Skip to main content

Frugal Five- #2

 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- Use Hotel Points to Lower Cost of a Stay

We needed to travel and stay overnight for my son’s swimming meet.   Therefore, we did a price comparison of the hotels in driving distance from the meet and applied our hotel points to lower the final cost.    As a bonus, the hotel stay comes with a complimentary breakfast.    We will be taking advantage of this amenity to lower our overall trip cost. 


2- Shop the Sales

This week the Kroger box of baked shrimp was on sale at my local grocery store.   We picked up one box of this because it makes for a quick and easy dinner.   On tough days when it would be easy to eat out, we replace that thought with this easy meal.   The $4.00 price tag is much cheaper than the $30 takeout bill.


3- Travel with snacks and a packed lunch

We needed to travel this past weekend for a swim meet.    Eating out cost about $30-$50 per meal.   In order to minimize this expense, we take advantage of the complimentary breakfast in the morning and bring a piece of fruit from the bar for a snack later in the day.   In addition, we bring a water bottle, additional snacks, and simple lunch items.   Pairing this with a cheaper dinner, like a pizza helps to keep the meal budget in check.   


4- Meal Prep on the Weekend

Our weeks are very busy and it is easy to eat out if we are not careful and disciplined.   Therefore, by using our meal plan and pre-prepping our weekly meals and snacks, we can reduce or eliminate our eating out for the week.  This week I made hardboiled eggs, a breakfast bake, cut vegetables, prepared dip, and pre-chopped vegetables needed later in the week for meals.          


5- Watch Tubi movies and tv shows 

Years ago we picked up a Roku during a Black Friday Sale, canceled our cable, and never looked back.   One of the applications on the Roku is Tubi.  Tubi is a free application and has older movies and tv show series.   This week I found the first season of Firefly.   It was nice to see that series again.    


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: ...