It’s been ninety or close to for almost a week now, so I feel like I can complain about how stupid hot it is outside. While that may not be noteworthy in a lot of the country, around here it gets us heat advisories. A lot of our discomfort comes from not only the heat we are unaccustomed to, but also the fact that many places aren’t equipped with air conditioning so it gets up to 85-90 inside, even at night when you’re trying to sleep. We broke down and bought a couple of window units a few years ago, but we run them on energy saver mode so our house is around 72-75 degrees right now, which is so much more bearable than over eighty.
Crazy enough, this heat wave looks like it’s going to stick around next week, so we’re going to have to deal with it for a while yet. This is the time of year though that we really appreciate that our home backs up to wooded trails, so our backyard is pretty much always a nice place to hang out. That, and our laundry dries in no time flat.
Friday’s Frugal Five
1. Our neighbor texted my husband the other day and asked if he could use his larger car jack and help him rotate the tires on his Jeep. While this isn’t a money saving endeavor for us personally, it saved our neighbor the cost of taking his car to a repair shop AND the cost of buying the supplies to do something when we already own them.
While this might be a little thing, I feel it’s a good example of the sort of things we could – and should – be sharing within a community to save both costs and resources. Bonus, our son got to “help” them and he thought it was the best thing ever. Basically anything that has to do with power tools and he’s in.
2. The season for King salmon opened and closed quickly around here, but my dad was out fishing almost every day during that week and maxed out his catch every day but one, so he ended up with a ton of salmon, which he then shared with us, which was awesome for my husband and son (but not for me because I don’t like most seafood – odd for this area, I know).
In trade for the awesome gift of fresh caught fish, my husband took extra from my dad overnight to smoke at our house in his smoker, which created a bit more variety for my parents with the large amounts of salmon they were ended up with. Fresh or smoked salmon is crazy expensive, so the amount of money saved between our two families is probably in the hundreds of dollars all told. Fishing is also my dad’s favorite hobby, and it’s always awesome when a hobby is also a money saving endeavor.
3. My aunt and cousin were in town so they went up to Whidbey Island for a week, and we joined them for a few days. It is always great to escape to the islands and it was even better to spend some time with them. When the trip ended, there was quite a bit of leftover food in the rental fridge, and we ended up going home with a lot of it.
The timing was perfect because we had our annual neighborhood block party Sunday afternoon and I put together a nice spread to take down to the event. Even leftovers can look pretty fabulous when nicely displayed, and it was a great way to make sure that all the food got eaten (and made it so we had one less thing to do after getting back home after a short trip away.
4. I renewed my blog domain this week after I almost skipped over an email letting me know that my credit card information at GoDaddy was expired. I’m not sure if anyone wants my domain name, but how awful would it have been if I had accidentally let it lapse and someone had snatched it up?! Thankful that they don’t cancel it immediately and send a few extra reminders for people like me who are terrible at checking their non-work emails. I did at least remember to go through Ebates for the domain renewal so I am getting a little bit back on that purchase as well. I’m excited for the next check I receive from them because it will actually be a decent size (for someone like me who doesn’t spend a ton of money on online orders). If you haven’t used Ebates yet, use this link to get $10 – if you’re ordering anything online, you may as well get a little money back for it!
5. As you know by now if you follow along on Twitter or Instagram (or read my latest garden update), we are currently overrun by blueberries in the garden, which is a pretty awesome thing to be overrun by. While I could freeze or can the extras, I prefer to give away the excess whenever possible because there are few things that make me happier than sharing my homegrown fruits and vegetables. My parents don’t have a garden this year, so of course I took a full bowl of blueberries and Sungold cherry tomoatoes (my mom’s favorite!) over to them this week. Our three slower to ripen bushes are getting close this week, so soon we will have yet more blueberries ready for picking. I’ve been trying to eat as many myself as I can so that I’m sick of them by the time the season ends. So far, I’m not sick of them 😉
Running Update
This past week I managed to run four times instead of my more recent three days a week, and it felt awesome. While we were on the island, I managed to go for a bonus hour long run on Friday during nap time. I then squeezed in two short twenty minute runs on Monday and Tuesday; previously I would have made excuses as to why I didn’t have time, but as I’ve gotten back into the routine of running more I just had to make it happen. And then I ran to work again on Wednesday morning as usual. Again, I didn’t lift this week though, so I really need to find a way to make that happen.
