Rainchecks, The Ads and Saban Resigns

Tommy had a doctor appointment at the other end of the county. I only slept 1.5 hours, so the trip was rough. We did nothing else that we could have down there. The only thing we did was go to our three stores around here and collect the ads. At The Pig he was charged $1.70 or something for the 10% and did not pay $0.85 for being 'over 60.' This is a small economy.

This week, there was very little to tempt us to grocery shop. Instead, I pulled out three rain checks to redeem. This chore was harder than grocery shopping. I did stock up on 'no salt' cream of soups. The foil I needed was still out. I now have some Eagle Brand Condensed Milk. I rarely use it. But, I have two cans now. 

To make matters worse, everything but the foil was out of reach on the bottom shelf. Then, I needed help to get Tommy's Diet Pepsi. I spent a lot of time at the service desk talking about the foil rain check. 

When we came home, I decided to work on soups, sorting, that is. I won't use the sodium-laden kind. Tommy said he would leave it alone, too. Now, I have more than a dozen cans of soup, all late 2023, to give away. It makes me sad, but it has to be done. Really, one of these days, I will make it myself, so I do not have to eat soy or the oils in them. 

Christmas is still out in living room and ready to be boxed. 

Tommy and I are both using unused pages in our 2023 day planners for notes--a small economy. 

Dinner: I had chicken with bbq saucenand potato salad. Tommy had chicken tenders, green bean casserole, baked potatoes, carrots. 

I asked Tommy if his mother ever made cookies. He said occasionally she did, using the rolls of cookie dough from the store. I was wondering if she ever made cut out cookies. I laughed inside. She made pies. 

Tonight, after dinner I was typing. I noticed bbq sauce on the back of my left hand. It hurt to lick it, and I could not wipe it off. Somehow, I whacked the back of my hand, cutting it 1/4 inch and leaving a bruise! I don't bruise easily nor do I scrape myself. Skin is not thin. It is a mystery. 

I forgot. I did have Tommy take me to Lowe's. I still cannot light the grill. I went for long matches to stick through the hole in the front to light it. Well, I finally found the long matches, but saw the long lighters and decided that would work, too. So, I can try that. If it still won't light, I will get rid of the grill. Of course, Christmas decorations were 75% off, but I was charged 50% off, so I need to rectify that. I bought two strings of lights to put on the other two tomato cages. 

The wind was up again today, but less than the last few days. Tonight, it is 35F. I am so cold I have on my summer nightgown and the long-sleeved fleece nightgown. My hands are cold typing. I also have a heavy fleece throw over me as I sit in my chair. When I napped here, I used my jacket lying nearby to put over chest and around shoulders. I am still cold! I won't sleep in both nightgowns as I will remove the winter, long-sleeved nightgown. 

My hair is finally long like it was before Tommy whacked it! So, I suppose I can get a haircut to even it all. It has grown over 8 inches in a year. 

EDIT: Coach Nick Saban of University of Alabama and Roll Tide resigned. While I must be loyal to Auburn, I am a big fan of Saban. It is all over the news. Tonight, Channel 13 had a brief weather report, and the remainder of the news cast was devoted to the Saban development. 

It was a busy day, probably boring, but we accomplished things that needed to be done. I had my nap and small economies. 

How was your day? 

Any small economies?

Large ones?

Good food?

Are you an Alabama fan?

Small Economy--Two, No, Three

I love earrings. I especially love unique earrings. In the past most of my earrings were one-of a kind, ordered from the artist. Now? Not so much, not in the last 20 years. At any rate, I must order clip-on earrings or convert the ones I buy.

When I can, I browse earrings in every store. Lately I have not shopped for earrings at all. Rarely do I ever find anything I will wear. Sometimes, the earring cannot be converted. Often, the price is too steep. The sale rack is my favorite place in any store or department in the store. Walmart is not the best source of earrings for me.

Often, I would find earrings with an element I liked, but the whole earring I disliked. I would take the earring apart and make it to suit my taste. That was the case this time.

Last week, I hit the jackpot. at Walmart.  I found a $2 pair of sale earrings that I could convert to clip-ons after I remade the earrings. When I get the part of the earring off the original that I want to use, I will have enough to make another two pair with two other elements left over.

