Skip to main content

Frugal Five- #1

 The Frugal Five

With inflation on the rise and our salaries not being able to keep up, it seems like we have taken a pay cut and must be more careful with our money.   The Frugal Five is a series where we celebrate our daily or weekly activities that help us to live a frugal life.    



1- Eat Leftovers 

On Sunday, I made a huge pot of potato soup and portioned it out for lunches.   I paired it with a green salad and enjoyed a healthy and economical lunch all week.    I call that a Win-Win.   


2- Make your coffee at home


Each day we have a large cup of coffee in the morning.    Instead of going to Starbucks to get a Vente cup of coffee, we make it at home.    The combination of buying Starbucks coffee on sale for about $7.00 a pound and making it at home instead of picking it up at a store, saves us a ton of money each year.   


3- Travel with a Water Bottle


Each morning I fill a large water bottle with ice and take it with me to work.  I am able to fill it up with filtered water at school and it keeps me hydrated all day.   As a bonus, I am able to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day which helps me to live a healthier life.   


4- Making a Scarf


I found beautiful green yarn in my stash and started crocheting a new scarf for winter.   This free activity has kept me busy and I am creating a lovely, warm addition to my winter wardrobe.     


5- Car Pool 


We carpool with 2 other families, so we only have to drive to/from practice 2 times a week.    This saves a lot of time, money and reduces our carbon footprint by 2/3rds.  


These things are simple and easy to implement each day and/or week, so it doesn’t take much effort to implement these strategies.    However, the benefits to your life will be significant.      


Do you have any frugal strategies to share?    

Please leave a comment below.   


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Menu Planning: #245

  NOTE-  1- Click on the picture and get a link to a post sharing the recipe.  2- Although all prices were correct at the time of the blog postings, the current cost of preparation of these dishes may be higher due to inflation and/or location.      March USDA Thrifty Food Plan ccording to this plan our family would have a budget of $186.20 per week.  Given our health concerns, we struggle to maintain this budget, but I am going to try to make this happen.    Cost Saving Tip of the Week: Check your sale flyers for loss leaders.   Each week grocery stores advertise specific products at a great price to get you in the store.   Recently, I have noticed a very specific time frame for getting these deals.   Good luck and happy hunting.   Here is what we did this week to make our week easier:   Refrigerator Clean Out Pre-cut all vegetables for the week Pulled older items to the front for easier consumption C...

Menu Planning: #250

  NOTE-  1- Click on the picture and get a link to a post sharing the recipe.  2- Although all prices were correct at the time of the blog postings, the current cost of preparation of these dishes may be higher due to inflation and/or location.      March USDA Thrifty Food Plan According to this plan our family would have a budget of $186.20 per week.  Given our health concerns, we struggle to maintain this budget, but I am going to try to make this happen.    Cost Saving Tip of the Week: When I purchase fruit for the week, it helps to calculate the cost per serving vs. the cost in general.   For example, this week a whole watermelon was on sale for $3.99 each.    When it is cut up, the watermelon will yield at least 20 servings which will place the cost per serving at $0.20.    Here is what we did this week to make our week easier: Breakfast Options:  Hard Boiled Eggs Yogurt Homemade Breakfast ba...

Menu Plan #307

  Menu Plan #307 NOTE-  1- Click on the picture and get a link to a post sharing the recipe.  2- Although all prices were correct at the time of the blog postings, the current cost of preparation of these dishes may be higher due to inflation and location.      February 2025  USDA Thrifty Food Plan According to this plan, our family would have a budget of $189.30 per week. Since March has 4 weeks, our monthly budget is $757.20.   We elevate our dining experiences by including fresh fruits, vegetables, and higher-quality meats.  Since we have health concerns and are active individuals, we limit our processed food choices.    Grocery Shopping Tip:     Utilize your grocery store’s loyalty program. This month, my 2 primary grocery stores have provided me with store coupons for bread, Silk milk, jelly candy, frozen vegetables, and Bali coconut water.  Here is what we did this week to make our week easier: ...