What were your big frugal wins this week? Share them with me – I love to hear all about them!
i went to a free wine class on wednesday. it was all about the nebbiolo grape of piedmont, italy. got to try some wines normally out of our price range and even impart some knowledge to a couple of more novice attendees. those salmon look fantastic. sometimes i poach ’em. put ’em skin side down in a pan for a few minutes and then add some citrus juice and a dash of soy and put a lid on until they’re barely done. well done on the running and i’m glad somebody else can experience the joy of 90’s temps i’ve been whining about.
Free wine class?! I’d be all over that. And the runs have all been in the shade because it is way too freaking hot.
You’ve got me craving blueberry pie so bad right now. I might just have to make some mini or hand pies this weekend.
I have been slacking on physical activity recently (it’s too bloody hot in Boston to do much of anything right now) and it’s been impacting my physical and mental health. I finally decided to do something about it last night and was looking online to buy a yoga mat and sign up for the 30 day yoga challenge at my local studio. However, I didn’t want to wait until the yoga mat arrived to start doing it, so I put on weightlifting gloves for traction and started a Youtube yoga challenge instead.
That is the big upside of the Pacific Northwest; it may rain a lot comparatively, but most of the year the outside is reasonable to be outside.
Ugh this summer has been hot since late June. Not complaining after the cold long winter but we’re not used to it. The temps were 104+ on and off over 3-4 weeks. The rest of the time in the 90’s. Looking forward to normal hot summer temps starting today.
Fresh fish is soo yummy! We don’t fish in the city but every once in awhile when we have access to it when visiting family we really enjoy it. Your son helping is so cute!
Ouch, 104+?! Makes me feel a little better about this loooooong stretch of high 80s.
High 80’s is nothing to sneeze at. Really it’s all the same: too hot.
Basically, yes. Anything over 80 is too freaking hot.
Awww dammit, Angela, I was TOTALLY going to snatch up your domain name just to make your life a pain! Good thing you renewed so I couldn’t 😉
Every year at the beach mom makes a blueberry/tart cherry pie with an oatmeal crumble on top, and while choosing a favorite is obviously difficult, I think it’s my favorite kind of pie! Might be a good way to use some of your blueberries.
Cheese and crackers is one of my favorite meals, so that charcuterie board of leftovers is making me very hungry right now even though it’s way too early for lunch 😂
Hahahaha well if you had snatched it up at least I would have been able to get it back. I hope 😳
I have to admit I’m not a huge pie fan, but I do love a good crumble. And we have made blueberry pancakes a couple of times at least.
So jealous you are overrun with blueberries! I love them and easily will be a staple if I ever get a garden some day. That’s so nice you share so many things with the community! I’m sure that’s come in handy several times (as you’ve written about) and makes life easier for everyone!
Another neighbor came up yesterday and refilled their grocery store clamshell with our blueberries 🙂 They’re going to stop for the season eventually but for now they seem awesomely endless.
You don’t like salmon either. Oh man. It’s okay. We can still be friends. Smoked chinook salmon is hard to beat. It has been a hot summer here in the PNW. I try to tell myself to enjoy the hot weather because 9 months of rain are coming.
Yeah, at this point I might welcome 9 months of rain haha. It’s been a stupid hot summer already and it isn’t even August yet.
Sounds like you have a great neighbourhood from helping with tasks to block parties. Tell your Dada you’ll trade garden goodies for that salmon, good ole’ barter system.
We absolutely have the best neighborhood! And I bring him garden goodies regularly – he says my raspberries are the best he’s ever tasted 🙂
Fresh, wild salmon? YUM! Pacific Northwest has its benefits despite being so rainy…another awesome frugal week for yall! I also love the community sharing thing. Sounds like a great neighborhood!
Ha, yeah I think I’m the only person who wouldn’t be excited by that salmon 😉
Another awesome week! Well done on the running, especially given the weather.
