we take after working out, and he should use it for "protein shakes"!

[PMG]

Working from home.  I've got a pot of beef and barley soup simmering on the stove.

I recently discovered how easy homemade granola is. When I made granola before it took stovetop and oven cooking and several pans and required a dozen odd or expensive ingredients. And made more than a single person could eat in a year!   I've made it twice now melting a little coconut oil while the oven preheats in the pan I'll bake it in, mix all ingredients in that pan and just make a couple cups at a time. Perfect. I reduced ingredients to what I had on hand. Oats. Flax seeds. Pecans. Oil. Molasses. Spices.  Maybe if I can make this habitual I will add a few more ingredients for variety but it's nice to know I can just make toasted oats if I want and get a little cereal fix.

Oh!  And I got another $500 scholarship towards my summer in Paris. Boo yah!

[Erma]

Today I went to the post office to send a parcel. After paying the human behind the counter asked me if I'm interested in their credit card. I declined as I already have one which gives me more benefits and doesn't cost anything.

[lunahsol]

Took four sweet potato cookies (okay, they turned out more like brownies, but that is okay!) to work for lunch.

Received text with coupon for free burrito from you-know-where ;) 

[horsepoor]

Was pleased  to find out that my hotel has a kitchenette, so I walked to a grocery store and bought salad fixings, fruit and yogurt, then went to Chipotle and ordered a burrito bowl with extra meat.  Will make 3 meals out of it with the veggies instead of going out for every meal this week.

Learned that Colorado doesn't allow grocery stores to sell real beer, and was too lazy to go get it at the liquor store.   Free chamomile tea instead.

[Elliot]

Started kombucha. "Bloomed" from one plain bottle I bought. 1 gallon for ~$4, instead of buying individual bottles.

Tell us more!

I'm not bracken, but you can definitely make a kombucha SCOBY starter from a regular bottle of kombucha. Best instructions are in Sandor Ellix Katz book The Art of Fermentation.

Oh, I completely missed this!

Yes, it's SHOCKINGLY easy.

1. Buy a bottle of plain (not flavored) store bought kombucha. I have had good luck with Origin and Synergy in the past.
2. Pour into a clean glass jar
3. Cover with a papertowel and rubberband
4. Leave for 2 weeks. Come back, and your weird alien pancake is all ready!

To make your 'bucha:
Prep 1 gallon sweet tea- best results with black or green tea. Chai and herbals have compounds which inhibit bacterial growth, and you can end up with the wrong things growing instead. I do 4 cups water, steep 5 bags in for 15 min, then mix into a large glass jar (I saved a massive olive jar, works great). I mix with 1.5 cups sugar. Then add cold water to fill to 1 gallon. Be sure the tea isn't hot, or your Scoby will die. Once cool enough, with very clean hands, gently lower the scoby into the tea. Add the liquid it was floating in, too- good beasities still in there. Cover with paper towel and stick it in the back of a cupboard somewhere. Obvious things to consider- it'll absorb whats in the air. Don't stick it in with the cleaning supplies.
It'll take anywhere from 1 week to 1 month to ferment adequately. Just taste and see. Depends on temp, your culture, etc etc.
When it's done fermenting, take your scoby out and move it to the fridge. Your scoby will have grown a second scoby- the "baby". I usually keep the new one and compost the old one or give it away. Or, if we're doing lots of kombucha (ex was a huge fan), I would wait a week and stagger my batches with the mother and baby, until I had multiple jars in cycle.

Always store your scoby between batches in some of the finished liquid. Be sure to do a new batch every once in a while, or the scoby will "starve:

If you rebottle from the big jar:
a- do not use metal. For any of this. Acid + metal = bad
b- do not screw on any lids too tightly. Pressure can build. This can be disasterous (think glass exploding in fridge)

Anyway, it's pretty easy all in all. No fancy lids or one way valves required =)

So basically the way my grandparents made various wines in 5 gallon buckets the back bedroom :P

[jengod]

Oh!  And I got another $500 scholarship towards my summer in Paris. Boo yah!

TERRIFIC! So proud.