Since I put nail polish on my nails, I have to use polish remover and a cotton ball to remove it. As I pulled the cotton from a bottle of medicine, it occurred to me this was a free cotton ball. I cannot entirely eliminate the need to buy cotton balls, but the little bit of cotton in meds is a small economy.

Of course, I could quit wearing earrings or polishing my nails as an extreme economy. But, I probably won't.

Today, I found that flag paper plates, really sturdy one, were reduced. There were 10 plates for $1.47 marked down to $.25. That is 2.5 cents/plate or $2.50/100. In the regular aisle for paper goods, paper plates were $4.97/100 or 4.97 cents/plate. I think I bought about 250 plates with a flag on them. Half the plate was red and white stripes, and the other half was blue with stars. Additionally, these plates were much more sturdy than the ones I buy. Of course, they may get soft with food on them.

There were three packages left of 12 saucers, also marked to $0.25. I also bought two packages of the flag napkins. Surprisingly, they were much cheaper than the same quality napkins. Since I use cloth napkins, I suppose buying napkins is a bit of a splurge.

Your turn
Do you love earrings? Ever wear them at all? Do you wear clip-ons? Convert your own earrings? Remake earrings?

Do you reuse the cotton meds in place of bought cotton balls?

Do you ever buy marked down seasonal paper goods when they are cheaper than the regular paper plates?

Small Economy: Two Ways to Eat More Cheaply

1) Thursday, I decided to eat a can of tuna for dinner. Well, there were vegetables/salad, I forget. I just reached for a can of tuna and was opening it when I realized it was not StarKist, the only brand I like. It was Food Club. grrrrrrrrr I made the tuna salad with a bit of Dill Relish and a bit of Sweet Relish and a generous portion of Miracle Whip. Chopped celery provided a great crunch. I did not want to wait for eggs to boil, so that was dinner.

The Food Club tuna must have been in the wrong space when I picked up two or three cans at the store and put it in my cart. Have you ever gotten home with a bottle of conditioner and could have sworn you picked up shampoo? Or, something of the sort?

Much to my surprise, this tuna was delicious. So, from now on, Food Club will be my choice at the grocery store. I know that Chicken of the Sea will never be purchased again. That stuff is nasty.

Food Club is cheaper! And, I am not sure which store it came from.

2) At Publix I previously purchased the reduced Tabatchnick brand of frozen Lentils and Mushroom soup, and exbf loved it with chicken added for a more hearty meal. So, hoping against hope, I went right back to see if there were more. There were! So, I purchased four more boxes with two pouches of soup in each box. Pepperidge Farm frozen raspberry turnovers were still there, also. I now have two packages more of turnovers.

I would have purchased all the soup packages and raspberry turnovers, but my freezer was too full for more. Six packages stuffed it to the gills.

Remember? The soup packages were reduced to  $1.25 for a two-pack, and the raspberry turnovers were reduced to  $1.75 for a four-pack of turnovers. If one package of soup is a meal along with chicken in it and vegetables, he eats that for $0.62. plus added chicken and something else. I might put kale in the next bowl after I microwave it. That would be a nutritious lunch for $1 or so. He likes kale.

I cannot feed him soup for lunch or dinner every time he comes here! Or, maybe I can. I can ask him if he wants pb sandwich for lunch or the soup. I am betting he goes for soup...lol. These small economies help tremendously.

I could make a pot of vegetable soup for less than $0.62/serving, but I am not for cooking as much as I was in the past. Shortcuts, especially healthy ones, are good to have available right now.

(Since I put 6 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast in the crock pot today, I will freeze 8 little packages just for his soup.) Okay, this is hours later and chicken is done. I am now wheezing a lot. And, my finger is swollen and red again, not infected, just painful as far as I can tell.

Today, I had a checkup doctor appointment in Decatur that I could not keep. My finger is one again inflamed to the first joint and throbs. Plus, my wheezing has gotten worse. I am trying to fix both without going to the doctor.

Your turn
Do you love it as much as I do when you discover small economies for groceries? What is your best find in a reduced/sale food? Did you ever discover after years of sticking to one brand that a cheaper brand was just as good? Is Food Club brand of tuna in your area?

