More and more is opening up. As of yesterday, bars and resturants opened with 50% capcity indoors, up to 250 people. I won't be there yet, though perhaps if we can get a seat outdoors, we might consider it. I miss people and social settings. One of my trivia friends and his teacher collegue were the official first indoor guests fo the brewery yesterday-I had a twinge of melancholy remembering my Wednesday night crew. Still there is other places we are spending time at, things we are spending money on, but hopefully in ways that are thrifty, by my terms, and add quality to my stay at home days.
Time
Resources
Money
I definitely will be saving money this summer with not even a thought to buying new clothes. The one wedding we had is postponed until fall, and I'll just make do with what I have for summer. Last year I had a $60 challenge to buy nothing but new underclothes, and I made it financailly, and with the exception of one short sleeve and one long sleeve t-shirt, and a second hand jean skirt, didn't buy other clothing. The jean skirt was a bit too big for me, but exaclty the style I wanted. Not that I've lost a ton of weight, but enough that now it is unwearable. I'll keep my eye out for a replacement, but as I won't be lingering in stores, it might take a while. Maybe a sewing freind will help me take it in? So while more stores and restuaruants are opening, we wont necessairly be in them. I still have my lists and I am in and out for essentials (and maybe non-essentials like the chairs), quickly, and back home. How did you do this week in areas of thrift? Did anyone have any new ways to entertain themselves while staying home?
Time
- As I said we're not quite ready for dining with groups of people, but have been doing the odd take out. Saturday we had take out with movie night. DD2 got me to watch the Korean Zombie movie, Train to Busan. I'll leave it there.
- While not money thrifty, but time thrifty, I stocked up on individual grab and go lunch ingredients for DD2. She'll have days where she works mornings at her one job, and then has less than 30 minutes to get to her 1:00-6:00 job, or the reverse if she works a closing shift at job 1. She can throw a frozen juice box and Uncrustable in a lunch bag with some fruit and snacks.
- With the cooled off night, we ate outside last night and then I later read until I got chilly and it was getting dark. Having a whole night without any screen time was a good thing and I need to do it more often.
Resources
- My meal prep daughter invited me help myself to a delicious freezer meal of curry and brown rice while I was package waiting. It's her thrift, but particularly once the college kid goes back and I return to the office more eventually, I want to do that as well. It reminded me how much better home cooked and frozen rather than freezer ready meals are.
- Meal planning was all over the board and out the window. Tomorrow I'll post about using up items and using up several things that needed to be eaten like a plethora of vegetables.
Money
- I had enough points by the end of May, one of my targets, but I just cashed in my points for Microsoft for a new $5 Target reward.
- The free Lara bar arrived, and while DD2 ate it, she didn't think she'd buy them. This is a win because they are expensive and it saved me buying items that wouldn't be enjoyed in the future if on sale.
- My daughter was in Target and texted me a clearanced priced jacket. I saw it late, and while it was a good deal, she left it, even though she liked it a lot, deciding the $20 was better put towards her study abroad goals.
- Sunday I also finally bought replacement seating for the bench that broke down two summers ago. I have been struggling to find just what I want at a price I'll pay. I decided to make do with two hard plastic resin chairs, with some chair cushions, spending $35 total. This won't go to waste as eventually when I do find something, these will be good chairs for the back yard by the fire, and I'll get a whole summer and fall out of them this summer. Now, we have all four deck chairs back where they belong by the table. Eventually I'd like new seating too, but that can wait for when we redo the deck into a patio.
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| There was only one lumbar pillow left in that pattern, but it makes the chair very comfortable. |
I definitely will be saving money this summer with not even a thought to buying new clothes. The one wedding we had is postponed until fall, and I'll just make do with what I have for summer. Last year I had a $60 challenge to buy nothing but new underclothes, and I made it financailly, and with the exception of one short sleeve and one long sleeve t-shirt, and a second hand jean skirt, didn't buy other clothing. The jean skirt was a bit too big for me, but exaclty the style I wanted. Not that I've lost a ton of weight, but enough that now it is unwearable. I'll keep my eye out for a replacement, but as I won't be lingering in stores, it might take a while. Maybe a sewing freind will help me take it in? So while more stores and restuaruants are opening, we wont necessairly be in them. I still have my lists and I am in and out for essentials (and maybe non-essentials like the chairs), quickly, and back home. How did you do this week in areas of thrift? Did anyone have any new ways to entertain themselves while staying home?
I'm with you, Sam. I won't be there yet when the restaurants reopen, not for a while yet. We did order take out and ate it at home one day this week, which was a nice change of pace.
ReplyDeleteA few restuarants that had take out now are limiting the take out to non-dinner hours so they can concentrate on their inside and patio diners. I'm OK wiht that and hope that they do well and people stay healthy.
