Thrifty Thursday to Start July

     Time to buckle up for the bumpy ride that may be the second half of the 2021. Things are opening, despite the vaccination goal not being met by today. I think pretty much every state now went ahead with the July 1 opening goal if they hadn't already. I still keep my mask handy and know with the variants, there are people at risk. Things are open and that means more places to spend our time, add to the stuff we accumulate, and spend money. Meanwhile, in my little world, I'm still tiring to be economical as we close the year  with my time, resources, and of course our money. Here's my recap.. 

Time

• Did I make good use of my time off last week? Well, I was able to jump back into work full force and had a bit of vigor and energy. It was time well taken even if I didn't do as much as I originally planned. 
  
• Spend hours on a rainy day purging my closet again with the goal of reducing by at least two, but hoping for  four, items of clothing for every new to me item I bought in the last year. I have done other purging, but this was a super purge.
•  DD1 dropped the clothes off for me as she works only about a mile from a Goodwill, saving me time. She got the receipt with the coupon for me as well! 
• Most of my trivia playing friends couldn't make it, and we got there late to a packed brewery. As we had to stand at the counter to pal, my daughter and I only played the first half, but then went for a short walk to  the river. I gave myself  permission to end an activity that while normally gives me joy, was not last night, but spending time with the girls always is. 

Resources  

• I used four frozen bananas to knock out some bread for weekend and to put in the freezer. 
• I used up quite a few odds and ends lingering in the freezer and refrigerator to avoid waste such as  1/2 bag of frozen meatballs, two fish fillets, a handful of pepperoni and odds and end cheeses. 
• Purchased two shirts and two bottoms, new to me, at thrift stores. All were in perfect condition and once washed and worn once, no different than bought brand new. 

Money

• It's my own money, but we got back $640 in medical reimbursement from my eye glasses. We already paid the bill with the others in June so this went right into savings. 
  
• DH had a earned perk deposited today as well into our bank account. 
• With eating down the fridge and freezer, I bought very few groceries this week, only necessities. Avoiding waste is great for cash flow and environment. I even sent DD2 with a watermelon that didn't get used the previous weekend to her friends lake cabin-saving her a bit of money and contributing to the food (even though the family said not to bring anything.)
• DD2 took leftovers three days this week for work. She has a smaller appetite in single meals, but is a healthy snacker, so the  small leftover amounts were perfect for her lunch, accompanied by yogurt, fruit, and carrots and hummus, any of which she might eat on a break. .
• No take out or meals out in the last week. 

     Nothing was a huge win, but also no savings were burdensome-just the regular things of life. Trying to stay on top of food waste is my biggest challenge and I'll continue to out effort there. It might mean oddly creative meals, but if we are fed  healthy meals with items we like, what does it matter if they are untraditional? How about you? What ways did you save or make good use of time? Are you open to eating  odd food combinations as aprt of a cleaning out the food stores effort? 

Thrift Haul

      Friday afternoon I took myself on a little Thrift jaunt. I had a few things in mind-a couple pairs of long shorts or capris style pants and neutralish short sleeve shirts. I also wanted to find a small plate or dish for the bar soap in the bathroom. DH keeps leaving his Dove bar on the built in little groove for soap in the sink itself. It melts then is really hard to clean. I had a fair amount of success stopping at both a Salvation Army and A goodwill up the road. At Salvation Army, I only looked at the blue tags, which were half off. It was slim in the shorts and capris area, but got two bargains on the following shirts at $1.99 each.

The tie die like fading adds a little interest
and the cut of the sleeves hides some arm jiggle.

Just a very basic pinstripe weave gray t-shirt,
but  it's long and tapered so not sloppy. 

     At Goodwill I found both these slightly below the knee khaki style for $2.99. They will  likely be my go to pants the rest of summer. 

     This pair was more expensive at a whopping $5.99, but  are a little dressier so will also work for the warm September days when I go back to the office. They still  are casual enough that I can pair with sneakers or flat sandals for happy hour. They hit as is just above the ankles, but also can be rolled into a cuff for a more casual look. 

     I hope neither fit me next summer, but for an investment of  $9.00, I'll get a very low cost per wear out of these if each are only worn once a week until the end of the warm weather this summer. 

     I found this small stone wear plate for $ .99 at Goodwill as well. It actually would go much better in the downstairs bathroom with green, but it will do the job  intended. Regardless, better than the cheapest soap dish at Walmart, Target or Kohls at  $1.99, or the plastic options at the Dollar Tree. 

     All together, I spent $14.02 and ended up with five items, two complete sets of tops or bottoms, with a mix and match option for four outfits. My only downfall in this trip was I should have been prepared to drop off another bag of  clothing. I'd have received a coupon for I think 20% off which would have saved me another $2.00 at Goodwill. I'm planning a  thrift store challenge with my girls this summer. I may even get some help and make a video out of it. It would be something along the lines of we each get a certain amount of money and have to find  specify things. Any ideas on what you'd like to see? Thanks for reading and indulging me sharing my little haul. 

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? 

The Everything Pants

I wasn't really looking for much of anything last Saturday when I wandered into the Goodwill while DD2 was taking her ACT test. I had just found the perfect shirt, on clearance for $16, but not thrifted prices. Still, wandering around the rows of tat, and well over priced second hand items like this French Press for $14.99 (WTF-which don't be shocked, really stands for What's This Foolishness).It was on the shelf in reverse, and I was interested at first and may have purchased if under $5.00 but this was crazy priced. While still with the box, it was not brand new.

I cringed when I saw the number of fondue pots on the shelves. Last year as a shower gift I spent nearly $30 on a fondue pot for my nieces wedding shower, picked from her Target registry. Wile for the large number of pots on the shelf, I thought $9.99 was too much, still for items that looked virtually unused, much better than a $30 item she will most likely use one time a year after the initial wonder of married life wears off. When my kids get married, I will definitely encourage them to look for these type items second hand. I have a love hate thought about gift registries. While people I know would genuinely appreciate the thought of  any gift given, I want to select something they personally have identified as a wish and a registry makes that so easy to do. On the other hand, I think it encourages putting things on the registry that likely will add to future clutter.

Back to my title story. After wandering the household items, I took a look in the clothing section. I love capris length pants in light weight materials. However, these boyfriend cut pants with cargo packets, rolled up they may have looked like capris, were on the shelf in my size. The color, a dark green, easily blends in with my current summery shirt wardrobe. Light weight, I determined hem perfect for vacation, and washed them immediately after purchasing and they went with me on business as well. I travelled with them cuffed, wearing tennis shoes, but unrolled them and added black flats and a black jersey top for the meetings. And the price, $7.99! True thifters would probably find them expensive, but there was no way these would stay on the shelf for a half price tag day. Either someone lost weight or gained weight because I can't imagine anyone parting with these pants. I also purchased a brand new, store tags still on, green checked shorts for $2.99, also perfect for summer travel, but a bit nice paired with my new white shirt. OK-I am truly done shopping. 

I have not spent  a lot of clothes this year, last Saturday setting me back $26 as I rounded the pennies up at GW. My thrifted pants earlier in the spring, the two jackets, a clearance tank top and spring shirt at Target and last Saturdays haul all come in well under $100.This does not count undergarment, socks, and tights, but even those I try and be careful about with my money. Thifting my wardrobe is my new game. I can thank DD1 for this. Considering I need a work, casual, and play wardrobe, I think I have done pretty well. I don't  want to think about fall, but I suspect I'll glean my closet and decide some replacements are needed. Before I rush to a mall, or even Kohl's or Target, I will continue to hit the thrift stores first.