+ J needed a new pair of sneakers. I had the hardest time finding the style he wanted that was also in his size! Thankfully, a quick search on ebay found just what I was looking for and at a comparable price. And bonus for being able to support a small business!
+ I used up all of the old, leftover wrapping paper I had saved from last year before buying new rolls.
+ I cleaned my dishwasher with vinegar using this tutorial.
+ I unclogged both of our master sinks and one of our bathtubs with my go-to recipe.
+ We turned off our air conditioning on the first day of fall (September 22) and I am anxious to see how long we can go before having to turn on the heat!
+ We have a bad habit of keeping cell phone and laptop chargers plugged into the wall. Apparently these still use “phantom energy” so I’ve tried to change my habits and unplug them when not in use. (We now unplug the toaster and other kitchen appliances too.) Not sure how much we’ll actually save on our electric bill, but every little bit helps!
+ I’ve been asking myself, Can I get one more use out of it? I’ve seen the benefit of this simple question both from a frugal standpoint as well as just general waste reduction. A couple of examples:
- I cut a notch on the back end of my toothpaste and got three more days of use!
- I use almond milk in my morning coffee. One morning, I realized that I was nearing the end of the bottle, so I used a little less than normal in order to give myself one more serving later on.
+ I buy Bonne Maman jam so that I can wash and repurpose the glass jars. They are the perfect size for little bits and bobs. Also, did you know that Classico pasta sauces are poured in mason jars? You can wash them and then add your typical lids and bands for further use.
+ We weren’t planning to buy our pigs until the spring, but couldn’t pass up the great deal! While they were already a great price, if we purchased three or more, we could save even more. In other pig news, we took apart our chicken tractors (we have a new plan for next spring) and reused the lumber to build a pig shelter. It’s not particularly pretty, but it’s free.
+ I bought little pumpkins to decorate my kitchen, but went with the pie version so we could also make puree later on.
+ I had some points and store credit on ThredUp so decided to check out their clearance section for next year’s clothes for my daughter. I was able to find nine pieces of clothing (all name brand bottoms, tops and a hoodie) for less than $50. A great deal.
Well, I think my mind was just blown with the Clasico pasta sauce jars thing!! And to think I’ve been chucking them all this time when I could have been washing and reusing them for my mason jar flower arrangements.
Thanks for sharing!
I was SO excited when I discovered that handy tip, ha! They’re nice and tall too, which I’m thinking would be perfect for flower arrangements!
If your willing to go a little bit rogue you can actually reuse commercially canned jars and their original lids.!! I have been doing that trick for years. Classico lids are re-cannable at least once if not twice. I have re-used pickle jars, salsa jars, and just about any thing that comes in a jar. Now i know this is against the official ball canning rules but when there is a shortage on lids this tip could come in handy. I have been canning all manner of things for about 15 years, and have had great success.
We reuse salsa and pickle jars here too, but mostly for leftovers. Are you saying that their original lids will reseal again in a canner? Interesting!
yes commercial lids can be re-canned. With the canning lid shortage in our area last year and the crazy prices online i reused almost all of my lids for a second years canning!!! my friend did as well with fantastic success!
I used to be better at unplugging chargers but in this new apartment the sockets are located in more complicated places
I hear you. Some of my sockets are the same and out of sight, out of mind, ha! I’m trying to be more mindful but it’s hard to remember.