DeleteI am with you, I don't want to go to restaurants. But one day, when I do most around here have been allowed to expand patios into parking lots etc so they can have more outside space and social distancing (without town rigamarole, they passed it without heavy duty requirements). I think I would feel safe outside having drinks or pizza. Now the weather needs to cooperate. Everyone feels differently. Hubby got a haircut (both had masks) yesterday and I get one on Wednesday. I feel pretty safe (maybe because we have no current cases on the island but that could change as still plenty in Canada). Most of our current Provincial cases are from family gatherings and eating food together so it sounds like your plans for the shower are very well thought out in terms of food.
ReplyDeleteI actually am ab it surpirsed my SIL, the cohostess, is still in agreement aobut our box lunches and single serve items since they ar eth eones that aren't adding any precautions at the lake. right now, the patios are pretty full so liley we won't get a table for a while anyway. I loved eating outside at our own house though-it was such aperfect evening.
DeleteThere were a few places I really missed for the first two weeks, but the danger drove me past those feelings. I won't be going out for a meal even though I can.
ReplyDeleteStick to your burgers on occasion.
DeleteI try to go as long as possible without buying new clothes too. The only thing I've been "eyeing" are some rubber type shoes to wear out to the chicken coop.
ReplyDeleteRubber type shoes seem like a necessity for a chicken coop. good luck finding them.
DeleteI like the colour of those chairs - lovely. I have a nice bench outside my front door that I used to put cushions on it but then the local neighbourhood cats started sitting on it and I resented the cat hair so took them off. And I do admire your daughter - finding a good price on a jacket AND ignoring it!
ReplyDeletethose two chairs were the last of the chiars of any color, but I did like them and withthe gray siding, I think they add a little pop of color. She did good bypassing an expenses. Sometimes she talks me down from spenidng money.
DeleteI really miss going out to eat. TheHub an I went every Friday night, usually somewhere with live music, for a two in one experience. Now we are having Friday Night at the Movies at home. It is not the same. I think I am going to start experimenting with different homemade cocktails as a part of our new normal Friday night.
ReplyDeleteTonight my bookclub is meeting at someone's house. We are eating burgers outside for some much needed in person visiting, while maintaining distance. I am very excited to do that!
Ohm enjoy your book club and time with people. Last night we could hear live music fomr our neighborhood bar and grill we like to go to. It felt so nice eating outside. do you feel anymore safe now tha tyou are not worried aobut passing on to your mom, or do dyou think you will continue with all your precautions?
DeleteI did give up having instacart deliver my groceries, and I feel fine suiting up and going to the grocery store, but I do go at off hours and if it looks like many people are there I turn around and drive home. I have been to Home Depot once, but only because their parking lot was not full at all. I feel no need to go to any of the super centers, and am willing to pay a little more at CVS which is a small neighborhood store. If I go at 10 in the morning there are never more than a couple of people there, so I guess I am being slightly less careful. I am also maintaining distance because Son3 and DIL3 are coming in a couple of weeks to spend about a month here. They have ridden out the worst in Manhattan, but they want to get out where they can be outside unmasked. (I think the fact that their apt has only a small window a/c unit that really does not cool things down might have something to do with it too)
DeleteI don't want to be responsible for giving them any virus
Not passing on anything to loved ones regardless of age is part of my plan as well. With my daughter working two jobs, our risk wiht her is already there, so I don't need to add to it.
DeleteIt's good for our health, wallet & waistlines to avoid eating out, although I feel terrible for the small businesses, trying to make it right now.
ReplyDeleteI turned eBay into a fun hobby, and I have paused that as we are heading to Oregon this weekend & don't have supplies or a printer there. I had 50+ items listed, and made quite a bit. All just things from around the house.
I also spent a lot of time in our yard, have been playing tennis a bit with the kids, and reading more. All have been fun ways to spend the time
yes, wiht spending so much ore on groceries, not having melas and cocktailsin bars is a good way to off set. Im finally making time for reading again, and it is another free and very enjoyable way to spend quieter time.
DeleteAll of our non essential shops can open from 15th June. I won't be going to them. I think town will be like Christmas time on steroids with people who have missed browsing in the shops, so I'll be giving it a miss. I haven't missed shopping at all, but do miss my Saturday morning breakfast in my favourite independent cafe. I miss how it was when it was carefree, so I'm not sure that I'll be rushing back there when it is allowed to open again, as outdoor space is very limited and it's going to take a long time before I feel safe indoors anywhere.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good way to look at it-so packed becasue people have felt denied their shoping. The lack of patience is something and I don't think this generations (mine inlcuded) would have done well in 1942.
DeleteI just can't make myself go into a restaurant, if we do eat out it will be take out. Even though we only have one active case in the county, I really have a lack of trust. I would love your daughters curry recipe.
ReplyDeleteI'll post as we come up with ideas, or she takes snapshots and writes things down. I trust that the restaurants are doing everything they can-what I don't trust is I ma inadvertently be passing it on!
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