Frugal Friday File 2019, week 25...

Successes:
1.  Katy Wolk Stanley, aka The NonConsumer Advocate, sets a good example for her readers to reuse packaging materials.  I rarely mail packages, but I do save some small boxes and bubble wrap that I get medical supplies in for mailing or gifting, and some larger boxes that are a good size to transport donations, etc.

I've never saved padded envelopes, though, until Katy opened my eyes.  Within the last month I have saved 3 large padded envelopes received with amazon purchases; one manilla and 2 white plastic ones with 'prime' printed all over them.  This week I needed to mail a tee shirt, so I trimmed down the manilla envelope to the size I needed, inserted tee shirt, addressed with a permanent marker, and taped envelope closed with packing tape.  I used a permanent marker to black out the printed bar code.  The previous address label was in the torn end of the envelope that I had trimmed away, so no need to cover that this time.  

I hesitated to use the white envelopes with 'prime' printed on them just to avoid any confusion on the part of the post office or the recipients.  Now that those are all I have left, I thought I'd see if some acetone nail polish remover might remove the printing from the plastic.  Wow, it came off SO easy!  See the before and after in the photo below.  I intentionally left the recycling instructions printed at the bottom.  

I tried the acetone on the address label.  It smeared, but didn't remove printing 100%.  I think covering the original label with duct tape would work to easily and securely cover it, or one could completely cover the old label with a new one.

Voilà!  There's more than one way to skin a cat recycle.

2.  I worked 1 scheduled day this week and then picked up 2½ more days when the person I fill in for had a family medical emergency.  Here's hoping for a full and speedy recovery for her family member.

3.  Carey picked up 3 extra days this week also.  (Which is a good thing, because he is needing a new vehicle AND a new riding lawn mower, so socking money into savings lately in preparation for those purchases is what we are all about.)

Larger beads representing from left: 

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Poor little blue Pluto was shunned clear off at the the back left.

4.  The library offered a free 'planet bead bracelet' workshop (with all supplies provided) for ages 13+.  I texted a photo of the bracelet to Caitlyn, and offered to register her and her best friend and drive them if they would like to go make a bracelet.  They both accepted.  I registered as well; and since Chloe is away at camp this week, I will gift her the bracelet I made when she gets home.  Three free bracelets, encouraging the girls to utilize the library's programs, and time spent with some of my favorite people...win, win, win!

5.  I bathed Rudy, cleaned his ears, and trimmed his nails; saved $20 minimum.

Saturday:  baked potato
Sunday:  baked chicken, twice-baked potato, green beans
Monday:  *fried fish
Tuesday:  leftover chicken, baked potato
Wednesday:  *Schlotzky sadwiches
Thursday:  *Tex-Mex
Friday:  breakfast for supper

Number of individual servings made and frozen for work lunches this week:  

(*not-frugal takeout or dinner out)