Have to admit I cannot cope in the heat we’ve been having here….got up to 35 which was unbearable!
I have a heck of a hard time coping as well, so runs have either been in the shade, early in the morning, or SHORT.
Those blueberries sound awesome. When we were overrun with them, I made a blueberry pie which tasted great!
Funny enough the only thing I’ve cooked with them so far is pancakes!
Yay for blog domain renewals lol…. it’s a sign that your passion is still worthwhile and obviously alive well and kicking…. congrats on one year again!
There’s nothing like a good ole fashioned neighborhood block party… Good food! Good people, conversation… and most of all cheap entertainment lol.
Another great week in the books for you guys, cheers!
And the very best part of block parties… you just have to walk a short ways and you’re already home!
I take it you live in the Pacific NW? I have family there and they said it’s been crazy, unusually hot *cue me freaking out about climate change* I hope it cools down soon.
Fresh salmon AND fresh blueberries – sounds awfully tasty!
Yep, Seattle area! And it has been unusually hot for the last few summers, ugh.
Really need to start being frugal. I have good intentions and they fall apart. 80% of my wasted money is on eating out. Now that I have discovered our town has Door Dash and Uber eats it’s even worse. I just joined your blog. I like your way of thinking. Have you written anything or have any suggestions to help? I get tired and am in pain a lot, so most days just the idea of cooking is not pleasant.
Oh we have spent WAY too much on Door Dash in the past and I’ve had to delete the app from my phone 🙂 Food expenses in general have been the hardest to curb, but we’ve done a good job, and I have written about it: https://treadlightlyretireearly.com/2018/02/19/we-cut-our-grocery-budget-by-63-and-eat-better-than-ever/
As far as tired/pain goes, I would suggest easy prep meals like crock pot recipes or something you can make in large (easy) batches and then just freeze for future meals. Definitely has been a game changer for us during crazy busy weeks. Not the same as pain, but still made us much more likely to order out.
Your son looks super cute in his ear defenders. 🙂
Ha thank you – he loves them 🙂
Nice bounty you’ve got there this week. I love the photo of your little man helping daddy!
My frugal win has been ongoing this month. A new yoga studio opened up with an unlimited 30 day special for $30. I signed my mother-in-law and myself up. Between the two of us we’ll have taken 18 classes for $60.
Wow, 18 classes in a month certainly makes it worth it! My friend and I used to hop around studios with Groupon, but I have hardly been to a yoga class since my son was born.
When I met my adult daughter for lunch yesterday, she gave me all of her lunch leftovers for the week, rather than throw them out – as her office cleans out the fridge every friday afternoon, and she was not going straight home and couldn’t take them with her. It will be the equivalent of 3 meal servings for me and my wife!
Score!! Sounds like your daughter is on the right path as well 🙂
Holy smokes those fish look delish! Nice!
Yep, they definitely got devoured (by everyone but me).
Blueberries can be frozen right? I would love to be overrun with blueberries!!
We watched Chronicles (Dane Dehaan) and it’s not bad for a Carrie inspired teenager psychic powers. It was free because we had free $5 Fandango tokens and the film cost $3 to rent. Plus we saw downtown Seattle get pummeled. Also it’s very very sad and bummy.
They can be, but we’ve just been eating them and giving them away instead for now 😉 Plus our freezer is pretty full of beef right now since we just got our big order of cow this month.
I love a sharing culture. We so often buy things we use once a year or less and could so easily have borrowed it or even planned to buy it together with someone else.
We have a family trailer that we share between three families for all of our hauling needs.
Community and helping our our neighbours is so beneficial for all! Glad to hear your son had a good time too. 😉
Love the shared trailer! That’s a perfect example of something no one family really needs to own individually.
We have one zucchini that blossomed and I hand pollinated it. So I’m kind of a big deal in the gardening world now. 🙂 So jealous of all the berries!
So how many zucchinis do you have now? 😉
One that has actually blossomed, so hopefully it keeps growing 🙂 There are four other ones juuuust getting started. Again, hopefully they don’t die on me
Good luck!! Homegrown veggies are the best.