Author Topic: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?  (Read 8020814 times)

CloserToFree

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7950 on: January 11, 2017, 09:37:45 AM »
Have been neglecting this thread and posting mainly in the Uber Frugal January thread - but wanted to share that I gave up my afternoon Coke habit in favor of a cup of tea - I need a small jolt of caffeine, and tea is free at work (and we have a huge stash at home that needs working down since we're not big tea drinkers).  And it's been a nice jolt of warmth too in the cold weather we've been having!

That's a big change! Seriously. DH gave up a mountain dew habit ~5 years ago. It is a big step, but it's just pure profit- 100% health gains, completely free alternatives, etc. Congrats on making that step, I hope it sticks for you! Took DH 1 false start, but he got it to stick on the second try =)

Thanks for the encouragement Bracken Joy!  So far so good and hearing your husband's story helps keep me motivated to stay on the wagon.

Kwill

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7951 on: January 11, 2017, 02:19:41 PM »
Forgot my wallet at work. I realized it when I got in line at the supermarket with a store-made pizza, lazy pasta (tortelloni that cooks in 3 minutes), a box of wine, and a few other things. So I put them all back and went home to use food I already had. I had stir-fry and rice, decaf tea and little cake slices. Maybe a pear later.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7952 on: January 11, 2017, 02:37:26 PM »
Just sharpened my knives.

They are almost eight years old and I use them constantly, but a quick sharpen and they're good as new.

My DH used to be a speed skater and is good at sharpening irons. So he also sharpens the good knives at home, as well as the chain saw's chain. The only knives that are a challenge are the bread knives. I have no idea if they can be sharpened at all.

You can sharpen serrated knives, but it's a pain in the .. knife block.  You use a tool like this:  http://amzn.to/2j7U4GT  (basically, a thin rod that tapers a bit towards the end -- starts kinda pencil-thickness and gets narrower), and you then sharpen each serration individually.

The bright side of bread knives is that if you're gentle with them and don't cut on something like a stone or glass countertop, they'll stay sharp for a long time.  The pointy bits protect the edge that's deeper in the groove.

To put it in perspective, I tend to steel and/or strop my knives about every second use.  About six gentle strokes on each side of the steel is enough to help maintain the blade pretty well.  I sharpen them on a stone as needed, but that tends to be every few months, for knives that get a good workout at least 4x/week.  I've never sharpened my serrated knives.  That's helped by the fact that I accidentally broke my oldest one about 10 years ago and have a "new" one, but close enough.

I have seen serrated blades get dull, though.  I brought my stones and sharpened my in-laws knives for them over thanksgiving, and I just.. cried a little bit about their serrated blades and left them alone.  They're probably 30 or 40 years old at this point, and have never been sharpened.  The knives, not the in-laws.

Oops.  I'll stop cooking-knife-geeking now.  That got a bit out of hand. :)

Fantastic. :D

And no, I don't sharpen my serrated knife. It's only used on bread and tomatoes, it's not like I'm hacking bones with it.

1967mama

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7953 on: January 11, 2017, 03:22:09 PM »
Pulled a muscle or something in my rib so my kitchen exploits are seriously curtailed today:-(
Instead I'm reading up on the forum For ideas and motivation, jumping over to linked websites, ordering interesting sounding books, etc. Drinking lots of tea - using up my stash!

No spend day!

Pinch of salt

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7954 on: January 11, 2017, 04:41:22 PM »
Realised that I can tolerate the temperature inside my flat in the evenings post being at work and at night. Will only turn on the heating on the weekend if I'm inside and it's cold. Ate left overs from someone else's work meeting, it was all readily available in the kitchen.

Thinkum

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7955 on: January 11, 2017, 05:19:13 PM »
Made an oatmeal dog shampoo and gave my pooch his bath.

Had some leftover tuna salad on toast for lunch.

frooglepoodle

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7956 on: January 11, 2017, 05:30:01 PM »
I impulse bought a pair of higher end jeans, BUT they were a steal on Poshmark because the button was missing. $23 for the jeans and shipping, and another few dollars for a new jeans button if I can't figure out how to salvage one from any of my ripped-beyond-repair jeans.

No spending other than that today. Discovered my toddler LOVES the "Truck Tunes" videos on YouTube, and took advantage of the warmer weather to play outside.

Finished the dinner I started making yesterday before kiddo hurt himself. Enough for tonight and tomorrow, with more to freeze to replace the emergency dinner I used last night.

Baking bread and meal planning for next week tonight.

