Thursday, June 17, 2021

Thrifty Thursday-Staying Afloat

      I've not done  a Thrifty Thursday post for a while-though in honesty, even recapping the last moth might be challenging. I've mostly tried not to be wasteful with my time, resources, or my money. 75% of the ime I think I get it right for me, and then there are moments I chuck good intentions aside and binge watch something on the TV and order take out, without eating the entire food and some goes to waste. We are staying afloat in our thrifty  journey-nothing  spectacular in our savings, but we're not drowning in expenses, even with a lot of gift  giving events this time of year. We have some events and activities, but our calendars are still slowly rebuilding with a fair amount of caution. Sine so much is outside, the social aspect of life has greatly improved.  Here's a few highlights  of where I feel I used my time, resources, or money well. 

Time

  • Time was well spent with my immediate family, of course without DS, at the cabin.  
  • Had nights out with each of my daughters-free entertainment (See below.)
  • Stopped stressing (well as much as my  Type A brain allows) over  projects that need done in the house while I am so buried at work. 
  • Got approved to carry over hours into the new fiscal year. I also scheduled two days off in July, and two weeks in August. Work survived when I was out of the country in 2018 for two weeks in this same period of time, so I have decided it can work this year. 
  • Attended my friends son's graduation party. It was nice to talk with her a bit-has been a month since we last met up for a walk, and her daughter who was my younger daughters violin lesson partner. 
Resources  
  • We splurged financially on Chipotle on Tuesday. I had a brutal day, DD2 had burrito envy after a coworker had it for lunch, and DH was stuck late at work. The burritos are massive, and neither DD2 or I could finish, but we both ate the next  day, so did not water. Surprisingly, taking the chill out of the burrito was enough to  keep the cold items cold, but not bite into ice cold  veg rice, and beans. 
  • Rescued broccoli that got pushed to the back of the refrigerator-this happens too often as it doesn't fit in my veggie drawer. It went into a chicken salad, a chicken hotdish, and eaten raw with hummus. 
  • Used up the last of my hard seltzers before we buy more. I found a 6 pack of mixers on clearance ($2.00) and we had some other alcohol at the lake so we had a few cocktails on the cheap. 
  • Despite the draught. we have not  started watering our grass. Fingers crossed for rain that is desperately needed, but to use for lawns when it is needed for drinking and agriculture seems wasteful. 
  • However, I am keeping my  flower pots alive with watering from a pitcher each early  morning. 

Money

  • We had two rounds of free entertainment with the Improve by the river by the local theater group, and the city sponsored Thursday concert series. We made a donation to the theater bucket, but brought our own water and did not buy anything form the food truck at the concert.
  • DH did a lot of calling and comparison and found boat bumpers for a lot less than even Walmart and Fleet Farm were pricing them at. 
  • The gas mileage on the boat is much better than average, and that will help keep the cost per use affordable. 
  • I filled DD2's gas as I had used her car quite a bit running errands when mine was blocked in. I didn't have points, but they gave me a 5 cents per galon credit, saving a bit. Every nickel helps, right?
  • DD2 was eligible for the stimulus since she filed herself She didn't get the $600 paid last December, but the $1400. It will go as intended, living expenses in the fall. Lesson for anyone with college age students-really do the math as to how taxes and filing work. We are in a much higher tax bracket of course but if we can save for her  college with tax benefits now, I'll take it. I might sound hypocritical as I believe in fair and reasonable taxes for the good of society, but while paying a boat load of tuition and being eligible for no financial aid, I'm happy she can get the  resources for her college years. 
     Chipotle aside, I am using up fresh items that needed to be used in dinner meals and eating leftovers for lunch. I've not set a budget challenge for June since  my schedule is erratic and with DD2 starting her new job, we weren't sure how lunch opportunities would play out. I'm happy she has access to both a refrigerator and microwave so she can have more variety than sandwiches. This is not much different than when she was eating lunch at home, so a good way to keep the little to no food waste going. That's my list for this week. Have you had any new ways to save or any opportunities for free entertainment? WHere are you prioritizing your time and money this summer?

