Frugal Activities
Hey hey, it's time to share the Frugal Activities post and I know a lot of you liked them because of my full disclosure too!
It's been crazy busy around these parts lately ... both at home and the office. And of course, I try to have a little fun time too, you know? It's a very fine balance and I'm trying to perfect it ...
So. Whats been going on in YOUR life? Are you all things Fall and Pumpkins yet? I'm getting there, although we don't really have the dramatic change in the season like the rest of the country does. I still miss that, all these years later. However, thanks to Hurricane Matthew's sideswipe the week before last, we did experience some cooler weather and a little less humidity. Sadly it's been windy as heck, which, I suppose, is kind of an October expectation ...
Here's some of the Frugal Activities we've been doing for the past few weeks ...
1. Stayed out of the grocery stores for 9 days until Friday evening. Only reason I went was because we needed beer (!!), almond cream for my coffee, and heck, they also had my favorite stuff on sale, LaCroix water was B1G1F ... and I had a $5 off $50 coupon to use so I bought stuff to hit the magic number and spent $72 (they won't include the beer in the total $50 purchase requirement). FYI ... it's the middle of October and I've only been to the grocery store ONCE and Hubby has gone twice ... we are doing well so far!
2. Gave myself a manicure ... this was Friday night as well while sitting outside on the patio enjoying the cooler, less humidity evening. And consuming beer. It's still looking great a week later ... wonder what I do different than the salon that my polish isn't chipping and flaking?
3. Paid all my bills to date online. Set up my dad's account for online bill pay as well since his checks I ordered 6 weeks ago still have not shown up. Sorry folks, NOT a fan of Current Checks ... their customer service sucks. They tell me it can take 8 weeks to receive the box. Uhm, you shipped it on September 12th. May need to alert the bank and close that account which is going to stink as it's a small bank out of Indiana that only has 2 branches ... however, I'm going up there early November so maybe I'll do that then. I need to call the credit card that the charge was put on and dispute that as well now.
4. I keep putting off joining a gym ... but I do need to do SOMETHING as I'm hitting a weight that scares me AND needing to go up a size in clothes (my culprit? I think it's the full calorie beers and my waffling back and forth on the Whole30/Paleo thing ... you are either in or out of the full fat/low carb thing, you know? Can't do both!). So I've started back to doing squats everytime I walk in the bathroom and make it a point to try and get 50 situps in a day (25 in the morning and 25 at night) ... and just started doing split lunges which owwww my butt and thighs hurt ... figured anything is better than nothing which is the way it's been. Once I get back from my trip in November I'm hitting up a gym.
5. Met with my favorite dermatologist and saved $300 on injections to the face (aka Dysport aka Botox) because a) he likes me and b) he opened a new office and had a special going on. Can I just tell you how good it is to just chat about nothing and pick up on things? We share the same birthday and his father's birthday is the same as my dad ... hence, the reason he "likes" me and gives me discounts. The shots themselves are NOT frugal by any means, however, I do budget these.
6. Hubby booked a weekend getaway to Nashville using points with Hilton and Southwest to get our flights and hotel rooms paid (except for the mandatory taxes you have to pay). I will cash in my Digit savings for our spending cash (I currently have $450 sitting there). This way our savings won't be touched! Which is good because we still have not sold the house and the property tax bill comes out in November.
7. Hubby also booked our trip to Chicago/Indiana and used point for his flight and got a great deal on my ticket. We will rent a car and he checks every few days for new rates. So far it's been lowered $50 or so and we are still 2 weeks away.
8. Made a pumpkin ice cream and used up the other half of can of coconut milk to make a batch of Ranch Dressing ... will share both recipes in the near future!
And of course, full disclosure of some of our NOT so Frugal Activities:
1. Hit up McDonalds a few more times that I care to admit on the way to work ... I think 3 times. That stinks because a) the foods sucks and it's because I was lazy and b) it's $5 each time! For sucky food!
2. Forgot to use my gift certificate ($60!) at Costco ... really should have remembered!
3. Food Waste. More than I care to admit. The Hurricane scare sort of caused some of it (you know, the panic buying of bread and such).
4. Impulse shopping on line. Yeah. I feel for it. Meet Jane.com ... and then Macy's had some great sales going on (where I originally ONLY planned to buy my perfume, Daisy) and I ended up buying 4 tops, the perfume and something else.
5. Had to pay a visit to the Apple Store and Genius Bar ... when we were putting up our hurricane shutters, I dropped my phone ... as soon as it hit, I knew it wasn't good. Sucked it up for 5 days, kept it wrapped in plastic wrap and ended up spending $150 for a new screen. Ugh. Lesson well learned.
6. While I had to wait for 1 1/2 hours for the screen to be replaced, I browsed the mall ... AND ended up eating a slice of pizza and a small soda ($9!!!), stopped at a few stores and bought 2 pairs of jeans, same size, and one fits, one doesn't (whats up with that???!!) so I need to exchange the one pair for a pair that fits. At least the jeans were buy one get one 50% off ... but still ...
7. Took the 3 pairs of pants back to Costco, which would have been a Frugal Activity BUT opted to scope out the other clothes and picked up a jacket for me, one for Hubby, a cardigan and a flannel button down and spent and additional $20. Ugh.
I've spent a lot of money the past few weeks: getting my hair cut and colored, the dermatologist, the trip to the Foot Reflexology place (although, I can almost justify that $35 expense) and the shopping ... it's time to reel it in again!
What have you been doing to stay Frugal lately?
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