Running shoes, concert tickets and more – it’s been a fun week of frugality around here!
1. Remember those Hoka shoes from last week? I returned them.
After they arrived with their free expedited shipping, I put them on and wore them around the house for a bit and … didn’t like them. It’s a slightly different model than I’m used to wearing, and while I thought it would provide more cushioning and comfort, the way the sole is set up made me feel like I was getting ready to turn an ankle (inwardly, which was even stranger!) every time I took a step. So I am making use of Hoka’s wonderful return policy and they are currently winging their way back to the manufacturer even as we speak. I’ll try again with an old favorite soon.
2. I sold some concert tickets – at a profit!
Now, this is NOT a permanent foray into ticket brokering, but instead a way for me to make some money back on a show I can no longer attend – namely, a concert featuring my beloved New Kids on the Block this summer. I got all caught up in their “Magic Summer Tour” promotions – having attended the FIRST Magic Summer Tour some 34 years ago (impossible!) – and purchased tickets before realizing that LeeLee and I have other plans that weekend that we can’t get out of, nor do we want to. At first I was going to sell the tickets back to Ticketmaster, but they offered me only about 60% of the face value. I’m not looking to get rich, here, but I am looking to recoup my costs at the very least, and Ticketmaster’s behavior made me so mad that I marched over to StubHub and listed them there for just slightly over face value (which was still much lower than comparable tickets were going for). Lo and behold – they sold! I’ve now transferred them to the buyer and made a tidy little profit on the deal besides. I don’t think I have a future as a reseller, but it’s nice to know I can do it if I need to.
3. I’ve “shopped the pantry” for many meals this week.
In an effort to keep our grocery bills low (or at least lowER), I’ve decided to take this week as one to “shop the pantry,” since we’ve got a bit of a surplus of various mealtime staples in stock at the moment. For instance, I used up a half-bag of Gardein beefless tips on Monday night in a nice hearty dinner salad for myself while LeeLee was at a meeting, and then the next night used a leftover half-container of spiral pasta and a can of chickpeas to serve as the base for a pot of chickpea noodle soup. I have had to run to the store for some fresh veggies to accompany some meals, but all in all it’s been a frugal grocery week! And I’ve still got tons left in the cupboard and freezer for use as the week proceeds on.
4. Our water bill was much lower this month than a year ago in May!
As with this month’s electric bill, LeeLee and I have also been working to conserve water by not running the clothes washer or dishwasher as much, waiting until we had a full load of laundry (or dishes) to turn it on, rather than just running it any old time we had something we wanted to wash. Our conscientiousness is paying off! Now the game’s afoot to get it even lower. :)
5. I fixed the doorknob to my office (I hope!).
Sometime last week, the doorknob to my basement office began to get a little sticky when I tried to open or close it. The little tongue latch didn’t fully retract anymore, and while I never got stuck on either side of the door, I started to get a little bit afraid that I might. So I did a little Google sleuthing and found several potential causes, focusing on the ones that would be easiest to fix (meaning I could try it myself before calling in a professional). The very first suggestion was that perhaps the knob had become slightly misaligned over time – and as much as I use that door, that is entirely possible. So I unscrewed the screws that hold the knob plate to the door, just very slightly, and dropped the whole mechanism down a few millimeters, then re-tightened the knob plate (but not too tight!). A couple of minor adjustments later and the doorknob latch is freely retracting again. That said, I’m still bringing my phone with me downstairs when I close that basement door for a bit … just in case I need to call for help!
What frugal wins have you had this week? Tell us in the comments!
:)