With inflation on the rise and salaries not increasing, our ability to make ends meet is decreasing. Therefore, we must be more careful with our money. The Frugal Five is a series that celebrates the daily or weekly activities that help us live a frugal life. I am exploring ways to reduce costs during busy weeks. One strategy is to watch the pennies because they add up. Here are some of my tips and tricks. 1- Garden Harvest Preservation July - August has been busy with harvesting and preserving our garden. I preserved salsa, canned tomatoes, pickled banana peppers, froze green beans, dried tomato skins, and dried many herbs. 2- Our Rich Backyard - Free Tickets to a Red’s Game My husband’s work provides a set of 4 tickets to the Reds’ game to key employees. We were gifted a set of tickets and attended the game against the Braves. I was able to share two tickets with a colleague....
This year has provided our family with 106 free items ! This year, I am focusing on seeking fewer freebies but looking for higher-quality items to pick up. However, I will pick up all the free bees my family will use within the year. As a result, I may need to pay more for items previously picked up for free, but I am comfortable with this. Since I have changed my focus, I will not be making a goal this year. Instead, I will use my energy to research how to elevate the items I purchase or get for free in our current economy. Traditional ways of picking up freebies include digital coupons, store coupons, reward programs, samples, and rebate apps, such as Ibotta. I will seek additional ways to buy items at a significant discount or for free. January (13 Items) February (14 items) March (16 Items) Apr...