[Nickyd£g]

Walked to work, going to walk home, brought my lunch and some fruit, and left my purse at home so not tempted to buy anything. So, basically just another day here :)

[beantown]

Well this technically was last night, but was craving ramen from a ramen shop. Rather than spend $15 (including tax/tip) at a place near me, I decided to try to replicate it with fresh ingredients from a store near me. Spent $8 on ingredients (that will last for 3 more bowls) and got my ramen fix :)

[lemanfan]

Was very very in the mood for a beer and some junkfood on the way home, but skipped all pubs and resturants on the walk and instead opted for some groceries in the supermarket.  $$$ saved. :)

[Kwill]

I made breakfast and dinner at home, and I walked back and forth to work. Now I'm going to walk to the supermarket to try to exchange detergent I bought yesterday that is the wrong kind for the machines in the laundry room here.

[Parizade]

Ordered a new battery for the cordless phone that died (99 cents) instead of ordering a new phone ($109)

[horsepoor]

I managed to bump my Fred Meyer gas points up to 500+ last month through a last minute purchase of a $50 Starbucks gift card during the current 4x points special.  Applied the $.50 discount to my fill up this morning, and paid just over $15 for a full tank of gas. 

Also got my Fred Meyer quarterly rebate yesterday -- $5.20 to be applied to next grocery purchase, plus some useful bonus coupons.

I've also done a pretty good job about submitting the weekly survey to get extra gas points.  You can do it once every seven days for an extra 50 points.  That adds an extra $2 discount to my monthly gas bill, on average.

Thanks for the tip on the survey.  I hate it when I get to like 280 pts and don't make it over the threshold for the next discount.  Will give this a try.

[AlwaysLearningToSave]

I managed to bump my Fred Meyer gas points up to 500+ last month through a last minute purchase of a $50 Starbucks gift card during the current 4x points special.  Applied the $.50 discount to my fill up this morning, and paid just over $15 for a full tank of gas. 

I was winding up to facepunch you for spending $50.00 on a Starbucks gift card to save $.50 (per gallon?) on gas and then posting about it in the SAVING money thread.  Then I noticed in your signature that you are already FI, so you get a free pass and props for at least getting some extra bang for your ridiculously luxurious frivolous spending.  Bonus points if you actually used the gift card for a gift or sold it at face value to earn a net profit when factoring in the gas savings. 

[horsepoor]

I managed to bump my Fred Meyer gas points up to 500+ last month through a last minute purchase of a $50 Starbucks gift card during the current 4x points special.  Applied the $.50 discount to my fill up this morning, and paid just over $15 for a full tank of gas. 

I was winding up to facepunch you for spending $50.00 on a Starbucks gift card to save $.50 (per gallon?) on gas and then posting about it in the SAVING money thread.  Then I noticed in your signature that you are already FI, so you get a free pass and props for at least getting some extra bang for your ridiculously luxurious frivolous spending.  Bonus points if you actually used the gift card for a gift or sold it at face value to earn a net profit when factoring in the gas savings.

Oh please.  Some of us are going to buy coffee out sometimes.  I recently put $50 on my Starbuck's card with a 10% cash back promo on one of my credit cards.  I travel a lot for work and this should cover my (plain old drip in my own mug to save garbage and get a .10 discount) coffee for most of the year for one day's per diem.  Maybe if lhamo said she'd use that $50 up in a week buying her venti mocha frappuccinos anyway..

[Bracken_Joy]

This one is from my DH. Had to take the care in for routine maintenance. Called ahead for a quote ($148), but when service was complete, they tried to charge him $350. He politely declined this number and told them to give him the quoted price. DH told him "If I thought it would be $300, I would have done it myself". The guy seemed to have no concept of being able to do your own routine maintenance and just stood slack jawed for a bit... but then ambled off and fixed the price. And the savings doesn't stop there! We were able to use the "goodwill package" card from VW- they sent a $500 dealership maintenance card to every owner effected by the emissions scandal. We were worried it would give us trouble, though, as we bought the car so the previous owners name was associated with the card... luckily, it ultimately comes down to VIN, not owner, so we were in the clear.

