Friday, April 10, 2020

Frugal Friday 339

Happy Frugal Friday!

Here is how we saved money/spent money wisely/made extra money this week:

- Last Friday we were doing some cleaning and I realized that we had two big (600+ pieces each) puzzles that we were never going to do. We have a friend who has kids who love puzzles. We did a porch drop off to share the fun.

- We also let go of the kids' Tiny Tyke cars. I have put this off because I am SO attached. Both kids got theirs when they were 2 and we have loved them so much. I have cried each time I have tried to get rid of them before. But knowing that everyone is home right now and looking for fun and that our kids are too big for them meant it was time. We are passing Owen's down to my nephew and I sold Annabeth's. Made: $20

- Friday night we ate dinner outside for fun. The kids LOVE doing this and I love not having to sweep or change the tablecloth after dinner.

- After dinner, I took Owen out to porch drop some books to a friend. She lives in Greenwood and on the drive up we passed a church with a big, pretty pond. On the drive home, Owen and I stopped and walked all around the pond, found a gazebo, and walked on a little bridge. We didn't come into contact with any people or touch anything but a tree branch. We loved being out in the sunshine together.



- Friday night I had an almost two hour Zoom chat with two of my best friends. It was SO lovely to talk to these fellow homeschool mamas! There are SO many things about our current state of life that can only truly be related to by another homeschool mama and they just get me. I am SO thankful to have done school alongside them since our oldest girls were in Kindergarten and we're not going to let COVID-19 break us!

- Saturday we woke up and had breakfast/play outside time. Mark mowed and treated the yard while I did some Usborne Books & More work for the week. We also did a good deal of housework. I went through the fridge, freezer, and pantry and made a meal plan for the weekend to use up items that needed used first. We are working very, very hard to have zero food waste.

- Saturday we enjoyed Palm Sunday service through our church's You Tube page. We waved our homemade Palm Branches and sang. Mark worked Saturday night into Sunday morning, came home to nap, and then worked Sunday afernoon for the Coroner's Office. Sunday afternoon the kids were surprised by a porch delivery of Easter eggs and homemade cards from Matt, Jenn, and the kids. Thank you all for helping make our Sunday extra special!!

- Monday morning Annabeth wrote letters to her pen-pals. Owen wanted to join in the fun and chose four special people to get mail from him. Two were delivered to friends on our street. He is very sweet and I love watching him find little ways to bless others. Last week, the kids took handmade crafts to our neighbors for a porch delivery surprise.

- Our kids' sale has been moved from April to late June. I have already organized and pulled most of our items and they are currently stored in Owen's closet. That wouldn't be so bad for a few weeks but a few more months upset Owen. I listed most of the kids' clothes on Facebook and was able to sell all of Owen's. Made: $27

- Our church friend Miss Terri brought by fantastic bags for the kids! They were filled with activities, eggs with candy, and a COVID-19 Journal. The kids enjoyed hiding and hunting the Easter eggs for the rest of the week.

- I have had my eye on an item on Etsy for a while. It was 10% off this week so I went ahead and go it. I was happy to support a crafter during this time.

- I ordered some activities for the kids to do from a local place vs picking up at a box store. The price was about what I would have paid on Amazon or at a box store and so I was happy to support a local business.

- Wednesday night the tornado sirens went off. We got the kids out of bed and into the guest bath. We loaded them into the tub with blankets and pillows. Mark took down the huge mirror and got that out as well. Once the power went out, super rare for here, we gave each of the kids a glow stick. After about an hour, we were out of the worst of it so we went back to bed. The kids were afraid so the three of us ended up camping out in the living room.

 Glow Stick Fun


- I cancelled our hotel for Derby weekend. Obviously, with the Derby moved to September we didn't need our May reservation anymore. This will add $305 back into our spring budget! What a savings!

- I had so much wonderful support from my Usborne Books & More customers. It is an intimidating time to own my own business and I am SO thankful for the many, many customers who have continued to shop with me. I know lots of friends are going to have wonderful Easter Baskets filled with beautiful books.

- We spent a few afternoons serving our neighbors by helping them in their yards. The kids and I did some weeding and Mark mowed and sprayed for them. Mark has such a servant's heart and has truly improved mine over the years. I pray our children always seek ways to help others. Serving doesn't have to be big, loud, or expensive - it just needs to be done with a joyful heart.

Happy Savings to All!

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