What Small Things Did You Do Today to Save Money?

[Sharon]

Today I really wanted Pot roast for dinner.  I'm tired and stressed and that is what I wanted.  At the store there were several to choose from.  The ones with the buy by today date were 6.99lb, ones with a buy by date of 2-13 were $4.99lb.  The one I really wanted was one of the $6.99lb ones.  I pointed out the price discrepancy to the butcher and asked him if he had any leeway to lower the price.  He marked it down to $4.99lb saving me around $7 on my roast.  My roast is in the oven.

[Iggy aka IG]

Some of the winners at the grocery store last night:

~2 large bottles of vitamin C for $12.69 as they were BOGO and I had 2 e-coupons

~Got a $8.19 can of pecans for $4.99 also thanks to e-coupons

~Deli sliced turkey was $1.25 off w/ an e-coupon

~A package of Sargento cheese was free thanks to an e-coupon

(I forgot to check my paper coupons before going in.)

I only saved 18% overall.  And, it's true, picking up the order outside does save money.  I figured I added at least $25 to my order by buying impulse cauliflower crust pizzas, and an extra bag of shrimp, since it was on sale.  However, going inside does help with comparing prices, if one isn't brand loyal.

[Deleted]

I didn't go to Goodwill for their Tuesday 25% discount day for seniors. If I'd gone and found something to buy, I'd have saved 25% of the price. Since I didn't go and therefore didn't buy anything, I saved 100%.

[catsareme]

Picked up two pieces of beef in the Manager's Clearance Bin to marinate for fajitas.  The larger piece was double-bagged with the marinade and put in the freezer the other piece we'll grill in a couple of days.  

[Deleted]

I saved money by going to Costco and totally restraining myself while there.

All I bought were trash bags, women's vitamins, and a 35-ct flat of diet coke.  The trash bags and vitamins were part of Costco's "coupon" sale this month.  The diet cokes were basically the same price as at a grocery store on sale ($9.99 for the flat).  That way I stayed out of another store, which saved me more money.

[Iggy aka IG]

I made DH a candy bouquet for Friday:  Cut off the top half of a chips can, put tubes of Reese's Pieces, M &M's, a stick with 4 marshmallow hearts on it, and a chocolate long stemmed rose inside, then wrapped the lower half in leftover red tissue and ribbon from Christmas.  Total cost was $4 for the candy.  I also bought him a card, but cannot remember how much it cost.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! 

[Deleted]

I haven't been out to spend money today, but it's only noon. There's still time to either save or go hog wild

[Deleted]

Since I have been fixing up the house, I noticed how bad my kitchen towels look.  They still dry, etc., but some are frayed and others just look worn.

Costco has  8 kitchen towels on sale for $9.99.  I put the others in the rag pile for cleaning up Abby's accidents.

[TheOtherMe]

Before my parents moved up here, they did not have a dishwasher.  Mom's stack of towels were always full of holes.  I always asked her why I was using the towels because they didn't dry the dishes and didn't she have any nicer towels.  She always told me no.

I now have a stack of brand new dish towels from her house.

[Deleted]

Feb 15, 2020 15:47:43 GMT -5 @bamafan1954 said:

Since I have been fixing up the house, I noticed how bad my kitchen towels look.  They still dry, etc., but some are frayed and others just look worn.

Costco has  8 kitchen towels on sale for $9.99.  I put the others in the rag pile for cleaning up Abby's accidents.

Remember kitchen towels from the olden days? They were usually muslin, sometimes from flour sacks, always white, always big, and wore like iron. I have three that MIL's friend gave her when she gave up her house and moved to assisted living. They were about 50 years old at the time, and MIL gave them to me about 25 years ago. They aren't worn, and don't have any holes or thin spots. Not kidding. I still use them because they actually dry dishes. I don't like the terry ones that seem to be all we can buy anymore. From time to time, I've seen all cotton kitchen towels, but they're too small.

One more thing...I didn't spend any money today. A trip to Home Depot's garden department didn't cost real money because I'm using up gift cards that I got for my birthday and Christmas.

[catsareme]

On our last two shopping trips we purchased only what was on our lists.  No small feat since one of our stops was Costco.  

[ilovedolphins]

I am going to try and curb my impulse spending.  Amazon is where I probably spend my most money so I need to stay off there.  I started using coupons so I saved 50cents on bath tissue yesterday.

[Deleted]

I went to Home Depot to buy grass seed mats to keep the seed and soil from washing away but used the last of my gift cards, and there's only $1.66 left on it. I didn't use any real money. There wasn't enough grass seed to cover what needed to be reseeded. A small sack of grass seed is about $15. It'll wait until tomorrow.

Not going anywhere else today except out for dinner with DD and her posse, but I don't have to pay for it.

[ilovedolphins]

My mom passed away last month so today I went through some of her shampoo and conditioner and may have enough to last me for many years.

[jerseygirl]

I ‘inherited’ my sister’s Irish Spring body wash. I think of her every shower!

[Deleted]

I went to BBB to look for a new tablecloth for the sunroom.  I moved one of those long folding tables in there, and I can't find a tablecloth to fit it.  I am going to have to buy one that is too big and cut it down.

But what I did find were valances on clearance for my bedroom.  With a coupon, I spent $16 + tax.  They aren't perfect, but I had already installed the brackets.  It annoyed me a lot to see brackets with nothing up there.  I'll move these to the office where they will be fine once I decide on a bedspread, etc. for the bedroom.  Unlike the Laura Ashley ones I bought and returned on Amazon, these hang straight!

