Frugal Friday File 2018, week 45...

Successes:
1.  I bit the bullet, and bought a new phone.  My old smart phone was all but unusable after a loooong life of service.  Replacement is a new smart phone (I don't know that I could go back to any other), but I don't do a ton of web surfing, and I don't watch a ton of videos either, so I went with a lower price model that had what I need, but not all the extras.  Spent $180 rather than $600+.  I researched certified rebuilds, but they were not noticeably less expensive than the one-time price I paid for a new phone with the new service provider.

2.  I am switching phone service providers.  I'm going with one that, from what I can gather, uses my old provider for their coverage base.  It also has no contracts and drastically lower costs.  I will be paying $40 monthly for unlimited calling/texting and more data than I regularly use...rather than the $125 I've been paying monthly for far too long for the same options.

3.  I have filled out 3 surveys this week for free 'Rt 44' soft drinks at Sonic.  I'm still not drinking Coke (over 2 months with no cravings!), but the unsweetened iced tea is also covered free and the extra, extra magic ice I request is free too.  There's no purchase required to get the free drinks, so I regularly go for a treat without even opening my wallet.

4.  Fuel prices are down.  We will be taking another mini vacation soon, so that will make it even more enjoyable.  :)

5.  I walked into the living room yesterday to find our sofa upside down in the middle of the room.  Carey left it so while he went to his shop for tools.  It seems that it had a minor break in a support.  He repaired it with tools and spare supplies for $0.  I do want new living room furniture eventually, but not at this very moment.

Frugal From the Kitchen This Week:
Saturday:  *Schlotzky sandwiches
Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey & Beau's
Monday:  Chili
Tuesday:  *dinner out
Wednesday:  late lunch, skipped supper
Thursday:  Chicken Pot Pie
Friday:  breakfast for supper

(*not-frugal takeout or dinner out)

What I'm reading Wednesday...

Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline

This is the book I got awhile back from The Little Free Library that is located in front of one of our favorite restaurants.  It's been on my bedside table just waiting for me to pick it up.

Making it Monday...

I showed this little peak at my most recent cross-stitch project back in early October.

Then I showed this close-up sneak peak last week.  Now that it has been received, I can show you the whole project.

The cross-stitching part of the project went SO quickly!  "Why a skull?" you may ask.  For Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), of course!  It's a big thing in this part of the country.  If you happened to see the Disney movie Coco, you get a sense of the traditions and celebrations that are all about remembering and honoring loved ones who have passed.  The skulls are called 'calaveras' or 'sugar skulls,' and a sweet friend of mine collects them.  

Here's where the progress started to slow...when I had to start adding those itty-bitty beads.  The challenge was the tiny eye of the beading needle...it was a smaller beading needle than I have ever used.  And, no, it wasn't just that my eyes are getting old!  A needle threader wouldn't even go through it.  I tried every trick in the book, and then I tried anything that came to mind.  Seriously, threading the needle took way more time than doing the actual bead work.  

DONE!  

Here's a close up that really shows all the beads in place.

Once I finished all the stitch work, I trimmed the excess perforated paper away and added a card-stock backing and a loop for hanging.

Since I was mailing it, I built a card around it.  I tried stamping the card, but the busy-ness of the sugar skull's design fought against any stamping, so I just used punches to make a flower crown (another tradition of the day) which also holds it in place on the card.  The sugar skull can be easily removed and hung in a window or added to other Dia de los Muertos decorations.

I naively believed I could get this finished and in the mail in early October so it could be used to decorate, but sadly I was late getting it done, and didn't get it in the mail until November 1, so it was received late...but it's the thought that counts, right?  :)

Frugal Friday File 2018, week 44...

Successes:
1.  The hubs turned 65 this year.  After receiving our property tax notice last week, we remembered that we needed to claim our state's over-65 exemption which freezes home property tax at the rate of the year you turn 65.  Today we trekked to the county seat to do the paperwork, and were happy to learn that the freeze is at the rate it was at the beginning of this year not the statement we just received.  That alone will save us a lot this year, not to mention going forward.  