Patient family member showed up with a fancy latte for me as a thank you. Been quite a while since I had a fancy latte. Yum.

[AlwaysLearningToSave]

I managed to bump my Fred Meyer gas points up to 500+ last month through a last minute purchase of a $50 Starbucks gift card during the current 4x points special.  Applied the $.50 discount to my fill up this morning, and paid just over $15 for a full tank of gas. 

I was winding up to facepunch you for spending $50.00 on a Starbucks gift card to save $.50 (per gallon?) on gas and then posting about it in the SAVING money thread.  Then I noticed in your signature that you are already FI, so you get a free pass and props for at least getting some extra bang for your ridiculously luxurious frivolous spending.  Bonus points if you actually used the gift card for a gift or sold it at face value to earn a net profit when factoring in the gas savings.

Oh please.  Some of us are going to buy coffee out sometimes.  I recently put $50 on my Starbuck's card with a 10% cash back promo on one of my credit cards.  I travel a lot for work and this should cover my (plain old drip in my own mug to save garbage and get a .10 discount) coffee for most of the year for one day's per diem.  Maybe if lhamo said she'd use that $50 up in a week buying her venti mocha frappuccinos anyway..

I was just struck by the apparent irony of committing one of MMM's cardinal sins (paying for Starbucks regularly enough to justify use of a $50 gift card) and justifying it by paying a few dollars less to commit another of MMM's cardinal sins (driving) and then posting about it in a thread about money savings.  Of course there are many circumstances where this type of spending is financially justifiable (i.e. business travel and business meetings over coffee).  I just didn't expect to see it written about in this thread which is usually dominated by tales of avoiding the temptations of Starbucks and other convenience food and drink. 

I, too, enjoy Starbucks specialty drinks from time to time.  When I do I categorize it as an indulgent purchase regardless of any ancillary benefits I get from the purchase.  I am even less likely to pay for drip coffee at Starbucks than I am to pay for a specialty drink when passable (often better) coffee is generally pretty easy to find for free.  But I am not a road warrior and could definitely see how a consistent cup of coffee could be priceless in the inconsistent world of business travel.

And the game changes the closer you get to that magical point of FI.  Since I am nowhere near FI, I initially read the comment through that lens.  When you are FI, such indulgent purchases are completely justifiable so long as they don't cause you to exceed your SWR.  If they are purely indulgent, OP still gets credit for seeking more bang for his (star)buck(s). 

[icemodeled]

Car pooled to work and brought my lunch/snacks. No eating out for me!

[jengod]

Made glazed carrots with homegrown carrots and homegrown lemon.

[Kwill]

I was invited to join a visiting acquaintance and one of his friends to see museums in London today, but I decided to go with my original plan of attending a women's group at church. So that's about $30 saved, extra time for laundry and errands, and maybe I'll get to know people in my new town. I'd have been more tempted if I had known them better or if I hadn't just been to London last weekend.

Yesterday I saw two women at work with a tiny coffee-making gadget that sits on top of a mug, holds a little bag of coffee, and just needs hot water added. I am going to scout for one today to save on coffee at work--which seems socially mandatory here.

[PMG]

Yesterday I saw two women at work with a tiny coffee-making gadget that sits on top of a mug, holds a little bag of coffee, and just needs hot water added. I am going to scout for one today to save on coffee at work--which seems socially mandatory here.

Melitta is a popular brand for those. They are often called a cone. I hope that helps your search! 

Edited to add: I've never seen a bag of coffee in them so perhaps I'm recommending the wrong gadget!  Cones can be plastic, ceramic or stainless steel and you can use a paper filter or mesh filter to hold any kind of ground coffee. There are fancy pour over kettles but don't need all that to get a decent cup of coffee

[misshathaway]

I grocery shopped at Market Basket for years b/c it has dirt cheap prices on most items. Then Wegmans opened about a mile down the road. It is MUCH nicer but is slightly higher priced on some things. OTOH they send you $7 of coupons per week for generic stuff like "$1 off a dairy item". Back in my spendy days I switched to Wegmans.