12 comments:

  1. It sounds like you are doing well Sam. I had strictly been working in my storage room this month, but since losing my sweet Beefy I've been pretty useless. I'm thinking about getting the Chinese lunch specials again tomorrow. They are only $6.95 each and is enough to feed us through the weekend. It's hard to cook for three nights for that price!

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    1. I'm sorry for your loss-I can understand not being productive when you are grieving. I agree-sometimes the lunch specials are so goo tha tyou can't cook for the price.

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  2. Well I am a bit upset over the garden as we eat out of it almost exclusively with meat thrown in and ow the beans and lettuce are gone. I love fresh green beans and they are just too expensive to buy.

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    1. Ar eyou still getting deer using your garden as a buffet? I agree produce has gotten really expensive, but cheaper than a bypass! I've trying so hard to make sure we get a minimum of our five a day.

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  3. We are prioritizing our money paying for some current home improvements and paying off past home improvements...like having to replace EVERY. SINGLE. PIPE in our house at which time we remodeled the bathroom that was literally a dirt pit, had installation installed since we were unaware we didn't have ANY, and then painting & residing said house.....SIGH.

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    1. At some point, we have to bite the bullet and just invest in the entire bathroom make over an dit will be expensive. The lipstick on a pig is n longer working for me. I'm really watching the nonsense spending so our savings toward sthat project can grow. I hear you though on prioritizing-rough to skip the little life wants to get a need and a major priority funded.

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  4. Thrifty? Don’t know her. Today is my daughter’s 17th birthday and we blew the budget today with breakfast and lunch out as well as pedicures. We also bought her a season pass to the local amusement park as well as a few little things to unwrap. She’s out with the boyfriend now, taking pictures at a eclectic outdoor art museum downtown (Randyland in Pittsburgh if you’re interested). The bf has a fancy iPhone so I’m hoping at least one pose could be used for senior pictures. That’s thrifty, right?! Other than that, I’ve been living at work or in the pool even when it’s a little chilly. It got down to 46 degrees here last night. I actually busted out a Sherpa this morning! So at least the air conditioning gets a break. I’m happy you’ve been enjoying the boat, it’s definitely on my dream list one day to have one. It’s my first day off of four in a row, a mini vacation of sorts with not much planned other than what strikes us. My son is off to New York this weekend for a fishing trip, we’ll visit my dad and have cake with him, maybe catch the post game fireworks at the Pirates game tomorrow. Very out of character for me, but I feel like I’m changing as a whole lately. Maybe some almost-post-pandemic enlightenment? Not sure, but I feel more Carpe Diem these days :) JoAnn

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    1. A former boss always bought her daughter the summer amusement park pass as she figured a tleast 2-3 times a week some group or another would be going there. It helped fill the summer. Ours is just a bit far so the pass never seemed to be a good deal. I envy a 46 degree night! We are sweltering, though Sunday the high is only supposed to be 74. We got a couple really great photos in France for my daughters senior pictures-I actually captured one of the best ones.

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  5. I admire your thriftiness, as I'm also a very thrifty person. I try not to have much food waste (I was disappointed to find some peppers turned to mush, so I need to use up the ones I have ASAP). Good for you for getting two meals out of your burritos!

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    1. The burrito was massive-literally the size of a baby! I tried to fill with good things though-fresh salsa, brown rice, the fajita vegetables, but of course there was guacamole, sour cream and cheese. I tossed a few wilty peppers in withthe broccoli hotdish, but have a couple to stuff for tonight's dinner. I think thrifting on things when possible means we can splurge on things that will give us better joy.

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  6. We have been reveling in the free bunny show around here. I am getting a hummingbird feeder for more entertainment.

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    1. I do love watching the bunnies and the ducks in the pond. It is like a free show.

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