Frugal Friday......the June 21st Edition

Here's the awesomeness we call "frugal" that happened at Chez Sluggy and on the road this past week...............

*  I got the Weis(PMITA)Markets Friday Freebie last week........

A full sized (52 oz.)bottle of Weis brand OJ.
That was a really nice one for a change!

*  I got a LOT of free(except for tax)Kokie nail polish last week..  I think the final count was 18 bottles?

The Spend $12/Get $6 BC Deal stopped working on Thursday at my store but I called them on Friday and got the $6 BC on Daughter's card to work.  I bought 6 more between the 2 other cards after that on Saturday and the Deal didn't work on either of those cards then but I didn't call about those bottles.  Might when I get back or I might just return them.

*  We found cheap for MA gas on Monday driving up to see my cousin.
The Sunoco was $2.71 a gallon and with our gas card Hubs got another .05¢ off a gallon.
Last gas I got at home was $2.84 and we saw $2.79 when we left town there.
We'll take it!

* I found money!

On Tuesday I found a penny at Mardens in Sanford ME and another penny at Rite-Aid in Ogunquit ME.  The Marden's penny was an easy pick-up by the register as we were leaving the store.  The Rite-Aid penny was wedged between the trash can and the smoking butt station outside the door in front.  I couldn't get my arm in between or move the containers(both very big and heavy)so I used one of the make-up brushes on the way out to stick in there(in the package!)to move it to where I could reach it.  Of course some strange old man was just loitering by the trash can when I came out(not throwing anything away)so I had an audience while I bent down to do this.  He seemed fascinated so at least I could entertain the old coot! lolz

*  We stayed with my cousin on the first night of this trip.  She lives in a resort town where accommodations are NOT inexpensive in the season so we didn't have to shell out lots of money for a motel/hotel.  We went out to dinner and they picked up the bill(as we had picked it up last Fall when we took them out to dinner).  The best part was spending time with this cousin. ;-)

*  I got almost free(wish I had that Q!)deodorant and then better than free make-up brushes at Rite-Aid this week...........well the deo was free too because I "spent" Bonus Cash for it.

*  Father's Day was spent at home grilling steaks and making sides for my Hubs.
You won't see us going out to dinner on holidays like this.  Yes, we spend money eating out on Birthdays usually but I don't eat out on those holidays were there is a "special" limited menu or a set dinner so that everyone's meal is the same price.  The meal you get may be worth what you are expected to pay but the service is shitty as the waitstaff is overworked and overwhelmed on this shifts plus the kitchen staff is just trying to keep up cranking out what may not be their best work plus the crowds(need I say more?)so yah, that's why we stay home.

*  We fit some frugal shopping into this vacation(of course she did you are all thinking in your heads).

I left these slug/snail decorative watering cans on the shelf  however.  I'll report in next week on what we picked up on this trip. ;-)

*  Going to Porcfest, while not a cheap action(spending money to take a trip)we tried to do it in a frugal manner.
I booked our motel stay through Booking(dot)com.  They sent me a special offer(book a stay and get a rebate), plus I went through a rebate site to reserve the room.  I have an account w/them and they send me another % off in addition on the room. Granted, go through Booking I was limited to motels they deal with but even so among the 3 motels/hotels nearby I could choose from I booked the cheapest one(and it was cheaper through Booking).  It was the most basic motel of motel but we were only sleeping there and not spending time at the motel.  Too much other stuff to do!!

We also bought our Porcfest tickets early and got a $30 discount that way too. Spend $50 during the Early Bird period and don't pay $80. '-)

*  I got some free swag at Porcfest!
Haven't even gone through the few things in the bag but I picked up a free keychain from some game developers, a stack of books for giveaways, a cookie and drink and a slice of birthday cake.


*  Hubs and I found money!
Well he got to it faster but I snatched it from him "like a Kim". lolz

It was tucked under my bed at the motel. 8-)))))))))))))
We asked if anyone had reported missing money and no.  This is an awesome addition to my "found change" envelope.
Sweet.

That's about it around the "Sluggy Traveling Show" this week.

Any good deals or frugal wins in your life this past week?



Sluggy

My Off Centered Week

Well if you've noticed the lack of posts and the things I am posting on Facebook you realize I am "on the road" now.

I don't have much time for posting on the blog nor do I feel inclined to sit here(or wherever I am!)and write stuff.
Sorry 'bout that.

But I am just too busy "doing" right now to sit and write.

Just a few reflections on how things are going so far until I can catch my breath and fill y'all in on what Sluggy is up to later........

* It has rained almost every blasted day so far.  But not driving storms involving thunder and massive amounts of rain, just dribbles here and there constantly.  I think yesterday was the first day it did NOT rain wherever we have been.  The weather reporter tonight on the local tv station talked about a sand bag pick-up on Saturday and where to report to get yours.  There has been entirely too much rain here in the last 3 months!

* We are spending absolutely too much money.  Ok, let me correct that.......we are spending lots of money but nowhere near enough to make our lives unbearable in retirement later.  It just seems like we are running through the Benjamins like crazy!  Word of advice--do NOT look at your credit card statement while you are still ON vacation.   It will just make you sad. lolz
At least the extended stay in Lousiana motel has already been paid for so we won't be adding that hefty cost onto the c/c when we return home. 8-)

* I seem to be "eating my way through the South". ;-)   I have had meals in 5 of the 7 states we have passed through so far(and 1 of the 2 I've not dined in will go over to the "ate in" column later on this trip).  I am trying to make good(or at least better)choices at meals.  It's sad that when eating on the road(at hotels and in restaurants)that healthier choices are either non-existent or just plain boring(and expensive) or even worse, nasty.  Even so, there has been nary a doughnut, pastry or bowl of mac and cheese involved in the feeding of Sluggy to this point.
I did however break down and partake in a cannoli and the Italian restaurant on Thursday.............

* The hotels we've stayed at so far(5 so far in as many states)have been a real mixed bag of very good to "OMG, what are we doing in this one?!?" bad.  It seems the one I picked out to stay in for an extended time, I have been told is in the "ghetto".    Well we won't go out jogging at night here nor will we be flashing wads of cash(if we had any here)or diamonds(ditto).  The hotel seems very nice(and there is a pool!).  The prices these various hotels have charged has also been all over the place from a low of $50 a night to $137 a night...eek!  I like spending more on the side of $50 per night as opposed to that $137 one.

* We spent some time with this guy on Friday.............

Yes it's a hamster in a tux.
Its' funny how things happen and when.

We were here because of this......

My Daughter's now ex-car. (Daughter is fine.....the car?, not so much)


* Speaking of adventures in eating in unfamiliar locals.......I have yet to get food poisoning(knock on wood).  There were some questionable hours back in West Virginia when I thought I'd need a paper bag however, but it passed.

* Did I mention that we are spending too much money?  Ok, maybe I did......  We don't seem to have a lot to show for all this spending(it's mostly been for hotels and food)but we are filling up the trunk with adult beverages(well HUBS is).  I am on a liquor moratorium this year.  Ok, I lied, I did break down and buy a couple yummies but I think I've bought more bottled water and G2 Gatorade to consume on the trip so I don't break down and drink gallons of sweet tea which would be very bad for me in the long run.  Hubs' purchases have run to the bourbon and whiskey variety mostly.

* And I got to ride a bus earlier this week.......

Ok, not a bus out of here, but this short bus full of old people...........

More later on when I get another chance to post.

What have you been up to this week?

Sluggy