Skip to main content

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.


Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Keeping Cool Without an AC- Part 5

  The news is full of headlines indicating that energy shortages are on the horizon for most of the world. Over the decades, we have become reliant on the coolness of our air conditioners and have forgotten how we survived without them. It is now time to rediscover how to stay cool without our AC. Our 5 part series provides ideas on how to beat the heat this summer without the AC.     House Adjustments- Part 2 By placing house plants, such as English ivy, ficus, and spider plants, throughout your home, you can drop the overall temperature of your house by 10 degrees. In addition, house plants are air purifiers and add oxygen to your home.     For quick relief, create a personal mister to help drop the temperature of your skin: thus making you feel colder. Some people combine a spray bottle and a fan to create a cooling effect. However, I use just the spray bottle with cold water throughout the day and it keeps me cool. In addition, we use coo...
2 comments
Read more

Meal Planning: #287

  Menu Plan #287 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.      August  USDA Low Food Plan According to this plan, our family would have a budget of $185.60 per week.  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.          Here is what we did this week to make our week easier:   Breakfast Options:  Yogurt Muffins Egg Sandwiches Lunch Options: Grilled Chicken  Salads Chicken Salad Monday Hamburgers Roasted Potatoes Corn  Tuesday Street Tacos Salad Wednesday Enchilada Salad Chips w/ Salsa Thursday Leftovers Friday Chicken Parmesan Pasta Sal...
Post a Comment
Read more

Frugal Five: #73

  The Frugal Five: #73 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- “Potluck” lunch At work this week, we are having a potluck appetizer/dessert party for a colleague’s 60th birthday.  Everyone is expected to bring an appetizer or dessert for the party.    Since there will be a lot of food provided by everyone, I am not bringing my lunch that day and will eat from whatever people have brought.   In addition, on Friday, our social committee is providing us with a turkey lunch feast.     2- Picking up a Cheap Turkey This week at Kroger, if you spend $25.00, then you can purchase a Kroger turkey for just $0.49 per pound.  Although we do not prefer dark meat, we decided to take ...
Post a Comment
Read more