Fish Sweet

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7957 on: January 11, 2017, 05:36:50 PM »
Started up a food journal to keep track of all my groceries and planning out my meals for the next few days.  Thanks to relying on my journal, I've postponed my grocery shopping trip by a couple of days just eating what I already have at home, made chicken udon and mapo tofu (even though I'm out of eggs... ugh, that makes me feel anxious.)

Returned a $4 item that didn't work out for me-- before, I might have just thrown up my hands and said, "it's just four bucks!" but that would have been a waste.

Mezzie

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7958 on: January 11, 2017, 06:27:15 PM »
My electric car didn't charge last night, but I avoided having to go to a charging station by driving in Eco mode. Man, it was close!

Inaya

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7959 on: January 12, 2017, 09:28:12 AM »
Got a $40 Amazon gift card by participating in a focus group at work. This will probably go toward our next toilet paper/paper towels order. Being carless is so much easier when you can have bulk goods delivered to your door.

MMHubb

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7960 on: January 12, 2017, 03:03:18 PM »
Today I went back to my natural hair color!
This probably sounds ridiculous, especially to the male readers, but for me, it is a pretty big freakin deal, lol!
I will miss my blonde hair, but I feel like a true mustachian by going back to my old roots in the name of saving a boat load of money!

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7961 on: January 12, 2017, 03:22:27 PM »
Reduced my husband's base phone bill, potentially saving $95 a month.

Also scored a $20 account credit from the telco by asking them to review the account.

I wanted a couple of things for work (I started a new job last year and waited a couple of months to see what I needed). Spent $15 of Christmas gift cards on a couple of files and things.

PMG

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7962 on: January 12, 2017, 03:33:02 PM »
I recently got news that I get my bachelors degree in May! I had to get some requirements waived and jump through hoops to get this approved. The next few months will be intense as I have taken a heavy work load, but now there is a light at the end of the tunnel!  I am looking forward to not paying tuition and maybe even getting a real job.  Woohoo! 


G-dog

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7963 on: January 12, 2017, 03:49:54 PM »
I recently got news that I get my bachelors degree in May! I had to get some requirements waived and jump through hoops to get this approved. The next few months will be intense as I have taken a heavy work load, but now there is a light at the end of the tunnel!  I am looking forward to not paying tuition and maybe even getting a real job.  Woohoo!

Congratulations! Have a good semester - the end is in sight!

1967mama

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7964 on: January 12, 2017, 03:53:41 PM »
Made 5 loaves of whole wheat bread and a 9x13 of raspberry bars.


mustachepungoeshere

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7965 on: January 12, 2017, 03:58:29 PM »
Today I went back to my natural hair color!
This probably sounds ridiculous, especially to the male readers, but for me, it is a pretty big freakin deal, lol!
I will miss my blonde hair, but I feel like a true mustachian by going back to my old roots in the name of saving a boat load of money!

Love this! :D

I recently got news that I get my bachelors degree in May! I had to get some requirements waived and jump through hoops to get this approved. The next few months will be intense as I have taken a heavy work load, but now there is a light at the end of the tunnel!  I am looking forward to not paying tuition and maybe even getting a real job.  Woohoo! 



Fantastic news!

MrsTuxedocat

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7966 on: January 12, 2017, 04:09:46 PM »
- We packed four sandwiches, trail mix, crackers for the airplane
- Took transit to airport there and back
- Did two loads of laundry and both are drying on the drying rack
- Hubby fixed the toilet handle, it's our second time repairing it. I thought we had to buy a new one but nope, he fixed it. 

Poundwise

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7967 on: January 12, 2017, 04:14:09 PM »
Used frozen egg whites and frozen yolks (leftover from previous baking) to make tapioca. That way instead of going to convenience store for eggs, I can wait until Costco run this weekend.

Made 5 loaves of whole wheat bread and a 9x13 of raspberry bars.

Oh wow, yum!!  I need to learn how to do raspberry bars now!


1967mama

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7968 on: January 12, 2017, 07:05:57 PM »
The raspberry bars are super easy and very delicious! In a bowl, mix up 1c softened butter, 1/2 c white sugar,  2 1/4c all purpose flour and a dash of salt. I just mix it with my hands until well combined. Press 3/4 of this mixture into a 9x13 pan. Warm up 1 1/2 c of jam/jelly. Spread on crust. Top with remaining crust mixture by crumbling on top. Bake 40 min @ 350. Cool slightly then cut into bars. Can be eaten warm or cool. Sticks to the pan if it cools in there so I add parchment paper to the baking dish so I can lift out the sliced bars once they've cooled.