Wegmans has a grocery list app that shows you not only the items on your list but their current price at Wegmans. So now I go to MarketBasket first, and use the Wegmans app to price compare each item on my list. I buy the ones that are cheaper at MB, check them off, then drive a little further and finish up at Wegmans. Very handy app.

I go at the crack of dawn so most of the time there is no line at either place. I am retired but I -still- grocery shop on Saturday morning at 7am and do all my cooking on the weekend. Can't explain that one.

Years ago I used to make fun of my mother for driving miles from store to store to use her coupons ...

[Bracken_Joy]

I was invited to join a visiting acquaintance and one of his friends to see museums in London today, but I decided to go with my original plan of attending a women's group at church. So that's about $30 saved, extra time for laundry and errands, and maybe I'll get to know people in my new town. I'd have been more tempted if I had known them better or if I hadn't just been to London last weekend.

Yesterday I saw two women at work with a tiny coffee-making gadget that sits on top of a mug, holds a little bag of coffee, and just needs hot water added. I am going to scout for one today to save on coffee at work--which seems socially mandatory here.

I've seen something like you're describing in the US at Trader Joe's-
Is this the sort of thing you mean?


http://www.whatsgoodattraderjoes.com/2016/01/shot-o-joe-trader-joes-pour-over-coffee.html

[Tyson]

Furnace went out a couple of days ago.  Rather than call an HVAC person (which is what I would have done pre-MMM), I searched around on Youtube, ran through some troubleshooting steps, and figured out it was a faulty starter/ceramic heating element.  Found the part at a local HVAC store for $50, had it fixed in less than 10 minutes.  Probably saved about $350 vs the HVAC person.

[Inaya]

1. Instead of giving in to a rare Starbucks craving, I used a Peppermint Mocha Via packet that I got on clearance (6 packets for $2) right after Xmas.
2. Made a huge pot of potato soup for work lunches. I normally take my lunch, but supplement it with my cafeteria's soup. Will save me $1.70 each day I take it instead of buying. Lack of variety might not be worth the savings--interesting soup is my reward for choking down Stupid Healthy Salad every day.

[Joggernot]

Furnace went out a couple of days ago.  Rather than call an HVAC person (which is what I would have done pre-MMM), I searched around on Youtube, ran through some troubleshooting steps, and figured out it was a faulty starter/ceramic heating element.  Found the part at a local HVAC store for $50, had it fixed in less than 10 minutes.  Probably saved about $350 vs the HVAC person.

Well done!  High Five to you!

[Kwill]

Yesterday I saw two women at work with a tiny coffee-making gadget that sits on top of a mug, holds a little bag of coffee, and just needs hot water added. I am going to scout for one today to save on coffee at work--which seems socially mandatory here.

I've seen something like you're describing in the US at Trader Joe's-
Is this the sort of thing you mean?
. . .

Thank you, PMG and Bracken_Joy. It wasn't either of those, but I found it by Googling "plastic cup that sits on a mug to make coffee" and looking at the image results. This is it:
http://www.pennineteaandcoffee.co.uk/Regular+on+cup+ground+coffee+filters+%28120%29/0_CAAA068_CAAA074/PRAA306.htm#.Vr-F8PmLTIU

I wandered through two department stores, a supermarket, and a random-plastic-stuff store today trying to think where to find something like this. I don't know why I didn't think to Google it until I saw your suggestions. Now that I see it, though, I'm not convinced. I guess the whole thing is disposable, which I didn't realize. That'd be handy . . . but a major waste. I wonder if anyone just brings tea bags or tea-bag-inspired coffee bags.

Anyway, I signed up for a public library card today and checked out a language-learning audio book. There was a charge of £1.50 for the rental, which surprised me, but it's cheaper than actually buying a language book / CD set. Ordinary books are free, so I'll have to take advantage of that now that I have a card.

[Zaga]

I had a coworker who had something similar to this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Bartelli-Paperless-Coffee-Dripper-Brewer/dp/B0114XW80G/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1455393917&sr=8-16&keywords=cup+drip+coffee

Her coffee always smelled so much better than the coffee supplied by work!

