Frugal Workshop: First Frugal Friday of November 2025

Friday, November 7, 2025

First Frugal Friday of November 2025

Welcome to Frugal Friday
My Frugal Week
Last Friday we went to a Halloween Party at my niece's home where we played games and had such a great time. My niece made polo loco chicken for dinner and it was delicious.
On Saturday Bailey and I went to Georgia to UGO and Kroger to get groceries.
I filled up my car with gas at Mapco on Saturday paying $2.44 per gallon using their reward app, which saved me 15 cents per gallon. The second time I use it I’ll save 25 cents per gallon and the third time I’ll save 35 cents per gallon. Having been to Chattanooga twice this week, I needed to fill up my gas tank again on Wednesday, which saved me 25 cents per gallon paying $2.25 a gallon.
On Monday and Tuesday I stopped in at the Samaritan Center in Ooltewah because I was going to Chattanooga both days anyway. They give away free medical equipment and I wanted a shower chair for the downstairs shower.
I don’t know that I’ve ever shared this, but my Dad only had one leg due to an auto accident in 1973. He had a plastic lawn chair in the shower, so I replaced it this week with a real shower chair. It’s just a small way of honoring him.
At the Samaritan Center I also picked up four wide mouth Ball canning jars for 60 cents each, and a folding laundry drying rack for $2.00.
I also stopped in at the Dollar Tree and bought four 64 ounce jugs of cleaning vinegar for $1.50 each, and a container of twenty bleach tablets for $1.00, which is much lighter than a gallon of bleach. I’ve done the math and this is the best price I can find on vinegar.
I also stopped in at Aldi and picked up four bags of onions ($1.65) and six bags of cranberries (99 cents each).
I stopped in at the new Hunt’s thrift store in East Brainerd, but was unimpressed with their prices and didn’t buy anything.
I had an appointment with the dermatologist on Monday. I’ve had a flare up of psoriasis in recent weeks, so he is starting me on a biological medication called Taltz, which means another trip (my third this week) to Chattanooga for blood work.
The Great Cleanup
The weather was warm enough on Wednesday to work in another shed outside. I hauled off a trunkful of trash plus three contractor bags of other trash. There are four more five gallon buckets of liquid I’ll have to dispose of as well. I plan on going out there today too and disposing of some larger items such as a glass window and wooden pallet.
Freebies
We received our free copy of Good Housekeeping this week.
Saving on Electric

Sunday & Monday are days when we do laundry and you can tell from our kWH usage on those days. The other days our energy consumption is much lower with no air or heat running, which is another reason I love this time of year.
Saving Money on Entertainment

Emmy Russell pays tribute to her Grandmother Loretta Lynn in this performance at the Grand Old Opry during Opry 100 Honors: Loretta Lynn. The song was written by Mark Marchetti and released in 2016. The lyrics reflect on the struggles of life and express a longing for peace that will only come after death.

What I've been Reading This Week on Thanksgiving Meal Deals
Surviving Financial Hardship is a Facebook page run by a lady who chooses to be self sufficient. She is really into the Aldi $40 Thanksgiving meal for ten and has already bought two of the meals. She’s planning on buying one of the meals each week until the sale is over on December 24, 2025. She has plans on making this food last her and her husband for at least four months. I don’t know how successful she will be, but I hope she succeeds.
The Aldi $40 Thanksgiving meal plan has twenty-one items and includes:

Whole turkey (14 pounds)

Chicken broth

Condensed cream of mushroom soup

Evaporated milk

Hawaiian sweet rolls

Miniature marshmallows

Cut green beans (x2)

100% pure canned pumpkin

Shells and cheese (x2)

Brown gravy mix (x3)

Poultry spices & herbs

French fried onions

Pie crust

Chicken or cornbread stuffing (x2)

Whipped dairy topping

Yellow onions (3 pounds)

Baby peeled carrots

Celery

Cranberries

Sweet potatoes (3 pounds)

Russet potatoes (10 pounds)

Walmart is offering their version of a Thanksgiving meal, which states it will feed ten people for under $4.00 each and comes at a cost of $39.92.
Walmart’s Thanksgiving meal plan has fifteen items and includes:
Butterball Turkey, 13.5 lb. (97 cents a pound)
Kinder’s Fried Onions, 4.5 oz.
Campbells Cream of Mushroom Soup, 10.5 oz. (1 can)
Stove Top Turkey Stuffing, Twin Pack 2 x 6 oz.
Great Value Dinner Rolls, 12 ct.
Fresh Russet Potatoes, 5 lb.
Fresh Cranberries, 12 oz.
Great Value Baby Carrots, 2 lb.
Great Value Corn, 15 oz. (3 cans)
Great Value Green Beans, 14.5 oz. (3 cans)
Great Value Artisan Macaroni & Cheese, 12 oz. (3 boxes)
Great Value Brown Gravy Mix, 0.87 oz. (2)
Great Value Pie Crusts
Great Value Evaporated Milk, 12 fl. oz.
Great Value 100% Pure Pumpkin, 15 oz

And finally, Target is also offering a Thanksgiving deal this year for $20 for four people.

Target’s Thanksgiving meal plan has seven items and includes:
- Good & Gather Premium Basted Young Turkey (Frozen, up to 10 lb.)(79 cents pound)
- Good & Gather Russet Potatoes (5 lb. bag)
- Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce (14 oz.)
- Stove Top Stuffing Mix (6 oz.)
- Heinz Home Style Roasted Turkey Gravy (12 oz.)
- Favorite Day Soft French Bread
- Good & Gather Frozen Corn

With all these meal plans you will still need to use some items from your own pantry like butter and spices. You’ll also want to use your calculator to find the best deal for your family if money is tight this year and that it’s important to you. I can remember the days when Mom & I could easily drop $100 on a holiday meal plan, but these days priorities are different and I won’t spend that for one holiday meal.

What I like about the deal at Aldi is you can buy each item separately and Aldi has marked them down through the holiday season. I’ve not been able to find three pound bags of onions for $1.65 in a long time, so I stocked up on those this week.

How was your week?