Frugal Friday....the June 9th Edition

 Welcome to Frugal Friday!   

There are very few Frugal wins this past week and not everything here wouldl be considered frugal but here goes......

*  Hubs did some minimal grocery shopping this week for himself as I am on a minimal food plan to move these unbudgeable pounds off.  Usually a cruise sees me gain 10+ lbs. which I can take off within the first week back.  This time I only gained 7-8 lb. and there were gone again in 2 days time.  Now it's doubling down time and another 5 lbs. are in the rear view mirror in the last 3 days.  We aren't stopping until enough is off so I can be approved for knee replacement surgery.  Taking no prisoners time!

*  After being forced to stay onboard due to an unexpected last minute tender I made the most of it and did lots of activities plus since it was the warmest day of the cruise I took a dip in the pool........

 

Hubs had just returned from the Wales shore excursion and snapped this photo.  I looked at the drunk people next to the pool in the hot tub and called them a bunch of pussies for not even trying the pool.  I think the whole trip me and one other gentleman even went into the pool the whole cruise.

*  Having a wonderful Hubby who was able to climb to the top of Caernafon Castle and taking great photos for me, including this shot from the very top of one of the parapets.......

 

*  I won a large branded tote bag and a t-shirt on the cruise(plus 3 sets of those little hotel toiletry bottles from 3 hotel stays. 

*  My happy place(one of many)in Cobh(cork)at the gift shop....

A few of these Guiness branded items *may* have made their way into my luggage home. ;-)

*  I found money!  

We only strolled through the casino one time and I fouund an abandoned machine with 6 cents of credit not cashed out so we cashed it out and took it to the casino desk and I "found" .06¢.

Total Found in last Week.... .06¢
Total Found this Year.......$2.10

That's all for this past week.

Any frugal wins in your neck of the woods?  Let's hear all about them!

Sluggy   

What Got Done in 2021 in Sluggy's World

Other than the usual paying bills, staying within budget type of stuff, here are the Bigger What Got Done in 2021--

*  Decluttering 

I began the long process of decluttering before we sell the house and move.

Not a lot of progress yet as I didn't begin until the 4th quarter of the year really. 

All this, 26 items, went to Sallie Ann's....

 

I also went through all my clothes as Summer arrived and donated everything that no longer fit.....

This batch was about 35 items if I recall correctly.

I didn't get any photos before they left but there were another 30 items in December to the Salvation Army.

91 items off to new homes hopefully to lead more meaningful lives.

*  FOOD BANK 

In September, after trips and a stockpile sale that Summer, 75 items went to the food bank.....

50 assorted items from food to toiletries in early November......

And 64 more assorted items from food to toiletries in late November...

New Year's Eve, Friday, this all went to the food bank....

I didn't get an exact count before Hubs carted this all off, but it had to be another 40 items.

229-ish food/toiletries off to the food bank in 2021.

And I have another food bank donation started already to jump start 2022. 8-)

* GIVEAWAYS

We did 11 Giveaways in 2021.

January

February

March

April

June

July

August

September or Alaska Prizes

October

November

December

Every month but May as I was off having fun with Kim and Sissie then. 8-)))

* HOME PROJECTS

We got 4 items(two of them big'uns)ticked off the home repair/improvement list in 2021.......

2 Major Bathroom Remodels

Main Bathroom....

The Downstairs Powder Room.....

1 Kitchen Tiling Project

New Kitchen Backsplash

New Hallway/Foyer Closet Doors *I have to laugh about this one. Ex-CB fell into and broke one of the old bi-fold doors when he was still in college(he's been out since 2017(you do the math!) and I finally nagged got Hubs to buy new doors and install them.  So here are the doors after he installed them.....

Mr. "Not So Handy" was all proud of himself for doing this until I pointed out that he installed them upside down(notice how high up the knobs are...I've have to be the Jolly Green Giant to reach them!
So he grumbled a bit and a few choice words may have flown out of his mouth but he reversed the doors eventually.  And yes, he got them hung even too. I guess I'll have to paint the trim to match around the doors now. or wait another 5 years to get him to do that.

Now the big project we are down to is 6 new windows in the front of the house and various interior painting/spackling/repair jobs. sigh

* I was able to lose another 20 lbs. in 2021 and keep it off.

Me in June of this past year before going to my cousin's  funeral.  I last wore this dress to my daughter's wedding in Jan. 2019.  I didn't notice in June but with losing more weight around my middle and butt this dress was now 2 inches too long. lol

Me on the right in this photo from Summer of 2013.  Not my highest weight but close to it.  I am now down 120 lbs. from there.......

* And let's not forget all the fun we managed to have even during this difficult year....

Hijinx with the 3 Musketeers in May.......

Saw my 2 remaining cousins and my only Aunt in June after many years(even if the circumstances were dreadful)....

August on an Alaskan cruise with Krazy Kim and her Hubby....

September/October I was off to see my brother and then to see Sissie on the way home.....

Costco with my brother......

Sissie wearing white after Labor Day(shriek!)

Then we were off to NJ in November for a Bridal Shower for Oldest and Fianceé....

And then another cruise with my Brother and Sister in-law to the Caribbean....

And rounding out 20021 was a quiet Christmas at home with family...

So that was the highlight reel here at Chez Sluggy.  We got a few things ticked off our list in 2021 despite the difficulties. 
Here's hoping 2022 brings us all our hearts' desires! 

Sluggy