Cute Plant

Last Friday, I was in a rare mood when I was in Lowe's. There was a sea of gorgeous mums, several seas in various colors. I really wanted a pink one, but they had none, not even one. Well, not one in the seas of $1 mums.

There was a pretty pinkish/lavenderish color that appealed to me. As I lifted each one from the flats, I was appalled how skimpy each plant looked. The sea of color was actually mostly tops of mums since they had been grown in the flats for a while.

When I picked up one near the edge, it was the one for me. One whole side is a side and not just a top. It sits inside, still in the original pot, but plopped into an apple green ceramic pot. Since the pot has no drain holes, it will live there for a bit. The colors of the mums and pot are striking together. I took a picture and someday might post it.

Now, it sits with the barish side toward the window and the side where the flowers meets the pot facing me. It's a happy spot against lace curtains where green from the tree can be seen behind it

Knowing this will live over winter encouraged me to buy it small. The really large and full ones are just too expensive! Generally, I am not fond of mums. But, I was in the mood on Friday when I saw the price...lol.

Often, I buy things small and let them grow. When they reappear the next spring, I am thrilled. When the plant is an annual and reseeds, I am doubly thrilled.

When I picked up my little plant grown in a pint pot, I remarked to the sales woman that it would be good next year. She said,

"All that plant needs is a little love."

Yes!

Do you buy small flowers/shrubs and allow them to mature over the next year or even over the summer? Or, do you only buy display worthy plants? Have you bought mums this year?

Samples and Small Economies

Did you ever come home from an event with many samples? It is a great thing, but often I will not use what was stuffed in my bag by someone at a demonstration table. Sometimes the people with samples just put it in my bag without my knowing what I was given.

The Customer Appreciation Day was no exception. I was given Tide pods. They will go into a donation bag, maybe to J. I have to keep these samples in a quart bag in the laundry room. They just fall off the shelf after a while. I think I have about a dozen right now. I will only use these if I have something I do not wear but needs to go to the laundromat. They do serve a purpose. However, I cannot bear the smell of Tide on anything. And, it makes me itch.

One really useful item is a sample of a new Crest toothpaste--Crest 3D White, Whitening Therapy, fluoride anticavity, enamel care. All that was on the front of the box. If I did not drink cola drinks, tea, eat meat that is browned, or use dark spices, I would have shiny white teeth. Yes, wouldn't we all? I will use this toothpaste sample to try out the new variety of toothpaste. What kind of whitening toothpaste do you use, if any?

The biggest surprise at the table for breast cancer was a whole PG coupon insert that was also in the newspaper this past Sunday. There were four big-dollar coupons I have already used. So, now I have more. The rest of my coupon inserts I cannot use go to my friend who is in charge of a food bank. This was especially helpful to her when another friend gave me dozens of inserts each week.

Several people who ate sack lunches did not want their tiny bags of Fritos, Doritos, and other chips. I bought those home for exbf. He eats them during ball games, I think. At least, he will not have to buy snacks for a while.  I will eat the regular chips people did not want.

These same people did not want to throw out the little packets of mustard, catsup, and mayo in the sack lunch. Sooo, these are kept for giving away to someone, maybe J. She never wanted them when she was living in someone else's house, but now she might since she has no job and is losing her fully equipped kitchen and well-appointed home with a well-stocked pantry/refrigerator.

I received a clever little cardboard dial thing (ten-inch diameter) that shows how much electricity various appliances and electronics use and the yearly and weekly cost at various rates charged for services. This is fun to see how much my dryer and other appliances cost to use per year.

TVA had a booth where I filled out an energy survey. For this effort I will receive in the mail LED bulbs and lots of the foam things to insulate outlets and switch covers. Plus, they gave me a water bottle that was made in the USA. Most giveaway bottles are not made in USA. I really want to use this, but it has the sport top where you squirt the water into your mouth. This might come in handy when I am really hot and dribble the water all over me while squirting it toward my mouth. I can just drink from the bottle after removing the top.