Poundwise

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7969 on: January 12, 2017, 07:19:09 PM »
Thank you so very much, 1967mama!!!  That's the type of snack that tempts me at coffee shops, $4 a square. Not that I do ever buy them :~(, but now I can have my cake bars and eat them too!

Linea_Norway

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7970 on: January 13, 2017, 12:23:17 AM »
Swam for free in a public pool. We have a family member ship in a triathlon club. That is an inexpensive fee per year, comparable to the price of a monthly fee for a very cheap trim center. For that we can get free swimming in a public swimming pool once a week the whole winter. We even got a whole private lane for just the two of us. The club also gives free strength training once a week.

frugalfelicia

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7971 on: January 13, 2017, 09:29:55 AM »
Last night I was craving chocolate and *almost* bought some. I am (un)fortunate enough to live very close to a store and have often walked over at night when these cravings hit. Instead I made a nice hot chocolate at home.

Thinkum

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7972 on: January 13, 2017, 10:08:29 AM »
I just made my pooch a stuffed dog toy using a left over internal squeaker button and some scrap sewing material. Took less than 10 minutes or so. Nothing fancy or sophisticated about it, but he loved it and proceeded to gnaw off a corner piece. The good thing is there is no polyester like stuffing, it's mostly all cotton material bound into a tight ball. We'll see how long this lasts.

frooglepoodle

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7973 on: January 13, 2017, 12:09:27 PM »
I'm proud of my frugal grocery shopping today: bought two gallons of milk since it was still $1.25 per gallon at Aldi, and 10 lbs of chicken breasts at $1.49 per lb. I grabbed 9 very large bruised apples from the discount produce section at the back of the commissary for $1.50, and chopped them up and threw them in the slow cooker for applesauce.

I'm back to cloth diapering (except at night) after sewing some PUL diaper covers for my kiddo. They cost a bit more to make than buying the Gerber rubber pants from Amazon, but should last until he potty trains in a year or so. If I'd bought more rubber pants, they'd wear out, rip, and have to be replaced before then.

I'm making DH's favorite dish from a restaurant we used to frequent tonight: pecan crusted chicken with mashed sweet potatoes. It's a new recipe, so fingers crossed it turns out well!

Tyson

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7974 on: January 13, 2017, 02:37:58 PM »
Used my Instant Pot to make greek yogurt.  Spent 2.50 for a gallon of milk.  Greek yogurt at the store (Fage Yogurt) is $7 or more. 

MrsTuxedocat

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7975 on: January 13, 2017, 05:02:37 PM »
- Back from vacation and had my bestie look after the tuxedo cat for a $25 gift card and I bought small gift for her family. Saved lots of money by not dropping kitty at the kennel and she got better care.
-Went out for coffee with a friend instead of going to lunch and I brought my own cup for a small discount

Metric Mouse

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7976 on: January 13, 2017, 05:12:00 PM »
Found a cheaper hotel with a better bar for my trip next month. Still just as nice, but with a different view than the downtown accommodations I would normally stay in.

1967mama

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7977 on: January 13, 2017, 05:43:02 PM »
tyort1, I didn't know yogurt could be made in the InstantPot! Did it turn out well? Care to share your recipe? Awesomeness!!

Tyson

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7978 on: January 13, 2017, 06:02:09 PM »
tyort1, I didn't know yogurt could be made in the InstantPot! Did it turn out well? Care to share your recipe? Awesomeness!!

Sure, I have the 7 in 1 instant pot which has a yogurt function.  I put in the milk, close the lid and press the yogurt button.  It heats it automatically to a brief boil and beeps at me when it's done.  I pull the metal pot out (with the milk still in it), give it a quick ice bath in my sink.  Use a meat thermometer to make sure the temperature is less that 100.  Mix in a tablespoon full of yogurt (I just grab a spoonful from my last batch of yogurt that I haven't eaten yet).  Put the metal pot back into the instant pot.  Press the yogurt button again and set it for 8 hours.  The instant pot keeps it at the perfect temp for 8 hours then beeps at me again.

At this point you have regular yogurt and it's pretty good!  But it's also fairly runny and very tangy.  To make it into thick, creamy greek style yogurt, you need 3 things - a big pot, a a sieve and a paper towel (or cheesecloth).  Line the sieve with a paper towel (or cheesecloth).  I just use the metal sieve that I use to drain veggies when I make veggies.  And I use a big pot that I mix salads in normally.  Luckily, this sieve fits my pot perfectly and in such a way that there's a little gap between the bottom of the sieve and the bottom of the bowl.

