What Small Things Did You Do Today to Save Money?

[thyme4change]

I ate breakfast at home. My son wanted to go out. It was tempting.

[Apple]

Not my money, but I saved my parent's money by fixing their kitchen drain on my way home from work.  Cost me $9 (for a new p-trap and connecting pipe, as well as a mini-hacksaw since I didn't want to drive home to get mine, and didn't want to wake them up to find out where their saw was, and now I have a mini hacksaw...)  It saved them $$ because they would have had to pay a plumber.  For probably the first time ever, it was a quick job and I had it done in less than an hour, including buying parts and grocery shopping while I was at the store (the busy one I skipped yesterday, but only got what I needed, not what I had wanted).

[chiver78]

Jan 4, 2018 10:54:58 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

So glad to see folks posting here!

Similar to Gardening Grandma , I need to go through the freezer to use up a few items.  My monthly grocery trip isn't until the 15th, and it's almost time to get creative. 

@bamafan1954 , I have the same situation with my glasses as far as trying as hard as possible to avoid a Coke bottle situation.  And, I learned the hard way even with the special lenses, mine are too thick to go frame-less.    I do have progressives, and absolutely love them.

Apple , yes, that thread is HUGE!  I'm behind about 20 pages, LOL.

Small things I did last night:
Made my own taco seasoning blend.  I've been doing this for several years, as this avoids the fillers found in the ready-made envelopes.  Linda's Taco Seasoning

Made a pork roast in the Crock Pot which will give us about 6 servings.

Made hot tea to start using up the aging stockpile before buying any new flavors.

I've got a canister of Old El Paso taco seasoning in the cabinet for my roommate, but I always wing it when it comes to whatever I'm eating. Linda's blend sounds an awful lot like what I typically mix up, at least as far as what goes in the bowl. I don't use xantham gum or MSG, but I do add Mexican oregano and crushed red pepper. good find

[chiver78]

today I batch cooked a big pot of soup and taco seasoned chicken for salads this week. yesterday, though....I had one of my better showings as a couponer. pre-savings tally was $196, post-coupons was $107. for those of you with a Stop & Shop nearby, Nature Made vitamins (I take 5000mg of D3 daily) are BOGO.

[Iggy aka IG]

Good to see everyone here!

Apple, I so envy you for having a GO nearby!  I've heard really good things about them.  And, WTG on the plumbing fix. 

mamasita99, sorry to hear about your power outage.  Good job on compensating for the fridge and freezer!

Chive, our local grocery store offers downloadable e-coupons to their value card from their website.  If one signs up, they sometimes send coupons in the mail, oftentimes the packet includes a coupon for a free item.    DH is even  remembering to use paper coupons occasionally.

Speaking of DH, he received an anonymous gift basket for Christmas.  In it was a less desirable pint of whiskey.  He added it to his regular bottle last night "to stretch his alcohol dollars".  Not sure if I would mix my pleasures like that, but still proud of him. 

Had a good weekend.  I made too much almond flour and parmesan breading last night, and instead of immediately starting to dredge the sliced eggplant into it, I put half into a container, labeled it, and put it into the fridge.

We moved out of town last year, and the nearest newspaper stand is about 20 minutes away.  I gently reminded DH he needn't go into town on weekends just for a newspaper because it's available online.  Saw him one of the evenings reading it on his laptop.  Win!  Saves fuel, paper, and trashcan bulk.  The downside is a lack of Sunday coupons....

Smaller things:  I wash my (dry) hair 3x a week instead of daily.  Saves shampoo, conditioner, water, and electricity (hair dryer).

Since the oven was already on Saturday night while making nachos, I toasted some spicy nuts.  Saved on propane.

I went around the rec room and unplugged at least 4 things we don't regularly use.

The usual only run the dishwasher and washer with full loads.  If clothes weren't completely dry, I hung them about the laundry room.

Reduced my food and alcohol intake starting last Tuesday.  Saves money, and I'm down 7 pounds. 

[Apple]

Iggy aka IG sounds like you've been doing great!

I used the $5 gift certificate/coupon thing.  For a want   I had to pay $1 over, but that's ok, it was something I've been looking for for a while-- spice jars with shaker holes on top (that you can cover).  They are tiny Mason jars, which just happens to be a bonus.  And the lids will fit a narrow mouth jar if I want to use it on a bigger container.  

Dinner was homemade pizza, using up my sloppy joe leftovers with homemade pizza sauce (out of the pantry), and homemade crust.

I have curly hair, so I don't wash it daily either.  Shampoo/conditioner every two or three days, with just water rinses in between.  It usually looks/behaves the best the day after I wash it.  I use to do "no-poo", but if I've found if I just use a pea-size bit of shampoo, and about twice that much conditioner, it works really well.

