The Frugal Five: #75

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 The Frugal Five: #75


With inflation on the rise and salaries not increasing, our ability to make ends meet keeps going down.    Therefore, we must be more careful with our money.   The Frugal Five is a series where we celebrate the daily or weekly activities that help us live a frugal life.    


1- Celebrate Lunch 

Workplaces are getting more and more stressful each week.   I find myself eating quickly and then spending the rest of my time working instead of refocusing.     However, I was never ahead and felt so drained by the end of the week, that my weekends are spent recovering.    So, I decided to take back my lunch break.   I am packing healthy, beautifully packaged lunches and rewarding myself with some jazz music while I eat.     This helps to relax me and allows me to think a little more clearly.    I consider this frugal because I am packing my lunch, the jazz is free and above all my mental health is taken care of.    


2- Earning Gift Cards

I make it a habit to get onto the My Points website on a daily/weekly basis and complete the daily poll and surveys, upload grocery receipts, and use their search engine when looking things up on the web.   This has earned me $100.00 in gift cards in 2023 on My Points.   In addition, I upload my receipts to IBOTTA weekly to earn the rebates they offer each week.     This year I have earned $389.01 in gift cards for 2023 so far.    


If you are interested in taking advantage of these programs, I am leaving my referral information below.  For full disclosure, we will both get rewarded for using the referral codes below. 


IBOTTA: https://ibotta.onelink.me/iUfE/8cc13c64?friend_code=yasucyr

My Points: https://www.mypoints.com?rb=25406148




3- Enjoy Cheap and Free TV Shows and Movies

We cut the cable cord years ago and never looked back.    There are so many ways to stream TV shows and movies for free.       We enjoy Tubi, Roku, and so much more.        In addition, our local library has DVD options to borrow.    Finally, for a small fee, you can pick up an antenna and watch TV in real-time. 

     

4- Nice Christmas Presents at a Discount


Over the year, I watch for sales and try to maximize my savings with coupons and rebates for nice items to give as Christmas presents.   In addition, I compare prices and am able to get the same item at the best price.   Periodically, I receive free product coupons from Bath and Body Works.    I will pick up either hand soaps or hand cream to add to my gift closet.     I can usually find, a variety of make-up from drug stores, for free which I place in a gift basket or bag.   In addition, I take photos of beautiful sculptures or animals when we are traveling.    When I receive coupon codes for free photos from Walgreens or CVS, I pick up as many photos as I can.   Then I pair them with a frame from Michaels or Goodwill. 


5- Coffee Score


This week Starbucks coffee was on sale at Kroger, so I picked up the maximum number of pounds I could buy.    By brewing my own Starbucks at home, I save a great deal of money.     A regular coffee at Starbucks costs between $2.75 (using a reusable cup)  and $2.85.   In addition to basic coffee, I can make deluxe drinks too which saves me even more.   Deluxe drinks cost about $6.00 per drink→ WOW!  


What Free-bees have you been able to pick up this year?    My September free-bee haul knocked it out of the park!    Hopefully, October will pick up soon, because it is looking a lot like my August haul.      


Here is my list: 

Do you want to see what we did last week?   

Just click on the picture for the link. 



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


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