The Week in Thrift

     Did I move from thrifty to cheap this last week? I think I did, but it was unintentional. I won't say too much about DH's rogue shops and "good deal' stock-ups as you've heard the stories before. I don't even know when he would have bought these now-maybe on a day when he first got sick, but before he really got sick, but it could have been earlier-yet November. I have not figured out why grocery stores insist on selling yogurt on special in units of ten. Ten is a lot to eat after a shop, and it's a bit ridiculous to sell 10 for $5.00, but charge $ .89 a piece for lesser quantities. Of course DH falls for this and buys 10 yogurt cups, of which he maybe ate one, and the rest just sat in the refrigerator because they were the regular, high sugar, non Greek version DD2, DS, and I eat.I decided I should make a go anyway and I thought I had checked the date-well probably did, but January has already gotten away from me, so no doubt it was weeks ago when I looked and determined them OK.
   
     I'm eating my lunch yesterday, leftover odds and ends, and had brought  a yogurt. I glanced a the Best By date, and it was January 5th. Now I'm sure I am just fine, and it didn't taste bad, but really, 10 days past  the date? I don't remember  how many are left. I suppose they could be used like sour cream in a baked bread or muffin, if I was so inclined to try and salvage. Would you? So I didn't plan to eat past its prime yogurt, but I did, and now I am hoping to not waste more food. I had a few intentional moments of honest thrift this week.

Time

• I went into work 90 minutes later on Tuesday and avoided much of the traffic, still getting done what needed. It saved at least 10 minutes on a good day, and if I had hit some of the morning "snow traffic" I could have easily spent a lot longer driving.
• I love the convenience of our Kwik Trip gas and convenience store which also has a small supply of groceries and some staples at reasonable prices. I saved time  and spent the same if not less, stopping there Friday to fill up the car (with a coupon), get milk, bread, and a $5.00 fresh pizza. The Pizza was actually very good-much better than the Dominos a week earlier. I guess they will bake it for you as well, so I could have waited 20 minutes and brought home a ready to eat version.

Resources

• I used the library Monday night-getting out even though my first impulse was to curl up and stay home. I got a novel for the weekend, great reading in a snow storm, a few organization and budgeting books, and Season 3 of the Swedish TV show The Bridge. I saw the first two season, and at least the first episode of season 3. It is so good, yet disturbing. I've watched an episode (though have fallen asleep and needed to turn it off) the last few nights. I may not get it done before it is due back on Monday.
• In straightening  out the front closet and in my car, I found a bunch of singleton little black gloves. I washed and matched up two pairs. These get lost so easily and I buy them a dozen at  time every winter as they come in handy tucked in various coats.
• I used the last portion of refroze Sloppy Joe's for a meal one night, and then as the base for a beefy hotdish another. I ate for supper, and will use for lunch the next couple days. Now I am down to just one big frozen batch from the kids grad party. I'm thinking Super Bowl and call it done.

Money

• While tight for my H&G budget, I bought  multiple packs of razers, toothpaste, Kleenex, and a great deal on boneless chicken at $1.99 a pound. None of the household items will need to be bought again until March. The chicken is a two week purchase,as I froze 2 3/4 pounds of it and cooked the other for DH's sandwiches and wraps for the week.
• I paid tuition, room, and board on-line, with the electronic checking, which saved time getting another payment method, and no fee. Credit or debit cards are charged at 2% as well as a bit of a charge for a payment plan. No thank you. Also, her voice lessons and ensemble fees were in the overall  account statement, so I won't have to go back again later as I did in the fall.
• This should have been last week, but I remembered that DD2 rented as many books as she could, bought one, a dictionary  for Spanish that she will use ongoing, and an e-book through an on-line source that was $90 cheaper than the hard version. If she decides she would later want the book version, she most likely can find a used one.
• Packed all lunches, snacks, and coffee at home or in a travel mug. This should be the norm, but this week I had no extra purchases at all and for the most part, all lunches were leftover and use it up items.
• I was really in need of a caffeine boost on Monday, and then again on Tuesday. I used coffee left over (I had bought it) from a December meeting and jerry-rigged a sort of pour over method. It did the job-and I made a cup for a coworker. I still am looking for either a small coffee maker for my office, or a French press.

     In not so great savings area, I wasted both the time and gas to drive the 40 miles round trip as they said it was going to be 3-4 hours for Pup's grooming. I thought they got them in and out, but I guess this groomer does things in a rotation and people just know that's how it works. Since they couldn't complete it, it really was a waste of time. I'll have a similar round trip on Friday, but I do plan to stay put and will splurge on a coffee shop coffee to read and work on some writing. It pays for itself in the gas savings. What thrifty prevailed in your life this past week?