Second Frugal Friday of January 2025

Welcome to Frugal Friday! 

Quote of the Week

Grass is typically greenest where it is watered. 

My Frugal Week
Physical Therapy came on Wednesday and had me walking and exercising to strengthen my new knee. I was sore after she left, but it was a good kind of sore. And then Occupational Therapy came on Thursday to see if I needed anything. She is going to come once a week to help me out. 
I switched a doctors appointment on Friday to Thursday as the weather people are calling for snow on Friday and officials are asking people to stay off the roads unless it is an emergency. 
Right before my knee surgery, I had the oil changed in my car and filled the gas tank. We always check the website for coupons before we go and I mentioned this to the employee. He then clicked on my phone to show them to me. 
Later after I went to pay, the total was $63 and I asked if that included the coupon. This was a different employee and he told me he I didn't know I had a coupon. So, he pressed a couple of buttons and my total came down to $36.21. 
The coupon on the website was only for $20 off, but whatever button he pressed took $27 off my bill. Wow!
Don't be afraid to ask and make sure your coupon is included in your totals. If he had told me the $63 charge was with the coupon I would have believed him because of the ever increasing cost of oil changes. The dealership where I bought my car is now charging $125 for an oil change. 
On Sunday we took down our Christmas tree and all the decorations and put them away for next Christmas. There is just a little part of me that is sad when it’s officially over. 
Other things I did that were frugal this week include:

- Used the toilet paper package as a garbage can liner.- Scanned my grocery receipts into Fetch and NCP.- Brought cheese sticks & granola bars in case we got hungry on our way to or coming back from Chattanooga. 
Grocery Orders
Last Friday morning I had a Walmart order delivered as we needed some fruit. Oranges, bananas, pears, fruit cocktail, cheese sticks, dried plums, cheddar cheese, cashews, cheese crackers, and cottage cheese. $51.14 out the door. 
Bailey went grocery shopping for us on Monday and picked up chicken, cottage cheese, onions, sweet potatoes, yogurt, salad kits, tortillas, vinegar, milk, eggs, riced cauliflower, frozen vegetables, red bell peppers, tomatoes, and more $1.00 pineapples. 
Bailey has really enjoyed having the fresh pineapple on hand, so when she saw them marked down to $1.00 again, she bought five of them! 

This week I ordered twelve packages of Lawry's dry spaghetti sauce seasoning packets. At the time I ordered them there was a 20% off coupon, which made them $8.80. This is great to add to tomato sauce for a quick pizza or spaghetti sauce. 
National Consumer Panel, or NCP, recently began accepting new members. It's a program where you can share your shopping opinions, earn points and get rewarded with gift cards. I've already earned enough in one week to get a $5.00 Amazon gift card, which I added to my account for a later purchase. 
What I've been Reading This Week
Recently I was approached by Ashley at the Rent.com website as they were working on an article to highlight creative, thoughtful, and budget-friendly DIY gift ideas. So, I sent her information on my large casserole pads that I made for Christmas. Click on the “easy gifts to make at home” link below if you want to read the article. 
You can get a jump start on your Christmas gift making for next Christmas.  

Tis’ the season for giving gifts, whether you’re renting a house in sunny Honolulu, HI, looking for a winter home in Buffalo, NY, or crafting in your cozy apartment in New York City—check out our ideas on Rent.com for easy gifts to make at home and an enjoyable gifting experience into the holidays and beyond.

That’s our week in a nutshell. How was your week? 

Thank you for dropping by my frugal blog, you are always welcome here. 
We would love to hear all about your week in the comment section.

BelindaHomemaker at HeartMortgage & Debt Free~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27