Frugal Adventures

* I wanted a gray hoodie to wear this fall.  My mom was getting rid of a super cute gray sweatshirt material jacket that is way cuter than a hoodie.  I am a few bucks richer and will be much cuter than my original plan.  :P

* I found my favorite kind of rice while at Big Lots yesterday. I paid $1.59 for an 8 ounce package at my local grocery store and yet it's $1.00 for 9 ounces at Big Lots.  The package is configured to make the 8oz look larger than the 9oz.  Marketing is so strange!

* I am applying to graduate school (more on this later) and I am trying to apply to programs that will waive the GMAT test requirement for me.  Since I have a doctoral degree and almost a decade of post-doctorate work experience, a lot of programs do waive it.  If I don't have to take it that's a $250 savings just for the test fee and not counting study materials.  However, if I am rejected from all of my first pick programs I may end up taking it anyway so that I can get in somewhere!

* I really wanted to buy the new Harry Potter book, but I've acquired the entire series in hardback for free over the years via Paperback Swap and couldn't see breaking my cheap-o tradition.  I'm not using PBS anymore and I'm sure the new book won't be available for trade for a loooong time, so I started thinking strategically. I found a referral link for a $5 Amazon coupon if I order through the Amazon app, will order a $10 gift card that I earned through My Points, and I also ordered a $5 gift card from Swagbucks (referral link).  This should cover most of the cost + shipping.  Yay!!  Of note, I haven't really used or cashed out anything from Swagbucks since 2010, so you can see how desperate I was to make this work.  Hee hee!

* In a fit of minimalist rage I went through my house AGAIN with a fine tooth comb and discovered a bunch more stuff which can be sold in the booth, on Ebay, or on Craigslist.  Also organized stuff for clothing consignment and the used bookstore.  I WILL get this house under control and decluttered!

* I bought some craft supplies for converting vintage clip earrings to post backs.  I didn't realize that I already had some of the supplies, so I will return an unopened package when I'm near the craft store.  It's only $3, but it won't take much time when I'm in the neighborhood.

* I received a check from clothing consignment for $33.78 and a flea market booth check for $31.50. My booth sales are suffering due to the summer slump and the fact that it's 500 degrees inside the store.  Approximately. I imagine sales won't recover until later in September or maybe even October.  I am glad for any checks, though, and I deposited them in my savings account.  Whee!!  Speaking of which...

* Last month marked ten years since I opened my first savings account as an adult.  Ten years!!!  It has been an invaluable tool which has encouraged me to be a good saver and to consider how all of these little frugal things add up to thousands and thousands of dollars over the years.

* I calculated my net worth (assets-liabilities) again and I am now only in the negative by about 8K.  As a reminder, I started out 146K in the red (!!!).  Pretty sure I will have a positive net worth by the end of the year, which is something I wasn't sure I would ever see.  All of these frugal little things may seem silly, but they have enabled me to make progress like this.

* I sold an old textbook on Amazon for ~$9.

* I had lab work drawn for free via my work place's employee health program.  It's good to have yearly labs to check my health status and I should get a small discount on health insurance premiums for doing this.

* I ended up with a $1 coupon for ZZZquil (it's diphenhydramine which is the generic for Benadryl) and there is a $5 rebate on their website.  Purchased a small box for under $6, so it will be free after coupon and rebate.  I use Benadryl for sleep when I travel and for when my daytime allergy medicine isn't cutting it.

* Bought four reams of paper at Staples.  These will be .01 each after rebate, and I calculated that with tax and after rebate I will have spent ~$2.45 for four reams.  I usually put these in the booth for $2 each and have already sold the two that I put in there last week.

* I sanded, primed, and painted a rust spot on my car.  Good as new!  Well, not exactly new.

* While in Walgreens I spotted a couple of clearance priced Minion toys that I picked up for my nephew's upcoming birthday. 

That's all for me!!  What things have you been doing to save money or make money?




Comments

MrsSpock said…
I want to read the new Harry Potter book too. My local library has digital benefits, so I reserved a digital copy online and am waiting for it to come available. I am number 11 in line. Once it's available, I will download it to my Kindle for iPad app- all for free!
Nice job, MrsSpock!!! I know I can't wait to read it. :D
Danavee said…
It's nice to hear that your flea is experiencing a summer slump too! August has started out alright, but I'm ready for those crazy checks again!
Ugh, I hate the summer slump!! Even my Ebay sales have suffered. I can't wait until things pick up again!

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