Skip to main content

Frugal Five: #25

 The Frugal Five: #25


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 live a frugal life.    


1- Museum Day   


Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day was September 17, 2022.   I was able to pick up a ticket for free admission for 2 adults to the Harriet Beecher Museum in Cincinnati.   My husband and I used this as a date day trip.    It was great to see the museum and spend time with the love of my life.    


2- $1.00 off per Gallon of Gas 


This week I hit the jackpot on saving at the gas pump.    The cheapest price per gallon was at my local Kroger store and I had a $1.00 off per gallon option from my loyalty card.   My tank was getting close to empty, so I was able to maximize my savings this week.        My car took over 10 gallons of gas, so I saved a little over $10.00 just by selecting to get my gas at Krogers.   In addition, I used my American Express card which gave me 3% back on my gas purchase.    Although 3% isn’t a lot, the pennies add up over the course of a year.   


3- Meal Planning 


My husband traveled this week for work, so my home support was not present.    Thus, I needed to be extra careful in my meal selections to ensure that I had enough energy after working all day and waiting to pick up my son from practice to provide a healthy and quick meal for dinner each day this week.    I utilized the crockpot, cook once, eat twice meals and leftovers to ensure a successful week of not eating out. 



4- Cut my Husbands Hair

Haircuts are a minimum of $30 per cut and when you need to get a haircut at least 2 times per month, the price adds up.    Our decision to pick up a new guide for our hair clippers, is really paying divides now.    I cut my husband's hair again this week.    Time investment- less than 20 minutes, monetary cost- minimum b/c we already made our money back from the cost of the guide and electricity use is low.   


5- Comparison Shopping  

Each week, I create a meal plan based on my freezer and refrigerator contents.  Then based on the sales I round out our meal plan and create a grocery list w/ price points based on my local Kroger website.   Finally, I start at Aldi and pick up the items that look good and fall below the price point that I found at Kroger.     Then I finish up my grocery shopping at Kroger.   One key thing is to make sure you only pick up the items on your list.   


Please leave a comment below with your ways of saving money this week.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

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: ...
Post a Comment
Read more