[Kwill]

Zaga, that looks good. I saw something like that today. I think that might've been what PMG meant, too. I'll have to think about this more. The thing is that in my workplace it might be awkward to carry something that could be conspicuous and possibly drippy. The break room isn't near my office. But then people do bring mugs . . . hmm. I may have to just ask someone.

[lemanfan]

For the coffee drinkers: ever tried an aeropress?   Pretty good coffe straight in the cup, relatively mess free.

[Kitsune]

Bodum also sells a French press travel mug. It's not cheap (35$ CAD, when I bought one before Christmas...) but mine has been giving me daily excellent coffee with no mess for over 7 years now, goes in the dishwasher, doesn't break when dropped, and is pretty nice. Might be an option...

[Elliot]

For coffee, I don't know that I'll ever happily give up my electric kettle and chemex system. Bought a metal filter cone so no need to purchase anything else until the kettle burns out. The chemex and the filter are dishwasher safe, but even if they weren't, it's easily washable with a bottle brush.

[Prairie Gal]

I have this little Melitta one cup thing that uses paper filters. http://www.amazon.ca/Melitta-Ready-Single-Coffee-Brewer/dp/B0014CVEH6 Works well. I don't use the small ones that are made for it; too expensive. I just use a regular cone filter and it sticks up a bit.

Was out and about running errands and was jonesing for a smoothie, but came home and made my own with some bananas that were getting overripe, and some frozen berries.

[Parizade]

I didn't buy this, even though I REALLY really wanted to
http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/LicAAOSwsB9V9gW4/s-l300.jpg

[PMG]

Kwill,  I have seen coffee "tea" bags. I have a friend who used them while camping. I'm guessing a person could also make coffee with a reusable muslin tea bag. Hmm. I quite enjoy experiments with coffee.  Good luck!


And now for my rambling:

-spent a big chunk of the day on campus meaning less heat at home.  Of course when home I layer up.

-hung a towel over the bathroom window.  It's flipping cold here this weekend. 

-because its cold, the heat runs more, which makes it prime time for indoor laundry drying.  I got all caught up today, except sheets, that's tomorrow.

-walked to campus with my homemade tea (as usual).  I am shocked how little I mind the cold walk.

-made a big batch of peanut butter granola.  Last week I happened on big tubs of oatmeal for $1 at Kroger.  What?!  I bought three, too much to easily store, so I'm eating oatmeal like crae.

-tried on my storage bin of clothing and found out almost all of it fits.  I guess all this taking care of myself has been working.  This cuts my wardrobe refresh/Europe travel shopping list down quite a bit.

-skipped seeing my friends band at the bar and the obligatory (but so fun!) drink or two.  kinda mad at myself for being a recluse.  But damn.  It's cold.  12* currently.  It's a half mile walk, I could do that but then the bar would be so hot and crowded and I'd have to hold onto my coat the whole time... introverts ftw.

[Luckyvik]

Re: Coffee - I have an aero press also but only use it at home as its a bit of a pain to wash the bits and pieces at work. It's really good as you can use any ground coffee in it.

Back to savings, I had lunch with a friend at a cafe in Friday, was too full to eat all of my sandwich so kept half for dinner instead of throwing it out, also didn't order a drink so saved on money and calories instead drank the free water.

I wasn't great with money for today's lunch but that should probably go on a separate 'silly things I did with money and have to improve on thread'


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kwill]

Sorry to get us sidetracked! But great coffee ideas everyone. :-)

Today I practiced writing in Korean on the back of an envelope using my handy dandy library book. I had a free coffee at church and walked to a free dance where I had a free cup of tea. I did go out to brunch in between, but still . . .

I picked up some groceries this evening and got things for making sandwiches plus a pack of cookies. I let myself buy a simple lunch at work for £1.50 or £2 every day the first two weeks, but now that I'm settled I should be able to pack my own lunch. I had starting feeling bad about that as we talked about the smaller cost of coffee. While I was in the market, I saw the little disposable coffee filter cups my coworkers had, and I got a pack of 10 of those and another pack of 10 instant cappuccino packets. Either way each serving is about 1/4 of the cost of a cup of coffee at work, so they're worth a try.

