Successes:
1. No meals out this week.
2. Researching prices for books. Library is first choice since it's free; I always check library availability first. Then I check prices for used books on Amazon. Third choice would be to go to used book store in the city, but that takes gasoline, so I only go by if I have other errands in the city too, and they are never guaranteed to have a specific title in stock. Last resort is buying new, and that's only IF I really, really, REALLY am yearning to read it immediately. Last time that happened was 3 years ago.
3. Researching price for fabric. I'm getting ready for quilt retreat coming up. This morning a friend texted me that she had found a specialty fabric at our favorite online shop, which of course I then wanted too. I priced it at different online shops. Prices were similar, but other shops sold out or didn't have as much selection. And at our favorite shop I had gift cards which I had purchased while they were discounted 20%...so in essence, my new fabric was discounted 20%.
4. Researching cars and prices online before we start test driving. As we were discussing different models, Carey had several items that he said he would have to find out about, and I had ready answers for him since I had already compared and read up. Even so, I'm still not sure where we will start or what we want to end up with.
5. I got a call yesterday morning from the local branch of the company I work for asking to book me for five work days in April. I said yes. Surely I will have transportation by then!
6. Sunday, 1/22/17, the postage rates are changing. A one ounce stamp is going up 2¢, from 47¢ to 49¢. Last night I purchased four books of forever stamps online, saving $1.60. Not a fortune, but I do use stamps, and now I know I have enough for the rest of the year at least. (For international readers: stamps designated as 'forever' stamps have a one ounce postage value even when postal rates change.) I don't encourage anyone to invest in a lifetime supply of forever stamps, because a) it's doubtful, but postal rates could go down, and then you would have overpaid, b) the postal service could go out of business or change the 'forever' rule, or c) they could be lost, stolen, or destroyed. But if you have been needing to purchase stamps, and you want to get them before the price increase, you can buy them at usps.com and click on 'buy stamps' on the left.
Frugal From the Kitchen This Week:
Saturday: Crock-pot Honey Garlic Chicken
Sunday: leftovers
Monday:
Tuesday: Goulash
Wednesday: I had a sandwich, Carey had leftovers
Thursday: Salisbury Steak w/ noodles, veg
Friday: fried rice?
(*not-frugal takeout or dinner out)
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Better run out and pick up a few books of stamps, at least enough for this year's Christmas cards.
ReplyDeleteOur post office is about 5 miles in the opposite direction from anywhere I ever go, so I've gotten very spoiled to ordering them online and just having them arrive in the mail a couple of days later. If it weren't so out of the way, I would go and pick them up to save the $1.25 shipping.
ReplyDeleteI hope the postal system doesn't change the rules. I mail out lots of cards and stocked up. Bought some very pretty ones.
ReplyDeleteDon’t worry, it’s a government agency, it would take forever. :)
DeleteThis is my first visit here and I am following you now; your description of yourself made me smile. Sounds like me? I see you also like to read. Good idea to buy extra forever stamps soon. Sometimes I get free books at nearby "little free libraries", there are 2 that I walk to, and I give them more books than I get.
ReplyDeleteHi, Terrra, welcome! I want a Little Free Library so bad, but I live in a semi-rural area and on a cul de sac in addition to that, so get almost no traffic. Still, I want to give it a try.
DeleteCanada sold forever stamps in rolls, then they discontinued them... I think I still have 150 left that may be a lifetimes supply for me!
ReplyDeleteHave you read The nightingale by Kristin Hannah? I just finished it and it was a library book here.
I read The Nightingale last year and liked it. I stayed up reading WAY too late last night. But I finished. :)
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