Five Frugal Things ~ 10/19/22

 While at the grocery store this past week to fill in the gaps in our pantry and fridge, I was just about to make my way to the checkout and then head on home. I scanned my list to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything, glanced at the eggs and their price and wondered if I should go ahead and buy some now, or wait until my next shopping trip (we had eggs on hand at home). I decided to do some comparison shopping right then and there. I pulled up the Walmart site on my phone to check their present egg prices on the case of five dozen that I normally buy when I can't find a better price elsewhere. $18.12. EIGHT. TEEN. DOLLARS. and twelve cents. I froze inside. The last time I had purchased those very same eggs on September 30th, just thirteen days before, they were $12.40. Back in December of 2021 (I would buy other eggs when I could find them at a better price in between times), they were $6.11. In ten months time, the price of the same item has almost tripled.

I  know, I  know...everything has pretty much increased in price lately. I have seen and quietly contemplated the rising prices, as I strolled the aisles of whatever grocery store I happened to be in, trying to calmly process it all. I suppose the eggs were the thing that set off something in me that said, 

"this means WAR!" (figuratively and financially speaking). 

Granted, I am always pretty frugal in most cases but this moment in time, standing in the aisle of Aldi staring at the price of eggs in the case and then the price of eggs online, collided with a couple of undeniable facts. One: that we are already on a fixed income that's not going to expand and rise like all the prices of everything swirling around me and two: recent personal events (that I won't go into detail about here) that have shaken our financial situation like an earthquake that continues on in aftershocks, with no end in sight.

 “If we attack our problems with determination, we shall succeed.” 

~ Franklin Roosevelt 

So, if our monetary belts weren't tightened enough already, I determined then and there that I was going to go at the heels of this situation like a nipping, yipping chihuahua and once I had gotten in a good bite, chomp down on it like a pit bull to ride this thing out as best as we can. Because, I have lived long enough to know that...

~this too shall pass~

I am embarrassed to admit, but don't mind saying, I have gotten quite lax in all areas of my frugal endeavors since before the "vid" came to town. It hit home when I couldn't find a speck of flour in the stores to make bread (thanks nouveau vid bakers😉😆) and hadn't been stocking up on it (or anything else) as I had in the past. Lesson learned. Still, almost three years later, I have not returned to my former frugal glory😄 during that time.

In the meantime, I have decided to revive my Five Frugal Things posts, to help encourage not only myself, but hopefully you as well, as we all ride out this turbulent season, keeping in mind with optimism:

                        

     ❄️🌱seasons change☀️🍂

Without further ado, my five frugal things this past week included (but weren't limited to):

1)  I mended one of my favorite sheets that has developed a tear and a tiny hole. Mending a sheet, you say? YES! I love these particular sheets. They're perfectly worn-in-smooth, soft and cool (and for this woman-of-a-certain-age🙋‍♀️👵😉that's muy importante). I will mend these sheets until they can't be mended anymore, especially since good king sized sheets are pricey and right now, not in the budget.

2)  I ordered my eyeglasses online from Zenni Optical. My prescription was about to expire so it was a necessary expense since the last time I bought a new pair of glasses was over nine years ago. I was able to apply a coupon code which saved me $10 off the order. Ordering from Zenni is a first for me, so I'm a jumble of nervousness and excitement. 

3)  After my eye-opening egg ordeal 😄, I sat down armed with my recipe binder, file box and tablet in which I have many recipes bookmarked, and chose several inexpensive ones to get started that will allow me to use foods we have on hand already. I will continue to tweak my game plan in this regards in the upcoming days and weeks. 

4)  I upped my seed sowing. I have many seeds saved and want to focus on getting the older ones in the ground and containers first using the FIFO (first in, first out) mindset. Because just like me, those seeds aren't getting any younger! Luckily, in my area the weather is cooling a bit, making it a good time to sow many types of seeds.

5)  I tightened up my water conservation efforts around the house. I have never been wasteful with water but I know I could always use less. One major change I've reinstated is taking what I've heard called "navy showers". 

           I Can~I Will~I Must

If you have read this far, thank you SO much! I appreciate you joining me here.

Thanks for stopping by! 

💋xo, 

TJ