Thrifty Thursday- Taking Stock Week

     

     I didn't do quite as well as I thought in the overall good and household budget in April. I found a few receipts from DH. As my target was to knock 10% off the $400 grocery and $75 HBA, to a $427 cumulative during the months college girl isn't here, I still made that, ending April at $412. The good thing is though, we need very little household items in May as there has been stockups in the last few months. I'm on the fence about where to count my first thrifty win. Is it auto? Is it gift? All I know is it will be much appreciated once frost and freezing starts again.

• Bought 4 of these at $7 each, clearance from $16.98. DD2's car will be parked and more often than not, ours are outside. Currently DD1 has no garage and we all park outside at work.
  

• Shopped new deodorant again from my stock drawer. I made note of what we'll need and by roughly when so I pay better attention to sales and occasion coupon.
• I still need to inventory the items my younger daughter packed and brought home so to be sure they get used up before replacing, including many food items. I got an idea of what she has as I helped pack. I've just been so work swamped haven't faced organizing her stuff, but a good weekend project.
• I played the Holiday Station stores games in April and last week won a free coffee and free bottle of water. I didn't go out of my way to retrieve either and the coffee was a nice treat. They have one of those grind beans/ individually brew systems and real half and half, my favorite in coffee.
• My daughter and I needed an adventure so went Friday to the Mike's discount store. I was underwhelmed as most didn't seem much less if at all from store brand or were so far past sell by dates ( fall 2021) I didn't want to buy. I did find a few wins. Purchases count to May as I closed April. I wrote about my experience on Saturdays Discount Shopping post.
• Ate meals at home since last Thrifty Thursday, with the exception of a slice I bought on route home when I filled my tank.
• Used $10 Kohl's cash towards Mother's Day gift for my MIL. We'll get her a flowering plant as well for either her home or deck, and I'm hoping to do that at the schools plant sale next weekend.
• I realized I was out of the cone coffee filters and forgot to buy. I folded regular rounds to fit and they worked just fine. 100 regular are about 1/2 the amount of the equivalent cone shaped if my memory is right. I don't buy either too often so it's not much savings, but it saved an unnecessary store visit.

     Despite the added two tanks of gas and wear and tear, oh plus extra comfort food provisions, I'm not money bothered. I'm glad my kid is home safe and seems to be bouncing back. It is a good week to review what we already have to avoid waste while saving some funds right now. My daughter shouldn't need to buy any of her products the rest of summer and likely she'll travel to Spain with just a short supply and buy refills for her stay there. It'll be a good discipline for her to learn before she graduates and really moves on her own. How did you save money or maximize what you already have?