[megaptera]

Had a friend over for breakfast (that I made) instead of meeting her at a restaurant. 

[Gardening Grandma]

Logged onto DirecTV and switched to a less expensive package (after they raised their rates)

[Iggy aka IG]

Gardening Grandma, good for you.  Last year DH reduced our satellite package to the next tier down reducing the bill by $30/mo.    I do miss my ESPN and Bravo, however....

I brought my afternoon snack from here at the office to eat between errands yesterday instead of stopping at a drive-thru.  I was running past dinner, so I was thankful for the mini beef stick in my purse eaten on the way home.

One of the errands was getting my tires rotated for free.  The place I go to includes free future rotating, etc. when you buy new from them.

[Gardening Grandma]

Jan 10, 2018 11:20:12 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

Gardening Grandma , good for you.  Last year DH reduced our satellite package to the next tier down reducing the bill by $30/mo.    I do miss my ESPN and Bravo, however....

I brought my afternoon snack from here at the office to eat between errands yesterday instead of stopping at a drive-thru.  I was running past dinner, so I was thankful for the mini beef stick in my purse eaten on the way home.

One of the errands was getting my tires rotated for free.  The place I go to includes free future rotating, etc. when you buy new from them.

I’d cancel them if DH would let me get away with it.  I’m happy to stream a movie now and then.

[tallguy]

Next stop was Grocery Outlet (my other favorite store

Grocery Outlet is awesome.  I just filled a big bag with nothing over a dollar.  According to them I spent $17.72 and saved $66.19 with a couple things not even on sale.  Good thing there was still a little freezer space left.

[Deleted]

Jan 9, 2018 18:39:02 GMT -5 Gardening Grandma said:

Logged onto DirecTV and switched to a less expensive package (after they raised their rates)

Have you ever tried negotiating with them?  I do it once a year.  I simply call and say, "I love your company" (I've been a customer since 2004), but I really can't afford to pay more than x.

It works with both them and the cable company for my internet/land line.  

I haven't been notified that they've gone up, but it will be ok.  They cut it about $20 more a month than usual this time.

[Gardening Grandma]

Jan 10, 2018 17:59:03 GMT -5 @bamafan1954 said:

Jan 9, 2018 18:39:02 GMT -5 Gardening Grandma said:

Logged onto DirecTV and switched to a less expensive package (after they raised their rates)

Have you ever tried negotiating with them?  I do it once a year.  I simply call and say, "I love your company" (I've been a customer since 2004), but I really can't afford to pay more than x.

It works with both them and the cable company for my internet/land line.  

I haven't been notified that they've gone up, but it will be ok.  They cut it about $20 more a month than usual this time.

Definitely worth a try

[chiver78]

Iggy, I am signed up through that store's frequent shopper program. I still try to use paper coupons from the Sunday delivery (I have Sunday only, which also affords me access to the online content without additional fees) where I can. 

tonight, I decided to pull a can of soup out of my desk drawer for dinner rather than use a B1G1 50% off teaser from the Chinese place near the office since I haven't been there in a couple months. $1 instead of $15? although that savings was kind of negated by having gone out to lunch before work. but still. I'll take it. 

[Deleted]

Jan 10, 2018 18:31:11 GMT -5 Gardening Grandma said:

Jan 10, 2018 17:59:03 GMT -5 @bamafan1954 said:

Have you ever tried negotiating with them?  I do it once a year.  I simply call and say, "I love your company" (I've been a customer since 2004), but I really can't afford to pay more than x.

It works with both them and the cable company for my internet/land line.  

I haven't been notified that they've gone up, but it will be ok.  They cut it about $20 more a month than usual this time.

Definitely worth a try

It IS worth a try.  They gave me $60 a month off for 12 months . . . with a 12-month contract.  It worked for us.  

We don't get premiums or the packages like NFL Sunday.  So I think it's the loyalty angle.  Thirteen years (in 2017) is a very long time to be with them.

[dogmom]

I'm finding being more organized around the house (especially the kitchen) is a way to save money. 

The example, DH put a cleaning item on the shopping list.  He doesn't shop, but, I do.  Credit to DH, he did look in the cabinet where the item would be, but, because it was disorganized, he didn't see it.  Honestly, at first glance, neither did I, but, I couldn't imagine being out of it.  So, this morning, I cleaned out the cabinet.  (I should cross post this on what I wasted money on)  We had three of the item. .

[hopetoberich]

I agree. We don't buy things cos we can't find them if its tidy.

