A Frugal Day

Yesterday was an interesting and frugal day. I did have to spend some money but still ended up quite frugal.

I had an appointment in Sioux City to get my annual mammogram done. That is a 60 mile trip one way. At the same time I go there I take all the caps I knitted all year to the Goodwill office for their Christmas shoe party. I showed pictures of those previously on this blog. I always ask if they have any free yarn that I can have.  This is what I was given --

I brought home a lot of future work! They usually give me all new yarn but they must be out. This looks to be someones leftovers that were probably donated at a store that they saved for ladies like me. There are some new skeins in at least one of the bags too. I don't mind that it isn't new since I depend on the people who clean out their stash and bring it to me. But first. . . I need to finish my counted cross stitch projects.

So free yarn . . . . very frugal!

After my mammogram, I headed for the area where Michael's Craft Store is. By this time it was close to 2 pm and I had only had a bowl of cereal at 8 am, missing lunch. I wasn't sure where I wanted to eat, just knew I didn't want fast food since that is what I get at home quite often. First saw Red Robin. My son had taken me to eat at one in Virginia a few years ago. I knew they have some fabulous burgers, but that didn't sound good. Then I saw Olive Garden and I usually like to eat there, but that didn't sound good either. A little further down was a Golden Corral. That was it! I was too late for the early bird special price, but do qualify for senior citizen price which was $6.99. Now, I have spent that much at McDonald's and got much less, more greasy, food. I had a variety of foods I really enjoy, but only a small portion - a spoon full of this, and a spoonful of that. And of course, I HAD to have bread pudding for dessert, but a small dish with much less than I normally take. And I was still quite stuffed when I left. I knew when I went in that by eating after 2 pm, I would not need supper either. And I sure didn't. I found everything I took very tasty as well, from orange chicken, bourbon chicken, fried rice, meat loaf, seafood salad, and more. This may not have been quite as frugal as McD dollar menu, but a very frugal price for the meal I got.

Then to Michael's. Naturally I left the coupons I printed the night before at home on the kitchen table. I even had my keys laying on top of them and still forgot to pick them up. I doubt I would have used them anyway since my body did not want to walk around the store looking at things. I usually will lean on a shopping cart while walking a store, but they have very small, low carts so that does not work well. Of course, the DMC, which is what I really needed, was in the far back corner, so I still had to walk a long way. I did get what I needed and only spent a total of $1.98.

Frugal . . . . walking out of a store and only spending less than $2. A rarity for me.

I also needed gas. I was going to fill up at home first since I had just slightly more than 1/4 of a tank of gas. But I had received my new Walmart credit card and there was a slip of paper saying Walmart gas purchased with WM card received 15 cents off per gallon. I thought the LeMars WM had gas pumps so waited until I got there, which is 30 miles away. No gas pumps. I did notice that gas had gone down to $3.49 at home. It was $3.32 in LeMars, then next small town the price was $3.22! I kept going. Hit the edge of Sioux City and it was $3.18!! That is 31 cents cheaper than at home. I knew where there was one WM on the north side so filled up there, with my 15 cent discount - so only paid $3.03 a gallon!


Frugal . . . . saving 46 cents a gallon of gas. Filled up with 18.6 gallons for a total savings of $8.38. I hear on the news that gas will continue to go down during the next couple of months.

I was really tired when I got home. I left home shortly after 11 am and didn't get home until close to 4 pm. I am still tired today, but the damp, dark day doesn't help any either.