Thrifty Thursday-Back to Slow and Steady

      I'm back to looking for economies even if small. As we get closer to the holidays, and more uncertainty abounds, I want to turn my attention to being prepared with  things to have a modest celebration while know things will be different. I want other families to have this as well, so plan to look where we can  increase donations, or give to new causes that are helping. It still is important to me to live my life in was that are not wasteful, knowing though time waste is a big thing for me, though we all have different definitions. Waste not  on resources continues to be  a goal. Here's what I came up with in my categories of time, resources and money, reaching back as far as October 3rd for a few since I did a non-traditional Thrifty Thursday last week. . 

      Time 

• Needless to sat taking a whole week unplugged from work was well worth the bit of stress to play catch-up. Most issues were dealt without me, and I was able to resolve the few lingering things by mid-week. I must remember I am not that important, while remembering my own mental health and physical health is that important. 
• This was the previous Saturday, but spending the morning, even after oversleeping, with my daughter, venturing out of my bubble, safely, was time well spent. I helped her an my niece a touch as they keep moving the steps forward on their non-profit business.
• The 12 hour round trip on October 4th was worth it to see our youngest. She is doing well, but is waiting for a Covid test result right now as a friend of a friend was at a party with at least one person that went to the party likely while with the virus. Technically not a close contact, but because they all live in the dorms, she wanted to know for sure she is clear.
• I'm embarrassed to say we hiked and walked a park that has been within an hour for home my whole life, yet I've never been. It's on my list, even if we need to bundle up, for when my younger daughter is home, and will not be  stranger in future spring, summer, and fall.
• My daughter and I took a long walk Tuesday night-I had baked the spaghetti dish, then turned off oven to keep warm. I hadn't really talked to her since October 3rd when we had our morning out. 

Resources

• I wasn't going to mention the spaghetti again, but since I froze one of the re-made dishes and we ate it for dinner Tuesday night, plus I had for lunch on Wednesday, we truly wasted none of it. 
• All fresh foods were used at the cabin. We did not overbuy and waste any food, which happens too often on vacation weeks. We probably over ate pizza, having bought two and each making two meals (one 1/2 brought home with us). It was reminiscent of when we went to Florida back in 2004, and our older daughter who was 13 at the time, then a vegetarian, but not yet vegan, pretty much ate pizza every single day on vacation.
• October 15 and we still have met the no heat target. We hear though snow in Duluth, so not sure what temperatures will mean down here If it drops below 60 consistently even in the daytime in the house, we may turn on. DH was already thinking about it last night.
• I don't know what is up with my Keurig. It will work for a day or two, then decide not to. I unplug and leave, then it works again. I'm trying the little tricks mentioned here and looking on line to see if I can figure out the problem consistently. Until then, on days it works, I'm using up the last of the K Cups I bought last year after Christmas. I' debating if I need a new reusable one. While I wash it after every use, I think there might be particles in the fine mesh that aren't getting out. I'm going to try to soak in vinegar first. 

Money

• I did a survey for a $2 Amazon reward and another $2 bill came in the mail from a prior survey.  
  
• I think a big money win was only eating out one time on vacation, and picking up one local pizza place. Well, the store was not really a pizza place, more a  jack of all things kind of country store that makes a really good Take and Bake pizza in their deli/meat/cheese counter. We were happy to support two very small and local businesses. 
• I finally got DH to get a new pair of tennis shoes. It was more taking the time to replace, not for lack of money-he just gets funny about taking the time to get personal purchases taken care of. (He needs new jeans and I might just order them for him!) He was fortunate to find a brand he likes, for a good 30% less than he has paid for shoes in the past. Funny enough, it was at a store near the lake.
• I met the maximum 401 K deferment so now my checks are a lot higher through the end of the year. We will bank as much as we can as the future is still pretty uncertain, particularly for our son who is holding on financially, but by a thread. We have tuition again to pay in January and an elective  medical expense in the near future.

     I need to tally where we are with household and groceries, Take Out and other forms of meals and entertainment, but October looks like it will be a thrifty month in those areas for the most part. The $504 additional plumber was disheartening as we enter our families seasons of celebrating more birthdays and holidays. Still, as so many pointed out, it was caught before huge amounts of damage was done in the kitchen. So we are back to slow and steady spending and saving, finding activities to do that keep us busy and bring smiles, joy, and contentment. How about your week? Are any of you having any wins in the savings area? An new ways to earn a little side money as we head into the colder months?