[Iggy aka IG]

Sorry for your loss, ilovedolphins . 

To celebrate my birthday, I went to a ranch resort for a few days.  While that didn't save money, in the past, I would have taken a flight three states over, rented a car, etc.  I also saved elsewhere by bringing snacks and beverages for the cabin I stayed in.  I also cancelled the facial I'd scheduled and received a refund for my deposit.

ETA:  I brought home leftovers including half a burger, and 1/3 of my cheesecake dessert.  DH is welcome. 

[Blonde Granny]

I had pizza for lunch after church yesterday and brought half of it home. Likely pizza tonight before I head out to a meeting.

Still working on the freezer so lunch today was a Walmart brand of frozen chili with chicken and white beans. Had 1 C for lunch and it is really really good. That remaining will be for lunch tomorrow.

[Deleted]

It all depends on how you look at it. Yesterday I ran out of grass seed. This morning I went to Kroger to get a Home Depot gift card and used $15 of it to buy more grass seed. So I spent $25 to buy the card, but Kroger doubles fuel points on Home Depot cards but got 50 fuel points. 100 points means $.10/gal off the cost of gas. So far this month, I've got 290 points because DS buys his groceries at Kroger and uses my Kroger key tab when he pays. 

This doesn't sound like much, but by the end of each month there's usually between $.50 and $1.00 in fuel points. That's a help when it's time to fill up.

[Blonde Granny]

I got gas yesterday at Sams Club for $1.92 gal. Of course, I followed a woman to the pumps only to discover Sams is like Costo...supposed to drive in from a line. Sheesh, if we would have done that there would have been 2 pumps just sitting there. Screw came to mind.

[Iggy aka IG]

Oh, yes, I forgot Saturday I received a free birthday Starbucks coffee, and then a free dessert (yum, creme brulee....) later that day after supper. 

[catsareme]

One of our local stores is closing and the clearance sale started today.  We did a big stock-up on suet cakes for our feathered friends.  At .75/cake we felt the price was too good to pass up.  Several boxes of canning lids, a few miscellaneous clothing items and a piece of Lodge cast iron cookware also found their way into our cart.  I didn't go over our monthly budget in any category but our shopping for the month, except for basic groceries, is definitely done!  

[Deleted]

Feb 17, 2020 18:20:07 GMT -5 catsareme said:

 Several boxes of canning lids, a few miscellaneous clothing items and a piece of Lodge cast iron cookware also found their way into our cart.  

C'mon. You know you don't need the Lodge cookware... I will do you the great favor of taking it off your hands because I'm really nice and helpful that way

[catsareme]

Feb 17, 2020 18:43:23 GMT -5 @missrigby said:

Feb 17, 2020 18:20:07 GMT -5 catsareme said:

 Several boxes of canning lids, a few miscellaneous clothing items and a piece of Lodge cast iron cookware also found their way into our cart.  

C'mon. You know you don't need the Lodge cookware... I will do you the great favor of taking it off your hands because I'm really nice and helpful that way

Mmmmm, yeah riiight….. 
Perhaps, many years from now, you can try to pry it out of my cold dead hands but not before.  

[Deleted]

Feb 17, 2020 19:57:36 GMT -5 catsareme said:

Feb 17, 2020 18:43:23 GMT -5 @missrigby said:

C'mon. You know you don't need the Lodge cookware... I will do you the great favor of taking it off your hands because I'm really nice and helpful that way

Mmmmm, yeah riiight….. 
Perhaps, many years from now, you can try to pry it out of my cold dead hands but not before.  

You say that because you know you're safe...I won't be around many years from now. Or if I am, I certainly won't be cooking. I don't think they allow it in the memory care unit of the nursing home!

[Iggy aka IG]

Feb 17, 2020 15:18:37 GMT -5 Iggy aka IG said:

Oh, yes, I forgot Saturday I received a free birthday Starbucks coffee, and then a free dessert (yum, creme brulee....) later that day after supper. 

And I had two free movie passes from volunteering last fall.  We watched the new Harley Quinn movie. 

[Deleted]

I only went to the dentist today so no checking or savings accounts have been harmed, nor was the $40 I had in my pocket. Yay me.

[countrygirl2]

I spent $19 at Walmart and $5 for lunch for DD.  I got a small paint roller for hubs and a brace for my hand plus 2 packs of Vanity Fair napkins for $1.50 each. But then $23 for 3 Subway dinners for us. I wasn't using my hands to peel, cut, and fix dinner tonight and DD and I have enough left for my lunch tomorrow and for her tomorrow night. But that's it so not to bad I guess.  Nothing from Amazon or the grocery store.

[catsareme]

Picked up the Safeway freebie:  a 24-pack of Refreshe bottled water.  I also redeemed my Safeway Monopoly ticket for a free 80 count box of tissues.  The only item I paid for was a tomato (.64) for last night's dinner of BLT sandwiches.

Kept to our shopping list and bought only OJ at Fred Meyer.  Since we were in the area we filled up the car using our .30 Fred Meyer gas reward.

[Gardening Grandma]

We got a notice that we are required to have a septic inspection yearly. Instead of paying someone $150 to $250 to do it, we have the option to take online classes and do it ourselves.

Took the first lesson yesterday and passed the first test.