Bought lunch to work again. Can't remember the last time i ate out.

[Blonde Granny]

I decided to stay at home today, and to not drive to Popeyes to get dinner, and instead make something at home.

[Deleted]

I guess this could also go on the "what I wasted money on" thread, too, dogmom.  Short of not spending, almost any non-necessity might go there.

We went to Ruby Tuesday's for lunch.  We usually eat out once a week.  We had ribs.    

We also had a coupon and drank water.  

Small things but they contained the damage.

[weltschmerz]

Didn't leave the house.

[Apple]

My furnace died. Easy fix, $16 part. Called all over town to find anyone open today (one guy called back, but he'd have to order the part). So, I ordered from Amazon with "express" shipping to get it Monday ($4 extra, but I'll be out of town on Tuesday/Wednesday), but told the guy to order one as well, and I'd pick it up (only if under $30, I'll keep whichever part comes second as a spare). Until then, I'm thankful for warm temps (in the 40s and 50s), and the fact that I can light it manually (with a long lighter).

So, $50 max out of pocket, instead of probably $300 for an "emergency weekend service call". Where any company I could have got to my house probably wouldn't have had the part in stock either. And, I'll be ready to replace it when it fails again in (hopefully several) years.

I was tempted to stop buy and get breakfast at a fast food place while I was out and about looking for the part (one place is kind of a trash/treasure/used piles of stuff place that I love for finding random parts).  I was in the Burger King parking lot, checked to see if I had a coupon, I didn't.  So, I went home instead.

[Deleted]

DH fixed my 25 year old recumbent bike.  A replacement bike would have cost at least $500 used, replacing the bad board would have been $125, instead he replaced a bad resistor for $1.03.  Having someone so mechanically inclined is priceless!! 

I love keeping the stuff I already have. 

[dee27]

Jan 14, 2018 17:57:16 GMT -5 @pooks said:

DH fixed my 25 year old recumbent bike.  A replacement bike would have cost at least $500 used, replacing the bad board would have been $125, instead he replaced a bad resistor for $1.03.  Having someone so mechanically inclined is priceless!! 

I love keeping the stuff I already have. 

Mine just needed a new battery for the display, but it was a pain to open the case to replace it.

[Gardening Grandma]

Tried my hand at making yogurt.  My favorite purchased yogurt is $5.50/quart.  I buy a quart about once a week.   We buy 4 gal of milk for $3.68, so a quart of milk is .23.   I used a half cup of the existing yogurt and 1 Tbs of sugar to culture the yogurt.   Surprising how easy it was.

That's a savings of $5.27/quart or about $21.08/month

[Artemis Windsong]

One grocery store with a gas station extension has products that give money off the gas.  I gassed up and used my 8 cents.  A person can buy items up to $3.44 off per gallon.  Some items are in the ad and some are posted at the product.

Frys, Loaf and Jug and Smiths also have the rewards but you don't know what you have accumulated until fueling up.  Their are points on all items.  The frequent buyer card is good at all 3.

[Artemis Windsong]

Iggy:  Check into Zinnyoptical.com.  All you have to have is your eye Rx and measure between pupils which your eye doctor can give you.  Go online and choose frames and lenses.  Big cost savings.  There is a quick turn around.  H. had zero problem with the ones he has ordered.  He can adjust his own but nothing like the glasses he got here in town.  Several trips back to get them fitted correctly.

[hopetoberich]

Sunday is a good day for a free lunch in costco.
Fruits and vegetables and protein and carbs plus drinks.

Then i bought 3 on sale things saving $11.

Red lobster cheese biscuits mix is 13 cents per biscuit not uncluing the cheese. On sale. I now hsve 4 boxes enough for 100 biscuits. Won't be buying bread for a long time.

[dee27]

Jan 14, 2018 21:15:55 GMT -5 hopetoberich said:

Sunday is a good day for a free lunch in costco.
Fruits and vegetables and protein and carbs plus drinks.

Then i bought 3 on sale things saving $11.

Red lobster cheese biscuits mix is 13 cents per biscuit not uncluing the cheese. On sale. I now hsve 4 boxes enough for 100 biscuits. Won't be buying bread for a long time.

What is the expiration date for the biscuit mix? If you cannot use the four boxes of mix before the expiration date, you would need to add leavening to the dry ingredients so that your biscuits do not bake as hard as hockey pucks.

[hopetoberich]

Ah, well I'll sell those outside the ice rink.

[Blonde Granny]

I spent $20 for lunch today after church, and it was worth twice that much!!! Came home, changed into some snuggly Cudl Duds and ended up in bed at 8 PM. Just another day is my oh so boring life.