Okay, so all of these were not samples, like the chips, but they come here to be given away in various places, exbf and J, people who will use them. The toothpaste and water bottle are what I want and like. The rest goes away. I did get the 10 oz bottle of Downy fabric softener last week that was a generous sample of something I do not use!

When people go to the Southern Women's Show in Birmingham, they carry a tote with them for the various samples that are not edible...lol. Of course, a few booths do give out tiny tote bags for samples. Also, people carry a tote when going to our Senior Christmas Party since we all get fruit and different stuff.  A tote bag is always handy!

I do know the argument against taking samples--it is wasteful to package these small amounts, an increase in carbon use by producing more packaging.

Some samples make good Christmas gifts/stocking stuffers.

Your turn
Do you receive good samples and ones you intend to give away? What are the best samples/giveaways you have gotten? Do you ever put them in with a Christmas gift?

Batchelors Beans and Mushy Peas--Small Economy

Once again, I was the recipient of UK foods. I had heard of mushy peas from other blogs and was curious. I asked. The guy handed me a can of mushy peas and another of beans, both packed in Ireland.

It seems "Batchelors" is the brand name of both. No, I did not misspell the name. The peas which appear to be English peas are Marrowfat peas. I wondered if that is the same as English peas. They look identical. Mushy peas seem to be a favorite in UK from what I read on blogs.

Yes, our English peas and the UK mushy peas are the same genus and species. I definitely won't try those.

On blogs from the UK I have heard of mushy peas and have been curious. Since I cannot stand English peas and am allergic, I will only smell these. It has been a mystery as to why people mash their peas in the UK. However, I have become aware of people who mash their beans, like kidney beans, and put the mashed beans between two slices of bread with mayo for a sandwich. For sixty-years I lived without this information, but have known for a few years now. We never did this and I knew no one who did.  And, it sounds gross. But, I eat and love things other feel are gross.

The "Batchelors beans in Ireland's favorite sauce" sound sort of like our baked beans or pork and beans without the meat. From the ingredients list this is my impression. There are lots of tomato products. I will let you know on this one.

It is free and it's food! Both will be opened on days when exbf visits.

Your turn

Have you eaten either of these Irish products? How did you find them here in US? Are you from UK or visited? Have you ever mashed our American beans and put on a sandwich?

Coffee Freebie Small Economy And A Fail

As I listened daily to WIAT television station, I kept hearing about a giveaway. Finally, on their website I filled out a form to enter, and a month or so later received a package in the mail. They sent me a huge coffee mug and a one-pound package of Royal Cup Fancy Gourmet Coffee. I don't believe I have ever heard of this coffee before. Have you? At any rate, Exbf will love free coffee.

If you remember or don't, last year my name was drawn at another television station and I received a free umbrella. The year before I won a weather radio from another radio station.

For the price of an email, these are great deals. As small economies go, these are worth more than cents.  He will always drink coffee and I always need an umbrella! These are both consumable. Well, the way I eat umbrellas, it is a consumable--handy, too. From a TV station I also won a handy weather radio, not consumable.

Another small economy blew up. The deal at Burger King was a free cup of coffee with an AARP card. Then, when exbf had a card to use, they discontinued the deal. Boo! He gets a cup of coffee every time he leaves here. I never knew this and felt horrible.

Your turn
Have you ever heard of Royal Cup Coffee? What small economy has happened at your place? Have you won useful items, small or large?

Small Economies

I stopped at a Coke machine at a shopping center where Cokes are fifty cents. When I put in two quarters and selected my Coke, the machine spit out a Coke and a Sprite.

In the WM parking lot right at my feet lay a nickel and a penny. Of course, I bent over and picked them up. Since they were right next to the electric cart I was about to get on in the parking lot, I held the cart to be able to bend free of pain.

Last week, I decided to get three more bags of PictSweet frozen vegetables. The next morning, I looked at the receipt. I spent $7+ instead of $3! So, back to the store I went and got back $4.14. Instead of paying $1 for each bag, I paid $2.38 each, the regular price. The same woman made the same mistake as last week when I overpaid by $11 on a $27 receipt. This is getting old and is a not-so-small economy.

Gas is now $1.81/gallon. I remember the times in the early 1990s when I was upset if gas rose to over $1/gallon.

