Second Frugal Friday of July 2026

 

Welcome to Frugal Friday

Each Friday here at Frugal Workshop, I love sharing the frugal wins, quiet savings, and simple strategies that helped us stretch our budget over the past seven days. It’s a gentle look back at the small things that make a big difference. 
My Frugal Week
When I was giving away Dad’s soda pop bottles a few weeks ago I kept a few back because I knew they were worth something to someone. This week I sold one on Facebook Marketplace for $20, which is pretty good in my book for something that was just sitting around in an old shed collecting dust. 
I scanned all of my receipts into Fetch and NCP. I received an email from Walmart to renew my Walmart Plus membership at 50% off after cancelling it last month when they wanted me to renew it at full price ($98). I was hoping they would offer this to me and they did. Score!
I also received an email from Triple AAA to renew one year of membership for half price so I took advantage of that this week too. We’ve had this membership for many years now and have used them multiple times, so it’s definitely an expense worth keeping. 
We spent the 4th of July at the Cook Family 4th of July Fireworks Show & Farm. We had the best time socializing with friends, eating dinner together and then a very elaborate fireworks show. 
On Monday we had another clean out downstairs. We took another load of metal to the recycling center (1200 pounds!), and threw out about half a trailer full of garbage/stuff. 
In this photo you can see the pickup truck bed full of metal and the back half of the trailer full of metal. The first half of the trailer are items I tossed. 

I was of the mindset that if we’re going to have to move, I want to move as little as possible, so I threw out a great deal that I’d been hanging onto, some for sentimental reasons. 
On Tuesday I had a tutoring session, went to the farmers market for fresh produce, and met with a realtor about our home. More details to come on that later. 
I had a repairman come out on Monday and Wednesday to fix the drainage hose on our washing machine as the force of the water was making it leak. It’s all good to go now though. 
I've been watching money saving YouTube videos including Prepper Princess and Frugal Queen this week to help tweak my budget where I can. 
We woke up on Thursday to no power in the house, which was so quiet with none of the window air conditioners running. The electric company crew came by to check our line as they were trying to figure out where the issue was.  It was off for about four hours. 
I'm glad the power came back on for my tutoring session Thursday afternoon. Two weeks ago right in the middle of our session the power went off and I wouldn't care for a repeat of that. 

I emptied this plastic bag of toilet paper rolls, but kept the bag to reuse as a garbage bag soon. 
Yard Sale Saturday
No yard sales on July 4th due to the holiday. 
Freebies
I went by People Helping People on Tuesday and picked up some free green beans, which I broke/snapped and cooked and we ate on Wednesday and Thursday. They were so good and fresh. I also picked up more free zucchini and yellow squash. 
Saving on Electric
I've been keeping the air conditioner in my bedroom at 72 degrees when I do have it on along with a fan as needed. Raising the temperature just a couple of degrees in the summer time helps us to save money on our electric bill. 
Photo of the Week
Here are before and after photos of our cat Ginger who we had shaved last week. 

Its very obvious that he feels better as he is jumping up onto things where he wasn't before. It's hard to tell from the photo above, but he had a large matted area along his backbone, which is gone now and he seems happier for it. 

Saving Money on Entertainment
We've been rewatching the Toy Story movies in our quest to see Toy Story 5 hopefully this coming Tuesday at the theater on $5 Tuesday. 
My Reading Nook ~ What I've been Reading This Week
 I've been reading more than usual this summer and this week I’m rereading a book I read last year on boundaries. I also went to the library and claimed my second freebie for reading three more books, which was a magnetic note pad. 
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.

Belinda 🫶 💕 Homemaker at Heart 💕 ~ Living within our Means ~My Linktree
~ She looketh well to the ways of her household ~Proverbs 31:27