Friday, February 17, 2017

Frugal Friday....Wins & Losses

Here are some things I did this week that were frugal......

* I didn't buy into the marketing of Valentine's Day and spend money on "stuff".  Heck I didn't even go out the day after and get 50% VD stuff to use next year.  We have never been a big fan around here of made up holidays(not that ALL holiday aren't made up really). Ok, call them "Hallmark Holidays" then. ;-)  Hubs used to buy flowers for me but I told him to save the money years ago.  At that time we were struggling financially with three small children and it was an unnecessary added expense we didn't need.  We got out of the habit of spending cash on that one and a few others.  We do show our love to each other in other ways that don't cost of cash.

* I had bought this at the end of December at Rite-Aid(using Plenti points, not cash).....

It was $11.23 in PPs and I had a Try Me Free Rebate for it that was sent away for.
Last week, I received a check for $11.23......

And the pay to the order of name is wrong!  Well the last name is correct but my bank knows me so it's all good. ;-)

*  I did all our laundry during the off peaks hours of 5 pm to 7 am this week, or on the weekends which is also off peak hours 24/7.

* I went to Rite-Aid and brought all this home for no money.......

Not only was this all free but I'll get paid cash to buy it when the rebates come in. 8-)

* Speaking of rebates--I sent for two mail away rebates totaling $14.62 and claimed 4 SavingStar and Checkout51 rebates on products I bought this past week, netting me another $7.50. (The $7.50 in rebates have already been received into those accounts too.  The mail aways will take longer.)

* My Kohl's Visa Debit Reward came in the mail finally....
This was for 5 rebates on items bought at Kohl's around Black Friday last November.  I made sure to keep the boxes and cut off the UPCs, save the packing slips(bought online, not in the store so no receipts), and print off the rebate form, and then document everything before mailing the paperwork off at the end of December.
The card is for $60.  While this isn't free money I won't be spending it on wants or physicall things I'd like to have.  It will go toward my grocery budget in the coming months instead of using paycheck income.

* I only made 1 trip to the grocery store(so far)this week and spent $28.68.  I usually hover around $100 in spending for groceries per week.  I've been trying to eat down some of our stockpile and frozen assets instead.

* This item isn't something I gained this past week exactly, but I am putting them into play now.....


Back in December Weis(PMITA)Markets put gift cards on Raise dotcom.  Usually the only Weis cards that show up on that gift card exchange site are from customers unloading gift cards they don't want for cash and they are usually for very small amounts, under $100(usually the balance of a card someone has used already but doesn't want to finish).  As such very few Weis gift cards are even offered up there.
But I found pages of listings for high value gift card being offered back in December.  Although it raised my credit card spending in December(and how WANTS to spend more at the Holidays on their credit card? lol)I went ahead and bought two cards worth $160 for $144 each.  Just doing that means I will save 10% off the top on the groceries I purchase with these cards.  Add in that I almost always buy items only when they are on sale and if I can pair that item with a coupon I will.  The savings exponentially grow doing this(discounted gift card compounded with sale prices and coupon savings).

So I dug out these Weis gift cards and now have them in my coupon pouch and am ready to use them.  As I have already paid for these anything bought with them will not 'cost' me anything going forward.

* I basically stayed at home other than the Rite-Aid trip and the Weis Markets trip this week.  Hubs and I ate leftovers for lunches.

And here are the Frugal Fails of the Week....

* We found someone to plow our driveway last weekend after our 8+ inch snowstorm.  He did a decent job and it cost us $40.  I hate to spend money on this chore but it's a necessity for us at our age and with Hubs out of commission for shoveling.

*  Hubs talked me into going out to eat on Wednesday(the day after VD).  He wanted to get out of the house plus I wanted to break from cooking.  We went to our local Bob Evans.  The food is decent there and not highly priced(plus do I have to mention that I had a coupon? lolz)and the service is good.


Ok, so I did make this meal out sorta frugal by using a coupon and bringing half my dinner home to eat for lunch the next day.
I guess I just can't help myself! 8-)))

What did you accomplish this week that was frugal?

Sluggy

7 comments:

  1. You are the queen of couponing/rebates. We do get the occasional rebate in Canada but you have to stay on top of them to make sure you get the forms in on time. Keep up the good work!

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  2. Next year you are getting a Valentine form me with the Grinch on it, holding a Valentine of course.:)

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  3. I'm sure something, but with all our extra store runs, it wasn't in the shopping department. tonight will be a quiet night with wine I already have, and movie on Netflix. That is frugal.

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  4. This might not qualify as frugal, but I'm in my 60s and hub is right behind me. We both complain about not feeling as good as we should. He needs to lose weight (and the only reason I don't is cuz I lost a bunch during chemo). Hub decided he wanted to eat half as much as he used to. Doesn't sound like a big deal, but my gosh, it really does bring the cost of groceries down. I have to learn to cook in smaller quantities so we don't get sick of leftovers.

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  5. We did not do Valentine's day this year either or any other year for that matter. LOL

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  6. We don't celebrate Valentine's Day either. I did try and find some of my hubbies favorite candy on clearance. None to be had. Money saved and he will survive without it!

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  7. Wow, you have great savings.I got both of my Visa cards from Kohl's also but they each came separately. I keep forgetting to use them.

    After your Hubby falling on the ice, I am happy that you are getting plowed now. It is a cost that is well worth it. Now that Hubby is over 70, there are many things that we will pay for to keep us in our home. It is truly amazing what we think is a necessary expense as we go through the decades.

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