Your turn
Do you have a place that sells soft drinks from a machine that only takes two quarters? And, you do pick up change? Is gas low where you live? What small economies have come your way?

Small economies--heat and surveys

small card and small surveys

I have been in a financial bind. I don't need to waste energy and my money trying to stay warm. Today, I needed milk and wanted to buy a paper for the coupons. I had no money.  This little card had $6 on it. It bought my milk and the newspaper. While the first of the month won't see my finances in better shape, I will have temporary relief. Being ill will cost me for a long time.

Tuck it in

The other day, the temperature outdoors was 74F, and I was chilled, necessitating the heater use. After about a week of feeling puny AND cold, I had had enough of wasting money during warm weather. I was wearing a t-shirt, sweatshirt, pants, socks and shoes. None of this made sense. Finally, I analyzed the problem. My trunk was cold; specifically, above my waist was feeling breezes. Solution: I tucked my t-shirt into my pants. It's not a good look, but it was warm. Plus, I could turn off the heater!

I also figured out I was running a degree of temperature, so there was the reason I felt cold. It had taken a long time for all this to sink in. Yes, I was very ill.  

Survey money

Some people are disdainful of getting $3 for 10 minutes work. That figures out to $18/hour. Yes, I have made more than that, holding down a full time job. That is behind me, so there is not much use in thinking about it. The survey is guaranteed because qualifying questions have been finished. When the money survey arrives, there is no frustration at being disqualified.

Pinecone Research is a good way to keep a few dollars on the card for just such an occasion. Today, I had $6 on the card and bought a gallon of milk and a Sunday paper. It works for me. Luckily, I am not wanting much to eat since this is it. Plus, there are things that appeal to me that are in my house, like Jello.

Even if you think $3 is too small for you to even bother, what do you get paid for surfing the Internet if you don't have anything else to do? I get at least 2 surveys each month, often more. But, at the minimum, I make $72/yr. My intentions are to save it for Christmas, but that rarely happens. Things happen. Maybe this year....

Your turn

Have you ever put on more clothing, tucked in your shirt, put on socks and shoes and saved heating energy and money? Did you even realize that tucking in a t-shirt will keep you warmer? Do you know people who wear shorts in the winter and go barefoot, using the heat source in the house instead of putting on clothing? Do you know people who use Pinecone to make a few dollars here and there?



Small economy: Free dental floss

I need to save every dime I can. Do you? Every small economy helps me.

Dental floss is something that will not be cut from my budget. Finally, a light bulb moment occurred. Ex bf does not floss. He claims he cannot get any floss between his teeth. "Just keep trying" is my thought. He is a grown man, so I don't argue this point with him.

Light bulb moment? I asked him what he did with the little samples of floss he gets from his twice-each-year-to-the-dentist visit. He has a drawerful, he said. Since he smoked then, I did not want smoky floss. He now leaves it in the car and gives it to me. I asked.

One he gave me had 3 yards; the other has 5.5 yards. Let me see--8.5 yards is 25.5 feet. That is about 28 flossings if I only floss once a day. No, I floss more often.  I don't save much, about $0.65 each month. That is about $8 each year. But, think of what you can buy with $8. And, all you would have to do is use the dental floss someone else does not use because he cannot floss or she does not like that brand of floss. I don't know anyone else well enough to ask for floss. Okay, I do, but they all floss.

I don't mind saving $8/yr by using floss that is not my preferred brand. A few years ago, I would have scoffed at using anything but Glide. Now, as long as I don't injure my gums, I will use any free dental floss....as long as it is waxed.

Well, we were thinking of all the things we can spend $8 on--bananas for about 6 weeks, a splurge on two magazines, two gallons of gasoline, a sweet treat of some kind. Or, this could make the difference in having gas to go to work, lunch money for a child for several days, fixings for sandwiches all week for a brown bag lunch.

About half my dental floss for this next month is free. Swell.... Sure, I can only be assured of one month of free floss, but it counts to me.

Another bonus: this is the perfect size to put in your purse cosmetic bag or pocket. You can use it to carry in your suitcase for short trips.

Yes, I know this wastes. More plastic to the landfill is not my desire.

Your turn
Is this small economy anything you will try? Why not?