Thursday, April 15, 2021

Thrifty Thursday-Mid-Month Edition

     By days end, April will be half over. We have had a cold, gray, and wet April, but things are greening up nicely. I'll take that, but sure will be happy when spring sunshine joins the grass greening and buds comin gout on trees. We're a month away form the lilacs and crab apple tree blossoms, but I am so enjoying the little peeks of cherry blossoms from   out East and the UK. That is what I miss about not travelling to DC in the spring time. If my youngest gets her opportunity to intern and perhaps work there, I will have reason to visit again. Viewing blooming flowers on trees ticks all my thrifty boxes of a good use of time, it is resource free, and costs nothing-travel excluded! Here are other ways I tried to economize this past week.

Time

  • Friday night book club was a good conversation both about the book and life and happenings. Next month, we are tentatively thinking we may actually meet in person, if the weather is nice and we can be outside.
  • Yay! both girls vaccination part one is done. DD1 had her second booked at the tie of the first appointment, but I helped the college kid get her second one scheduled near us because the Walmart near her school could not schedule at another store. By May 22nd, we four will all be two weeks post fully vaccinated. I have alerts on multiple calendars.  (As of today, my son is eligible in California and I hope he has success.)
  • I went with my older daughter and we made a Trader Joe stop with it, and picked up lunch. Later we watched a couple upcycling videos as she has a couple hand me down pieces with good bones.
  •  I'm glad we went with our daughter to look at the second house. She really wants to find something, but I think we are giving her the support she needs to not rush into a decision that ultimately wouldn't be right for her. On the bad front though, her annoying neighbor couple above her broke up again, and this time the very immature obnoxious  women is staying in the apartment. She sent an aggressive text to my daughter warning her that it was her birthday a couple weekends ago, and she was going to have a party that would likely be very loud. "as I know you tend to not like when we are too loud." WTH-who likes their neighbors being too loud  on weeknights when your trying to sleep. These were the idiots that moved in at midnight, and throughout the night, on April 1 of last year, with a slew of kittens that grew into loud cats that run around all day in what was supposed to be a pet free house. 
  •  Chatted both with my son, and he's doing OK, and the college kid a couple times. She's applying for a few internships and needed help figuring out something for one. 
Resources  
  • Trying to use up bits and bobs from the refrigerator and rescued apples for a crisp and blueberries for muffin bread.
  • Found a favorite shirt I hadn't worn in a while. It had a spot, but I was able to pretreat and let sit and it did come out. 
  • I really need new eye serum, but found a bottle pushed in the back of the medicine chest I forgot I had. There wasn't much in it, but a little of this brand goes a long way and I should get a good  week out of it, saving me another trip to Target until I need other things as well. 
  • DH got a few boxes broke down for the recycling pick-up. It was nice to get them out of the side of the garage. 
  • Placed a hold for the book club book, The Book Of Longings by Sue Kidd Monk. If I can get by April 30th, I should have plenty of time to read it, so fingers crossed it will be available. 
  • My college daughter had her induction in a Spanish Language Collegiate Honor society last night. She shared that she wore the black dress that she has had for four years, bought for $3 at a thrift store, with the  jacket her older sister gave her, bought on 80%  discount, but then decided it didn't fit her comfortably after washing. That dress probably has a cost per wear of 30 cents, and it is such a basic dress, I can't imagine she'll give it up until it disintegrates. Not my thrifty resource, but thought I'd share that I raised her frugally well! 

Money

  • I earned enough points for another $5.00 Target card through Microsoft rewards. I keep forgetting days or I could be earning as much as  a gift card a month. It's not much I know, but I like the trivia part of the rewards program-its fun and how often can you earn anything on a hobby?
  • I did a survey for another $3  Amazon reward. I would have preferred something else, but the choices were things not near me. 
  • My statement came for the small life insurance from my dad's account. We pretty much just let it sit as it gains 3% interest, unheard of in a bank account. We could pull it all out and  invest it elsewhere for  hopes of a bigger gain and folks may think it's dumb I am not. We consider this part of the liquid emergency fund-it's there if we would need it, but earns a lot more than any other liquid fund source we have. Unfortunately, we can't add to it.
     The week was underwhelming in the thrift area due to my splurges at Trader Joe's. Considering though that was the height of my entertainment for the week, pretty cheap as I got to bring home my bounty. We also had some expenses that were irregular such as gifts, and the cost of the honor program dues. There's always something so I try for a balance in  thrift and splurge. How was the week on your end? 

