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?