With inflation rising and salaries staying the same, our ability to make ends meet is becoming increasingly difficult. Therefore, we must be more careful with our money. The Frugal Five is a series that celebrates the daily or weekly activities that help us live a frugal life.
This year, my focus is on Simple Abundance, so finding ways to live well while staying on budget will be challenging. Come along and enjoy my journey of elevating joy, enjoying what you have, and finding luxury in my local area. 20
1- Coffee Fix
Coffee is my elixir of life. It’s the quiet ritual that starts my morning, the warm companion that gets me through the day, and honestly, one of my favorite small luxuries.
But like most luxuries, it adds up fast. Picking up a daily 16‑ounce coffee at a café runs about $4.00 per cup. Harmless in the moment… surprisingly expensive over a month.
So I started looking at the numbers.
The Real Cost of Brewing at Home
A bag of high‑quality ground coffee costs between $11 and $14:
Silverbridge – $14.00 for 12 oz
Starbucks – $11.00 for 12 oz
Each bag brews multiple pots of coffee. And a standard drip pot—12 cups or 72 ounces of water—uses between 2.2 and 4.4 ounces of ground coffee.
In our home, that means one bag makes at least four full pots.
Breaking Down the Math
If one 12‑oz bag makes four pots, and each pot yields 72 ounces of brewed coffee, that’s:
288 ounces of coffee per bag
At $11–14 per bag, that comes out to roughly $0.58 per 16‑ounce serving
Yes, you read that right.
Fifty‑eight cents.
The Bottom Line
My beloved daily coffee doesn’t need to cost $4.00. By brewing at home, I’m enjoying the same comforting ritual for less than a dollar a cup—and often with better beans than I’d get at a drive‑thru window.
Small luxury, big savings. And honestly? The coffee tastes even better when I know I’m not pouring money down the drain.
2- Our Rich Backyard - Preparing the Community Beds
This season, our Community Gardening Group took an exciting step forward—we invested in a new irrigation system to make watering easier, more consistent, and accessible for every garden bed. It’s a project we’ve talked about for years, and seeing it finally come together feels like a milestone for our little gardening community.
Reliable watering means healthier soil, stronger plants, and ultimately a more abundant harvest. With this system in place, we’re expecting our gardens to thrive in ways they simply couldn’t before.
A Work Day That Brought Us Together
To keep costs down, we organized a community work day to lay the hoses and assemble the mechanical components. What could have been a long, complicated job turned into something surprisingly smooth—and even fun.
We’re fortunate to have a group large enough to share the workload and diverse enough to include people with the expertise to set everything up correctly. Many hands truly made light work. There was laughter, problem‑solving, and that familiar sense of satisfaction that comes from building something together.
Looking Ahead to a Fruitful Season
With the irrigation system in place, we’re stepping into the growing season with optimism. Consistent watering will give every gardener—new or experienced—the best chance at a successful harvest. And beyond the practical benefits, this project reminded us why community gardens matter: they’re built not just on soil and seeds, but on shared effort and shared joy.
Here’s to a greener, more fruitful year ahead.
3- The Luxury of Packing Your Lunch
(Without the Luxury Price Tag)
Packing your lunch every day may not sound glamorous, but the savings are undeniable. Bringing food from home can easily save at least $50 a week, and if you rely on DoorDash or other delivery services, the cost climbs even higher. Convenience comes with a hefty price tag.
Lunch, for me, is a daily luxury—one I refuse to skip or skimp on. The question is how to enjoy a quality, relaxing lunch without paying restaurant prices.
Years ago, I read an article that completely reframed the idea of a packed lunch. It emphasized treating your midday meal as a small moment of luxury, not a rushed afterthought. That mindset stuck with me.
How I Make My Packed Lunch Feel Luxurious
1. Invest in quality ingredients
Good food matters. Buying fresh, flavorful ingredients is still far cheaper than purchasing lunch every day, and the quality is often better. I get to eat exactly what I want, made exactly how I like it.
2. Use real tableware
Over the years, I’ve collected reusable containers, utensils, and even a few pieces of tableware that make lunch feel intentional rather than thrown together. It’s amazing how much nicer a meal feels when it isn’t eaten out of a crinkled paper bag.
3. Cloth napkins
I keep several reusable cloth napkins on hand. They’re simple, sustainable, and they elevate the whole experience.
4. Set the mood
A little calming music from my phone transforms my lunch break into a reset rather than a rush. It’s a small touch that makes a big difference.
A Moment to Recharge
Some days I enjoy lunch with colleagues, catching up and laughing about the day. Other days, I retreat to my classroom for a bit of quiet and solitude. Both are restorative in their own way.
No matter where I eat, this small ritual helps me renew my strength and reset my mindset. And the best part? I get all the comfort and quality of a great lunch—without the cost of takeout.
4- Finding Free Joy: Simple Ways We Entertain Ourselves Without Spending a Dime
Everyone needs entertainment in their life—a way to relax, recharge, and gather enough strength to face their dragons in the week ahead. The good news is that entertainment doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, some of the most restorative activities are completely free.
Lately, we’ve been making better use of our local walking track. It’s become a simple way to get movement into our day, and the benefits are undeniable. Exercise helps lower stress, supports our blood sugar, and gives us a mental reset that no streaming subscription can match.
We’ve also rediscovered the world of free apps that offer movies and older TV shows. (Tubi, Roku) It’s amazing how much content is available without paying for yet another monthly service. Pair that with a cozy blanket and a quiet evening, and it feels like a treat.
And then there’s the library—our community’s most underrated treasure. Beyond books, it offers videos, games, puzzles, and even free seeds for the garden. It’s a place where creativity and curiosity cost nothing. Every visit feels like opening a new door.
With spring around the corner, the outdoors becomes its own entertainment hub. Walks through town, afternoons in the garden, admiring the architecture of familiar streets—these small moments add up to a richer life. When summer arrives, the calendar fills with festivals, museum days, outdoor movies, and community events, many of them free or low‑cost.
Free entertainment is everywhere if you take a little time to look for it. And often, it’s these simple pleasures that bring the most joy.
5- Stretching the Budget: How We Save on Deli Meat Each Week
Quality deli meat has become surprisingly pricey. In my area, it ranges anywhere from $10 to $17 per pound, which adds up fast when your family needs at least two pounds a week. That kind of cost simply doesn’t fit our budget.
To keep lunches affordable, we started getting creative.
For a while, we bought a 2‑pound ham for $10—just $5 per pound—and sliced it thin for sandwiches. It worked well, but after months of ham‑based lunches, everyone was ready for something new.
On our last Costco run, we stumbled across a great find: a turkey breast for $4.49 per pound. We picked up a 3‑pound one, brought it home, and sliced it just like deli meat. Since both options are already fully cooked, the prep is minimal. A few minutes of slicing, and we have fresh, affordable sandwich meat for the entire week.
It’s a small shift, but it makes a big difference. By choosing whole cuts of cooked meat instead of pre‑sliced deli options, we’re feeding our family well without overspending—and keeping lunch interesting at the same time.
What is on Sale this Month? This series looks at what is typically on sale during each month, so you can look ahead and make better choices.
What Free-bees have you been able to pick up this year? The 2025 Free-Bee Summary has been posted. If you missed it, then click on the link below.
Here is my list:
Did you miss the last Frugal Five post? No worries, click on the picture for the link.
Please leave a comment below with your ways of saving money this week.
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