Anyway, just put the lined sieve into the pot and dump the yogurt on it.  Let it drain over night in the fridge and the tangy liquid falls to the bottom and you can just lift out your sieve with your super yummy extra thick extra creamy greek yogurt.  I find that a gallon of milk makes between 8 and 10 cups of greek yogurt (close to 2 liters, for you metric folks).  Add a bit of chopped walnuts, fresh blackberries and lots of honey on top for a sinfully awesome snack.
« Last Edit: January 13, 2017, 06:54:52 PM by tyort1 »

1967mama

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7979 on: January 13, 2017, 06:29:35 PM »
Thank you for taking the time to type out the yogurt recipe!! Do you have to add any starter? (Plain yogurt) And apparently my Instant pot has the yogurt function!!! Who knew?!! Haha!

Tyson

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7980 on: January 13, 2017, 06:55:30 PM »
Oh, you are right, forgot the "mix in some yogurt" step.  I edited my post to put it in there, in the right spot. 

Haha, we eat so much yogurt that the the yogurt function on my instant pot has defrayed part of the cost of the pot!  :D
« Last Edit: January 13, 2017, 09:39:00 PM by tyort1 »

horsepoor

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7981 on: January 13, 2017, 07:51:37 PM »
Bought a bottle of VOSS water for $2.29.  Now I have a nice glass bottle I can fill from the break room water filter for the next seven weeks for way cheaper than if I just bought a bottle, and I can toss it in the recycling when I leave town.

FIRE me

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7982 on: January 13, 2017, 08:06:59 PM »
I replaced the broken elastic on two pair of sweat pants instead of throwing them out and buying new.

Poundwise

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7983 on: January 13, 2017, 08:35:33 PM »
Decided to convert crib into a toddler bed, rather than buying a toddler bed and having to dispose of crib.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7984 on: January 13, 2017, 08:36:33 PM »
Grabbed a bottle of wine from the stash at home (a gift? leftover from a function?) as a housewarming present for relatives.

jengod

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7985 on: January 13, 2017, 11:17:57 PM »
* Turned on the rain delay for the maximum of 9 days.
* Canceled a domain renewal for $15.
* Contacted customer service to get a $20 credit for an online coupon that wasn’t activated.
* Used a coupon to get $7 off an oil change.
* Put overnight oatmeal in the crockpot.

PMG

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7986 on: January 14, 2017, 12:09:11 PM »
The electric bill for this month was less than expected even with so many sub-zero days, evidence that the small daily things are working to save money.

I'm being lazy at home today, doing some sewing and laundry.  My partner and I have an at home date night planned for tonight. 

I mixed up dry ingredients for "instant" oatmeal.  Oats, flax seeds, chia seeds, spices, nuts, brown sugar. I've got it in a quart jar so it is easy to prep a reasonable serving size. I've been eating bland plain oats for breakfast because I don't have time to add more ingredients in the morning. That's boring and gross and if I force myself to continue I'll end up buying fancy sweet things again, so prepping ahead to make breakfast more interesting and even better for me. 


Bracken_Joy

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7987 on: January 14, 2017, 01:36:02 PM »
-Returned a dress my mom had bought me that didn't fit. $40 in store credit now.

-Shredded our own brussel sprouts. I know this is super lazy, but I prefer the shreds to whole sprouts (they bake way crispier), and Trader Joe's sells them pre-shredded... laziness! So I bought whole ones from Costco and shredded them myself. Turned out really well (shredded carrots don't turn out as well) so I will probably keep this one up, unlike the carrots! $1.15 less per pound this way.

PMG

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7988 on: January 15, 2017, 08:04:08 AM »
Having a lazy Sunday morning sleeping in on the new goodwill sheets. I wanted the Target percale which are currently on sale for $37. These totaled $6.50 and included an extra flat sheet that I sewed into pillowcases.  100% cotton, 70s stripes and 80s floral, they feel so good and crisp.

In a few minutes I'm going to make coffee that was a Christmas gift and have done cake and fruit that were also gifts. Mmmhm.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7989 on: January 15, 2017, 01:57:02 PM »
Cashed in reward points for a $25 grocery gift card.

Other than that, not much. :( It wasn't that I had a spendy weekend, but being away from home breaks my routine and limits my time for preparing for the coming week.

