Frugal Friday File, week 51...

Successes:
1.  The other Kathleen and I each paid our own way most of the time, but she insisted on picking up the tab for lunch twice.

2.  We exchanged gifts (past birthdays that had never gotten mailed and Christmas) while she was here which saved  us both postage.  My gifts were unbreakable and rather flat, so they fit in her luggage going home.

3.  I made a quick Christmas gift with supplies on hand and with love to go home with her that I hope will warm the heart and hands of her precious daughter.

4.  I returned the rental car on time (and with no blemishes) so my deposit was returned.  I had also received an upgrade from a mid-size car to a minivan at no extra charge.

5. It seems like we splurged a lot this week, what with meals out and movies, but still it wasn't really very bad.  Breakfast tacos are less than $2 each.  When we did eat lunch out, it was usually a late lunch so we could skip or have a light dinner at home.  We drank water instead of more costly beverages.  Movies were always the matinee which are discounted.

Mostly we entertained ourselves just visiting and doing things at home.  She wanted to learn to make crocheted dish scrubbies from net.  She had brought the net with her, and I cut it into strips with my rotary cutter and mat...a job that took me 13 minutes (we timed it) and an acquaintance in her hometown had quoted her a price of $40(!) to cut for her.  We found youtube video tutorials that refreshed her crochet skills.

We talked a lot about things like frugality and retirement savings and planning for the future.  Always nice to bounce ideas off of a friend.


Frugal From the Kitchen This Week:
Saturday:  *sushi
Sunday:  Sunday family dinner at Kasey's
Monday:  *Whataburger
Tuesday:  skipped dinner after *lunch out
Wednesday:  meatloaf, twice-baked potatoes, corn
Thursday:  hot dogs
Friday:  pork chops, baked sweet potatoes, spaghetti squash

(*not-frugal takeout or dinner out)