Five Frugal Things

FFT is a roundup of frugal activities I share – both to inspire you (I love reading these posts from other frugal bloggers!) and to keep myself accountable. This post contains affiliate links.

I got 80,000 bonus points on my credit card.

I sometimes open a new card with a really sexy opening bonus. This time it was the Chase Sapphire Preferred Rewards card. I used it for automated bill payments and was rewarded with 80,000 bonus points (value: $800).

Credit card “churning” is a fun option for people who only use credit cards to pay bills. If you’re tempted to overspend, I don’t advise it. But if you do what I do and pay off your card before incurring interest charges, churning is a fun and valuable hobby!

I got a $17 refund from Google flights.

I booked my Spirit airlines trip on Google flights. I had no idea they had a price guarantee! I didn’t have to do a thing to get it either, I got an email saying $17 had been added to my Google pay account. I transferred it to my bank. Nice!

I cancelled my trial Apple TV subscription before I was charged.

I wanted to watch the Silo series, so I signed up for a free 3 month trial. I liked the first episode, but the next few were too slow-moving for me. I also find Rebecca Ferguson’s frozen face (courtesy of Botox) distracting and annoying. She can’t make any expressions, and the lack of human emotion on her face is a little disturbing.

The trick to remembering to cancel free trial subscriptions in time? I write a note on the calendar page in my Bullet Journal.

I got two new tops from Express for $20 (including shipping)

The only bad thing about having a minimalist wardrobe is that sometimes, I find myself with not enough clothing! An item will wear out and look shabby, or I gain a little weight (thanks, menopause!) and it doesn’t fit well, or what-have you, and I have to discard it. When you have a tiny wardrobe, this happens fast.

I’m going to Utah in several weeks and needed a couple of new tops.

I had $35 “Express cash” in my account. I never shop there, but I’d earned points by signing up for an Insider loyalty account and filling out a style profile, plus they emailed me coupons.

A new sweater and blouse for $20 shipped? Awesome deal.

Speaking of clothing, ThredUp, my favorite online consignment shop, is offering some awesome deals, including 45% off and free shipping. Go HERE to redeem.

I shopped around for water heater replacement.

My water heater leaked, flooding my finished basement. The first company gave me a quote that seemed a little high, so I called around to find a plumber who could quote me a price over the phone, with no trip charge.

I filled out a request on Angi’s list and a company contacted me immediately. The plumbers I hired beat the original quote by $200. Replacing two water heaters ain’t cheap! But, at least I got a slightly better price.

What frugal activities have you been up to lately?