At least we avoided the big shopping spree one of our hosts kept suggesting. She was hot and bored, but we don't shop for sport.

dandypandys

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7990 on: January 15, 2017, 02:06:29 PM »
Better late than never, but i just realized and joined an awesome thing that gives me free money! a few qs and I have 120$ in gift cards~ wooohooo! Shame I didnt do it all last year.
It is called Rally, and is through my health benefits with icuba - I don't really know as I just signed up, but it is giving me free stuff and I am A-OK with that.

1967mama

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7991 on: January 15, 2017, 03:59:47 PM »
*cooking rice to stretch the ground beef that is becoming tacos for dinner

*2 lb loaf of cinnamon raisin bread in the bread machine

*scored 9 cut up sweets from leftovers from my daughter's work function (bars, etc)

*guys are watching tv cable free with our OTA digital antenna. Works like a charm!

*picked up playing cards a dollar store for playing double solitaire with my son

*my son was a marvel in a children's hospital waiting room because he was doing a Rubik's cube instead of playing on an iPad or parent cell phone.

*went over on my weekly groceries by $3.12. Was pretty happy with that, considering it was a big order (just over $300 - large family) Its hard to keep track when produce is by the pound and you don't know exactly how much you have!


Bracken_Joy

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7992 on: January 15, 2017, 04:01:00 PM »
Got our flu shots (I KNOW I KNOW but better late than never). Saved money by checking ahead of time for what pharmacy is in network for our new insurance. Made money by going to a Target and getting a $5 gift card apiece. Even better: if the gift cards have less than $5 on them, you can cash them out. So we bought something my dad needed, and cashed out the gift cards, then he paid us back in cash. Saved him a trip, got our shots, and we made $10 real monies for the thing.

frooglepoodle

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7993 on: January 15, 2017, 05:57:40 PM »
No spend day! Hike with the family in the woods behind our house, I sewed and DH washed his car while the toddler napped, and made chili and cornbread for dinner. Used up the last little bit of lard for the cornbread and the beans I made last week in the chili.

Switched our cell phones to Ting yesterday. DH needed a case for his new phone and we found one on the open-box/clearance shelf for 20% off.

horsepoor

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7994 on: January 15, 2017, 06:45:01 PM »
Checked Whole Foods coupons on my app.  There's  $5 off of $20 fresh produce coupon I'll definitely be using tomorrow. 

rachellynn99

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7995 on: January 15, 2017, 07:29:22 PM »
Breakfast, lunch and dinner all at home today.
Went to the library yesterday and we all got books. No work or school for any of us tomorrow because of MLK day. I plan on spending it cleaning, decluttering, laundry and cooking for the week.

Kitsune

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7996 on: January 15, 2017, 07:55:50 PM »
The cold water stopped running in the shower.

Option a) as recommended by my parents: call a plumber. 100$ minimum.

Option b) as actually taken: husband googled a bit, figured out what it might be, took apart the faucet, narrowed it down to one problem piece (the valve that is supposed to let cold water through, via which temperature is controlled, is not letting through ANY water no matter what the setting is), and confirmed that the piece is on warranty because the faucet and valve was bought a year and a half ago from a store that offers a very long warranty.

So tomorrow we will call the store and take the piece in and get a replacement valve for free and install it and it'll all work again. New skills acquired, money not spent: win.

Dollar Slice

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7997 on: January 15, 2017, 08:07:08 PM »
Checked Whole Foods coupons on my app.  There's  $5 off of $20 fresh produce coupon I'll definitely be using tomorrow.

Thanks for the tip. Now planning a produce-heavy menu for the next few days :-)

I hadn't updated my app for a while (because it was kind of stupid/useless the last time I used it) and didn't realize they had digital coupons now.

MsPeacock

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7998 on: January 15, 2017, 08:07:24 PM »
Today I went back to my natural hair color!
This probably sounds ridiculous, especially to the male readers, but for me, it is a pretty big freakin deal, lol!
I will miss my blonde hair, but I feel like a true mustachian by going back to my old roots in the name of saving a boat load of money!

I did this over the past year. I always colored at home anyhow, but it was till a hassle to maintain and bad for my hair. I did learned how to do my own foil highlights from YouTube. For about $2 in supplies I can highlight every few months. I can't believe how much salons charge for color. If you buy the supplies at a beauty supply store (rather than boxed haircolor like L'Oréal or clarion) it is very cheap to highlight or color your hair.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: What small things did you do TODAY to save money?
« Reply #7999 on: January 16, 2017, 03:52:06 AM »
Scrubbed my husband's muddy-but-otherwise-in-good-nick soccer boots to ward off any talk of replacing them.

I soaked and scrubbed the laces too, then quietly ordered a fluro yellow pair on eBay (for all of a dollar) as a surprise.