[Gronnie]

Was driving home this morning after an overnight poker session (I am a winning player, this is my side hustle) and was really craving a McDonald's breakfast sandwich. Made a fried egg sandwich when I got home instead.

My wife also cut my hair for the first time recently. Spent the same amount on clippers as 1-2 haircuts, should have done this sooner! As an added bonus, can now do it weekly instead of every 6-8 weeks, and my hair is so short I don't need gel anymore either... more savings!!!

[11ducks]

I got an email from a library near work at saying they had a whole heap of books they were getting rid of - walked by to take a look and scored 12 YA texts in very good condition for free, that I can read to/with DS11 :) Win!

Have successfully brown bagged work lunches/drinks/tea every work day this year so far.

I paid upfront for a big supply of contact lenses (3 months worth) as I got a 35% discount for my first order - will save me $65 over the next quarter.

After being inspired by reading Frugalwoods, and how they don't have an entertainment/ spending budget, mine has slowly but surely dropped from $60 f/t to about $20 f/t. Not perfect, but much better!

 

[OmahaSteph]

Weekend recap:

Bought SO's Valentine's Day gifts at Target using the Cartwheel App, plus my Redcard (another 5% off), including things we need (a wine aerator) and bike chain lube (he bike commutes);

paid down another $100 on the CC and put $200 in the e-savings;

we found chicken on sale plus discounted and make homemade stock out of it for fancy ramen for lunches this week (substituted cheaper cabbage for bok choy, threw in some of the chicken, green onions, a hardboiled egg - 99c per dozen on sale this week - and seasonings we already had on hand;

made plans to meet with someone from my local Buy Nothing Project to pick up a purple bicycle helmet for DD7;

I'm calling to not renew a magazine subscription (they just sent me a bill and TOLD me to renew - uh, no);

filled out and will submit Dependent Care FSA reimbursement claims;

and SO works at an international salon distribution center and Friday was "damage day" - we ended up with probably 5 years' worth of salon-quality shampoo and conditioner.

[frooglepoodle]

Used homemade almond flour (dehydrated the pulp leftover from making almond milk and ran it through the food processor) for baking cookies.

Made crockpot enchilada soup using homemade broth and homemade enchilada sauce thawed from the freezer.

Used a space heater to heat the baby's room at night during the recent cold snap instead of overheating the rest of the house.

[Rosy]

Met with longtime old friends today - got free birthday lunch from one and free birthday dessert from the other. Brought home most of my lunch since I had my fill of the free appetizers - supper for Mr. R. was Steak Diane, thanks to my b-day lunch.
I had leftover homemade chicken soup - very tasty.

Did some window shopping at the mall (free entertainment), but couldn't resist the French pastry shop - their macaroons are to die for and I hardly ever get to this part of town.

Still have half a piece of cheesecake with cherries, for tomorrow morning with my coffee. I'm not sharing that with Mr. R.:) - looking forward to my treat in the morning.

[Bracken_Joy]

Used soft bananas to make "cookies"- http://www.theburlapbag.com/2012/07/2-ingredient-cookies-plus-the-mix-ins-of-your-choice/ Added in the pumpkin pie spices, some vanilla, and some coconut flakes. Turned out great. Definitely my favorite way to use old bananas.

Nothing I did, but savings none the less: months ago, we had some subscibe and save packages (and others, too, ugh), all be mis-delivered to the same place. (KN, whoever you are, I hope you liked my shampoo, lol). Amazon re-sent the items they could, and refunded the items that were out of stock. Well out of the blue today, two of the packages arrive at our door! Months late, haha. We let amazon know, and they were just like, "that's cool, enjoy your free shit" (I'm paraphrasing). So hey! 75 bags of organic yerba mate, two types of supplements, and my shampoo! All together, like $35-50 worth of stuff that we now have backups on. Yay!

[dandypandys]

picked veg from our garden :)
made coffee to go instead of buying out
had a free lunch at a meeting and took leftovers home for dinner
wrote a 1000 buck check towards principle yay!

[GardenFun]

Resisted the temptation to get a Shamrock Shake at McDonalds while out doing errands.  Required changing my drive route to avoid passing by the building.....weak.....