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The Frugal Five: #100

 


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.    


I am exploring how to keep costs down during busy weeks. One strategy is to keep dinner on the table instead of eating out. Here are some of my tips and trips.   


1- Take Out from the Kitchen  

Fridays are difficult for us to stay away from takeout.     This week I struggled with not wanting to cook and order out instead.      I stopped at the grocery store for bread, peppers, and chopped steak to make cheese steak sandwiches for dinner.  For less than $20.00, I made sandwiches for everyone.      In comparison, 3 sandwiches would cost around $45.00 if we picked them up at a sandwich shop.     


2- Decorating with Pictures 


Over the years I have taken pictures of our adventures around the United States.   These photos include statues, flowers, wildlife, and beautiful scenic shots.    In addition, CVS and Walgreens provide coupon codes for free photo prints (8x10 or 5x8), so use them over time to get them printed.   Then, I pair them with classic black frames I pick up on sale.    Finally, I group them and create lovely focal points throughout my home.   


3- Baby It’s Cold Outside→ Make Soup

The weather had dipped dramatically!     I am taking advantage of it by making soup each week.   This week, I picked up potatoes and heavy cream on sale, resulting in a big pot of potato soup.   This made for a delicious lunch daily at a very affordable price.    I love elevating my lunches more often.   


4- Hair Care On A Budget

I am still cutting my husband’s hair for a savings of $80.00 a month.     However, I missed the last gift card sale at my salon.     Lesson learned!    I spoke with the owner and she provided me with the sale cycle for the gift cards.     I will calculate the amount I need to purchase and take advantage of the sale in May.    In addition, I have a variety of deep hair conditioner samples, that I will use up throughout the winter to bring my hair back to a shinier appearance and silkier feel.   


5- Upgrade Your Water

I have been drinking soda daily and my stomach is not feeling very good. In addition, during the winter, my skin tends to dehydrate and crack.    Therefore, I am switching back to drinking water.    In order to make this process more enjoyable, I am adding fruit pieces to my water bottle or glass.     This should help to settle my stomach and improve my skin quality.     As a bonus, it will also decrease my grocery bill. 


What Free-bees have you been able to pick up this year?   The  2024 Free-Bee Summary has been posted.    If you missed it, then click on the link below. 


Here is my list:

Do you want to see my last post?   

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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