I've never been one to do a lot of retail therapy, but I have missed a good Target wander. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it, we only had about 50 minutes to shop for school and personal supplies for D2, and a few grocery items before they closed. It seemed to be enough to cure my Target FOMO, as I have no further interest in masking up again to wander the pretty bright aisles throwing things in the cart I do not need. I bought just enough. My daughter was thoughtful about what she really needed, a few notebooks, the pens she likes (We are still pen an paper people for making note and processing thoughts, particularly in a learning mode), a few sturdy folders, and a lot of index cards. She restocked most of her health and beauty products as well since she has been using up what she brought home either in March or May. Here's other places I tried to be economical and make as good a use as possible with time, resources, and money.
Time
- Odd family member quirks aside, my daughter and I had a good time celebrting our cousins baby last Saturday. It was good of my daughter to spend Friday ight to Sunday with her grandma.
- Meeting the nw great nephew and celebrating my MIL's 80th birthday on Sunday was double special.
- As noted above, we were efficient in Target, and it was nice that my older daughter came along and helped be a human check list! My youngest, and myself, are quite forgetful even when we have lists. My older daughter is very organized and practical.
- It was a lovely evening so we stopped by the river for a brief walk. We also got a glimpse of the brewery where we hope to play trivia again, new rooftop seating area, well at least form the ground we got a look.
Resources
- I made good use of a zucchini that as near its life end, and used 1/2 in a curry on Monday and 1/2 chili on Wednesday. I was unhappy to see the ne wrapped package of two zucchini was already getting soft so one went into a crockpot pasta, along with spinach greens that were wilting.
- I had bad luck with produce spoiling fast in the last week, but I saved them. I have to find something for the last zucchini today. I'm thinking maybe roast zucchini and potatoes-which too, need to be used today.
- I used up the last of a container of cottage cheese as well in the same crock pot hotdish. It was dated to the 20th and normally I am not such a stickler about the exact date, but it needed using. I used another chunk of the last 1/3 of the frozen bag of mozzarella from the mammoth bag bought in th spring. I'm down probably to the last 8-10 ounces now.
- I did another survey poll and earned $5.00 reward. I haven't decided for where yet-Amazon or Target.
- I got gas for $1.99 a gallon on Saturday. It went up to $2.09 the next day.
- The ice cream cups, though still stupidly expensive for how much is in each one, were on sail at $3.99 rather than the $5.99 they had been when I originally noticed our local store carried them
Good work! No big wins this week. Just trying to do the basics: avoiding shopping & food waste, eating at home, selling a few things here & there.
ReplyDeleteThe selling of things has to be a nice little boost. DH did a rogue shop today-things he felt we couldn't' wait to buy-I will be well over $600 in spending hid month on food and household.
DeleteI ran to Rite Aid yesterday to use Bonus Cash to purchase the buy 1/Get 1 composition books the H.S. requires. (They don't allow spirals.) Even though the kids will start out remotely, they still need to take notes. When the (hopefully) do go back, youngest, and Girl won't have to change over. Plus, I know from experience this is about as cheap as I can get them. Like you, I believe in pen and paper for learning. (I chuckle at your daughter's index cards--I used them a great deal in h.s. and college, and used to get packs of them, as well as legal pads, as Christmas gifts.)
ReplyDeleteLater in the evening, I gleaned three buckets of early apples from the trees at our old house. My tenant called and said to come get them before the deer did! Today's plan is to make and can applesauce. Yes, it's time consuming process, but I figure that start to finish, I will can about a year's supply of applesauce in about the same amount of time it would take for me to make the drive to the nearest Costco and purchase a case. The cost of canning lies in the time, and the cost of the lids and fuel. Besides, my family won't eat commercial applesauce anymore.
Finally, since I was in the area, I popped in my favorite thrift shop--proceeds go to the food bank. I found two lengths of fabric for the Christmas quilts I am working on in secret for under $5. It was a bit of a splurge, as I was challenging myself to a low spend month.
She loves her index cards! She uses them a lot for Spanish class, and she is going to perhap audit a French class and get some of her conversational French back-in anticipation of a UN internship and job some day! At conferences, I love when they give the nice notebooks as swag-the best for taking notes-I love them and make mine last. I have been known to stock up on composition books when they clearance them after school sales if they over bought. I got about 15 onne for under a quarter.
DeleteI had an unopened box for a dime each that may or not have made it out of the house. I bought these for my use, to give to people whose children needed them, and to students I tutored.
DeleteI would take the box to a register along with one notebook so the cashier could ring the 24 in the box with the UPC on the single one I had carried with the unopened box. That way, I did not have a bag of spiral notebooks or an opened box.
Oh, how neat you got to make a trip through Target. I would like to go to a grocery store, but I will wait for now.
ReplyDeletePeople did a nice job-spread out and away in the aisles-good distancing. That made me happy for the human race. We were in and checked out before closing. I didn't do any wandering though' just necessary aisles.
DeleteGood for you, we are still eating free garden produce and I want it to last forever.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely-it is God's reward for perseverance, which I have none. still, I will enjoy roadside and farmers market goodies.
DeleteWe all have shops we like to wander through don't we. My biggest draws are kitchen equipment (and I certainly don't need any more) and ceramic serving dishes (see above comment), so it's not a bad idea to just stay away. I'm looking forward to when my son starts setting his new home up though - although I reckon that's going to be at least a year away!
ReplyDeleteDon't get me started on kitchens stores! There is one in a tiny little town in Wisconsin that we visit with my sisters, and my next to me sisters and I just are called to it. I need nothing, but I find little things for the girls-metal straws, little cute bowls or ramekins. Love it. Andre will have a nice set up. Oh I wish he and my daughter could meet.
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