Thirfty Thursday-Important Things

      Not a lot of thrifty n the money area, but I am concentrating on all the little things and seeing that they do add up. It applies to time, resources, and money. I am getting older so I can appreciate that special moments, even if short, need to be appreciated and savoured. Using things to the last drop, the last spoonful, finding an alternative,  and so on, collectively will keep stuff, or less stuff, out of landfills or thrown before used. Here's my  weekly recap of where I made the best use of my time, resources, and money.

Time

• I like helping to throw birthday parties that require no house cleaning before or after!  The minimal time I spent shopping for and preparing food was practically nothing and I had a whole day with all my siblings, daughter, and assorted extended family members.Remembering who wasn't there (mom, dad, my sister, and several brother-in-laws), made the specialness of being able to be together all the more so.
• I was so happy to have my daughter join me for my Friday night shopping excursion. having her along makes the mundane fun-and we love a good poke in the Indian gocer, Trader Joe's, and a new to me Target. 
• While a bit out of my way, I stopped at the only liquor store in town that is independently owned. It was recently bought my my sisters friends brother. She just moved back to town, needed a job, and voila, now she has one. I got a quick catch-up with her as a bonus. I babysat for her frequently 40 years ago and likely haven't seen her since my sisters wedding 38 years ago.
• Took advantage of the flu shot clinic combined with an office day on Monday, saving a trip to the office or a trip to the clinic; it was a time saver. 

Resources  

• My daughter and I both passed on buying any of the plethora of cute and spooky Halloween stuff at Target. No money spent and not adding to our "stuff."
• .My daughter joined me for an interesting scrounged supper on Monday. We used up things already open and a very ripe avocado. DH had leftovers for the weekend when he came home. 
• I had found inexpensive plastic table cloths in red and blue check. While I think they were meant to be use and throw, we wiped them down, and folded them back up to use again. I had my sister take as she sets up multiple tables in their heated garage for Thanksgiving. (Bonus to reusing, I don't have to store them and she won't need to buy any.) No other decorations were needed-nature provided the rest.
• I brought home from the office odds and ends of  notepads, post it note stacks, pencils and pens rather than restocking from the supply cupboard. I believe in using things up even when it's not my money, directly, paying for new things.

                                        Money 

• One splurge I did make for my office was a desk lamp. However, it was from the college stuff, on clearance form $14.99 to $6.00. I'm noticing late afternoon it gets very dark already and more light was needed. The side lamp I had behind me wasn't putting light in the right place. 
• The red and blue checked table cloths mentioned above, were also on clearance for 75 cents, originally $3. The clips will be reusable even when the  table cloths are beyond reuse. 
• We don't use a lot of bottled water as we prefer to just fill a reusable insulated bottles,  and I still had plenty in my cooler left on Saturday anyway. I sent  a dozen bottles that never went in the cooler with my sister, who like to have them on hand in her house. This saves her a few pennies, plus again, I'm not having to find a place for it.
• I should have shared this last week, but this is a gadget DH will get good use out of. It retails for $39.99, but I bought at the silent online auction for $32, plus got a $20 gift card for a local pizza place. While we've done pizza's on the grill, this will both help more even cooking, and save risk of dropping the pizza when trying to get off the grill since he'll have this great big peele. While an anniversary gift for him, I think the whole extended family will enjoy at the lake. 
  
  
  

     Lots of little experiences, use it ups, and reuse were the themes for the week, I guess. When you are trying not to spend a lot of money, there are not huges savings anywhere. But this is where I tend to plug leaks in my cash flow-second guessing whether I need something or not, using something again. I popped in a picture of my office for now. Th bulletin board is an old ripped version, covered in a 40 cent remnant; the desk lamp is the one mentioned above. The coffee cup warmer was a birthday gift a few years ago form a sister, and it has been great, not leaving half filled cold mugs sitting when I get buys or distracted. This is good enough for now. How have you used things up, spent your time well, or saved money this week.