2.  Quick two-day trip with the hubs.  The kids took care of their brother (Rudy) for free. 

3.  Monday is quilting day at the library.  I thought we would be out of town, so I didn't register until today...online, so no need to leave home...love the library website.  So blessed to have a library with such great programs and space too.  The main library is under construction to add additional spaces, so we are meeting at its temporary annex, but still room to spread out and sew, and still free.  And I can't wait to see what the new improved spaces will be like when the library construction is complete.

4.  I have gone another week without replacing my phone.  It is getting less and less reliable, however, so it won't be long.

5.  I am seldom bored.  I can always entertain myself at home by cooking, sewing, creating something*, reading.  I attribute the ability to entertain myself to being a latchkey kid and spending so much time at home alone while my parents were at work.  Whatever the reason, I am really thankful, as entertaining yourself is a lot cheaper than paying for entertainment.  (*Of course, my hobbies aren't cheap, but that's a story for another day.)

Frugal From the Kitchen This Week:
Saturday:  late lunch, snacked for dinner
Sunday:  Sunday supper at Kasey & Beau's
Monday:  Inside Out Eggrolls
Tuesday:  Roasted Spaghetti Squash w/ meat sauce
Wednesday:  Tortilla Soup
Thursday:  *road eats
Friday:  ???

(*not-frugal takeout or dinner out)

A finish...

YEA!

I had to put this one down and walk away a few times.  It was very challenging, and now that it's done I have a great sense of accomplishment.  

I'll show the whole thing after it has been received.  I just couldn't wait to say, "It's DONE!"

What I'm still reading Wednesday...

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

A week in and have only made it to 37% (thank you, Kindle, for letting me know that).  Love the writing and the characters...or hate the characters, as the case may be...but the topic is distressing.

Frugal Friday File 2018, week 43...

Successes:
1.  No takeaway meals this week.  We are going out tonight though.

2.  We cancelled our vacation plans.  Instead of one long trip, we may take a couple of different 2-day trips during Carey's three weeks off.  The main reason for this is that our plans for dog sitting fell through, and I just don't want to kennel Rudy for two whole weeks.  (The kids offered to handle things, but Jared works such odd hours, and Kasey has enough pets at her house as it is.  

Truth be told, I wasn't really excited about taking a trip this year.  (We just took a long trip last year, and the planning and logistics were a lot of work!)  The first clue should have been whenever anyone asked me where we were going on vacation this year, my answer would be something like, "Oh, I'm not really sure.  I just can't get excited about anything."  I'm much happier continuing to sock away vacation savings, and plan a special trip for next year.

3.  I just picked up 4 quilts from the long-arm quilter.  While it isn't cheap, she is very reasonable as long-arm quilters go, and she is wonderful to work with.  Now I just have to get them bound in time for Christmas gifting.

4.  I was in the city this week, so I made a trip to Costco while I was there.  I avoided impulse purchases.  (I actually looked at pre-lit Christmas trees...our current tree is losing lights by the strand every time we plug it in...but I walked away.)  No movies, no books, no calendars, no gift wrap.  I bought apples, oranges, pears (the pears are YUM!), bananas, deli turkey breast, walnuts, salsa, and dishwasher detergent.  I avoided the giant bags of lettuce, as those would go bad before we could use it up.  I wanted the pack of small individual cups of hummus (I have trouble with portion control when it comes to hummus), but I have an open container in the fridge that needs finishing before it gets replaced.

5.  Health insurance!  I've had two medical appointments this week, and a third was postponed due to an issue at the facility.  Today I spent a good hour and a half getting a pint (half a liter) of blood drawn.  I have to have this done about every six months.  It doesn't usually take quite that long, but they tried letting it drain into a bag this time, and I just don't give it up that easy.  :)

Frugal From the Kitchen This Week:
Saturday:  Frito Pie (I had mine with very little Fritos & cheese)
Sunday:  Sunday family supper at Kasey & Beau's
Monday:  leftovers
Tuesday:  Chicken Curry
Wednesday:  leftovers
Thursday:  Shrimp Scampi served in Roasted Spaghetti Squash
Friday:  *dinner out

(*not-frugal takeout or dinner out)