I like to share my frugal wins occasionally on the blog. It’s a way for me to stay accountable and share good ideas too for fellow penny-pinchers!
I bought a 40 pound bag of pine pellets for $6.88 to use as kitty litter.
I got it at the Tractor Supply (less than a mile away!). I was using the clumping clay type from ALDI, but this 40 lb bag is nearly 3 times as much product for just a couple of bucks more. It also smells better! WIN.
I cut my own bangs.
In the age of YouTube, one can be schooled on so many topics for free. I figured if I messed them up badly, I could have them fixed by a professional, and would be no worse off. I remembered the rule about home hair cutting: you can always cut more, so snip carefully. They turned out ok!
I go back and forth on the bang situation. Sometimes I think I have a high forehead and “need” bangs, then once I have them, I wish I didn’t. I tire of using barrettes and clips to keep all this hair out of my face, but I can’t complain! Having too much hair is the definition of a “good problem”.
I looked for a new therapist through my insurance.
I’ve been seeing someone for several months, and I love her, but she’s not in network. I’ve been happily paying out of pocket for our sessions, but it’s better financially for me to see a therapist in network. So I scheduled an assessment with Kaiser (a requirement before they make a specialist appointment).
Side note: I wish I had started therapy years ago. It’s been the most positive, helpful thing I’ve ever done to improve my wellbeing. It’s so unfortunate there’s a stigma around counseling. It’s just as important as any other type of health care. Perhaps more.
I learned that using just ONE tablespoon of powdered dishwasher detergent and using the “energy saver” cycle gets my dishes perfectly clean.
I’ve known for a long time that powdered detergent works better than liquids (this goes for laundry detergent too!), and less likely than pacs to cause issues with plumbing. But I typically filled the detergent cup at least halfway full. For kicks and giggles I decided to try just one tablespoon, and haven’t noticed a difference.
Similarly, I only use ONE tablespoon of powdered Tide to wash a full load of laundry in cold water in my HE machine. And everything comes out clean!
I created a price book.
I made it in Google Drive so I can edit and view it from anywhere. First, I listed all the things I buy at the grocery store, from almonds to zucchini. Next, I added prices from WalMart and Aldi. They’re the cheapest grocery stores in my area. Both are a mile from my house, so gas isn’t a factor in which store I choose to shop at.
When it’s finished, I’ll know who has the better price on everything I buy, and what a “stock up” price is.
I got free sage and lavender plants at Whole Foods.
They were offering them to free to the first 150 women when the store opened this morning.
The bag is made from recycled plastic water bottles. It’s soft but semi-stiff, so I’m using it to hold delicates in my laundry room.
I got a free foaming dish soap spray at Target.
They’re normally $5, but there was a $5 off digital coupon. Thanks MoneySavingMom for the heads up! I wouldn’t make a special trip to the store for a freebie, but Target is next to the Chick-Fil-A where my daughter works, so I was passing by anyway.
What frugal wins did you have lately? Let’s help each other out!
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