18 comments:

  1. Nothing extraordinary this week. Paid a bill ahead for three months and saved $13. Did my usual grocery savings apps and a smaller than average grocery shop this week. I do think I need to re-evaluate our shopping and budget. With my husband only being home for dinner and taking small, easy to eat things for breakfast and lunch, my son often not needing lunches for work since they have lunch provided, me eating differently and usually not being home for dinner time, my daughter out with the bf a few evenings a week, I feel like I can adjust meals and stretch things out. We had an abundance of food early in the week and it was a push to get it all eaten up, causing some over-eating, I’m sure. Maybe two smaller grocery trips a week? The thought of grocery shopping twice is exhausting though! As I’m writing this, I’ve decided to start a use it up challenge for myself :) And we’ll go from there. Happy Thursday! Looking for ward to a long weekend off. JoAnn

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    1. When I find I eel I have been wasteful and over shopping, that's when I go into my self challenge modes. Making you could see if you could go a full week without any shopping, or shopping for nothing more than essentials that you are out of. Enjoy your long weekend-you don't get many of them.

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  2. You had a lot of great wins this week. We had a spendy weekend in Sonoma, so this week has been more about using a few grocery store rewards, paying our taxes (not frugal at all, but good to check that box), making meals at home with the six of us, & enjoying our time with my parents.

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    1. It was good to not have our tax bill lingering as well. I feel like June might be a challenge month for me-but not sure what it will be yet. I'm so glad you are enjoying your time with your parents.

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  3. Unfortunately nowadays 3% interest is "da bomb"! Leave it there until rates are out of the toilet....if they ever are again in our lifetime. ;-)

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    1. It's increased in value 40% in seven years and if we let it sit until I retire, it will have doubled in value. for having so many kids, my dad planned well and provided a little boost to each of our families. I want to make sure we do not squander it and save for when it might really be needed, or just left to grow.

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  4. I feel sorry for your daughter having inconsiderate neighbours. Whenever I have lived in an apartment I have been pretty lucky, thank goodness. One of my colleagues, however, had a couple above them who made noise all through the night, every night, banging doors and yelling and so on. Eventually Christine had had enough and since she knew this couple slept during the day she went up and rang their doorbell constantly until she got them out of bed - just so they knew what it felt like! She's pretty bolshy though - not sure I could do that!

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    1. It's so different from when she moved in when the upstairs and downstairs were both great neighbors. She never hears boo from the downstairs, but the upstairs is a very young and immature 21 year old that doesn't realize she is loving in a family neighborhood, in 100+ year old house that is not sound proof. To make it worse, my daughter is so sound sensitive that she really hears any chaos.

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  5. Sounds like a good week Sam. Here's to a great upcoming weekend - cheers!

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    1. It is set to be a quiet weekend. Back to my cleaning list.

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  6. I can sympathize with the noise since I had people partying next door with doors open, music blaring, do barking when I had to drive at in the am to a college 230 miles away for a morning class at Auburn. They partied every thursday night, a bunch of college kids.

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    1. that sounds very rough as well. You drove 230 miles away for a call? How often?

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  7. Hey just getting the kids vaccinated is the biggest win of all!

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  8. Congratulations to your younger daughter on her honor induction! Sounds like she has the perfect dress. Good luck with the internship programs. My kid is looking at programs in D.C. and Nashville, but not sure what will happen. Covid has derailed so many plans and hopes and dreams.
    Ugh sorry about the loud neighbors. I surely don't miss apartment living, and I hope your daughter can find a home that she loves.
    Hope you have a great weekend.

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    1. My daughter rents an apartment that is part of a converted huge old house-she has main floor. The upstairs girl is the loud one. She didn't have these issues in her apartment in Wisconsin. this is a huge motivator to find a house.

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  9. I feel for your daughter. We had a neighbour who partied until 6am regularly. It was a nightmare but I got her evicted then put my house up for sale and moved.
    I've kept myself entertained today painting a headboard and bedside tables using paint etc from the garage.

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    1. It's not fun sleeping for sure. And she loves her home other wise. Projects keep piling in my list.

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