frugal friday - february

  

A new year has begun! Hopefully some good habits can be implemented from the start!

• No Spend Days: 10!
• Grocery deals: free box of spaghetti with store coupon, free bag of salad with Kroger coupon, 28¢ tomato
• I scheduled another free USPS pickup for two more items I sold online
• My onboarding health screening/vaccine/drug test was five miles away and I had a great unlimited-time street parking spot, so I took the 100% free city transit bus out. My best friend met me at the clinic and she was gracious enough to buy me lunch while we had a much needed catch up
• I cashed out $20.18 from the Eureka app (use code 6TMSQL and unlock $1!)
• I tried the Morningstar Riblets (not a fan) and pulled out the rice maker and made rice and steamed some leek dumplings at the same time - I got about four meals out of a cup of rice!
• Although there's been some pretty chilly nights here, I've been turning the air off at night. Since I'm sandwiched on the middle floor, it doesn't usually get down below 63° inside, which is perfectly manageable with my duvet and a snuggly 65lbs puppy dog
• I sold some items in a specialty Facebook group and shipped out the items via ParcelPath, which offers a discount - via PP the shipping was $6.82 vs $9 via the USPS website. I passed these savings along to the buyer and it'll be on it's way tomorrow after I scheduled a free pickup
• I walked a UPS package down to the drop off at a local CVS instead of paying for a pickup

I'm always decluttering! It's pretty slow going because I'm not near a lot of reputable thrift stores and people don't always show up when you offer things for free. We'll get there!

• A kid's Marvel backpack, a three drawer storage unit, a box of metal stamping supplies, a wok, plant stand, pair of steel toe boots, two ball bags and two plate brushes leftover from umpiring, - sold on Facebook marketplace
• A replacement Nalgene bottle lid, a NWT blazer I've had forever, the brand new set of Crocs insoles out of my work clogs, a Wii game, a bikini top, two B&BW Bac Holders, - sold online & shipped with recycled polymailers
• An extra puzzle, stack of clothing, four pairs of heels, an organizer bag, - given away in my local Buy Nothing group
• I consolidated my handbags into one bin in my closet and chose three I haven't used in years to list and sell

I really had to buckle down this month and eat from my stores. Here's how I did:

• Pantry/Freezer Use Up: Last of the egg noodles, last serving of cookie dough ice cream, a package of soup dumplings (not a fan), a bag of cheddar popcorn, above said Morningstar Riblets (not a fan), bag of slightly freezerburnt lima beans

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

frugal friday - january

 

A new year has begun! Hopefully some good habits can be implemented from the start!

• No Spend Days: 5
• Grocery deals: 76¢ for two on-the-vine tomatoes, free bag of Kroger brand salad mix with a store coupon
• Money made outside of my job: 
• DoorDash: $102.86
• Ebay/Poshmark/Mercari/Facebook Marketplace: $34.40
• Other: $38.03
• I earned $4.84 cash back via the Upside app - that's 60¢ back per gallon!
• I cashed out $15.33 from the Eureka app
• I received $1.05 back via Ibotta at Kroger and $4 at Whole Foods
• I made sure to go on the website (or app!) and clip Kroger digital coupons. Kroger puts out personalized coupons and these and the Weekly Digital Deal coupons are pretty good value.
• I received $14.81 from a Verizon class action lawsuit sent to my high yield savings account.
• I scheduled a free USPS pickup for two outgoing orders instead of driving or walking the half a mile to the post office
• The insurance company I left failed to cancel my account on the proper day so I called the office to dispute this and they corrected it, warranting me another $20 and change check for the error

I'm always decluttering! It's pretty slow going because I'm not near a lot of reputable thrift stores and people don't always show up when you offer things for free. We'll get there!

• A nice cast iron pan I hadn't used in years - sold on Facebook marketplace
• A pair of Crocs wedges, fleece hoodie - sold online & shipped with recycled polymailers
• A small weekly white board, some metal straws - given away on Facebook Marketplace
• I found some children's books around my apartment so I packed them up and mailed them to my niblings

food waste blurb

• Used up from the freezer and pantry - some Impossible nuggets, a bag of Trader Joe's Penne Arrabbiata, some spring roll wrappers made into spring rolls, two jars of Whole Foods tikka masala sauce, a few cups of fusili pasta

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

2025 reading challenge

Here I am, once again, declaring that I did not complete my yearly reading challenge the past year. 😒

I got so busy with work that I managed to not read as much as I would like. I've failed my reading challenge so many years in a row.

As I say every year, this year is my year! I'm pledging on Goodreads that I'll read 50 books in 2025. Here's hoping I can hit the ground running. I also listen to audibooks while at work, so coupled with the library, I hope I can knock out a few!

The new releases I'm most looking forward to are Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (here's an excerpt from the first chapter!), Our Infinite Fates by Lauren Steven, and Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green.

However, I have so many books at home that I want to get through. So far these are at the top of the list:

Two of these are recent library books, but three of them are pulls from my enormous To Be Read pile. I have books stashed all around my apartment and really need to slim down my collection. Check out my Pango shop to peruse my books for sale!

As They See 'Em by Bruce Weber //  This is one I pulled from the TBR. As a baseball umpire and lover of memoirs, this one is right up my alley.

The Fantastic Laboratory of Dr. Weigl: How Two Brave Scientists Battled Typhus and Sabotaged the Nazis by Arthur Allen // I love a good story about people kicking Nazi ass. I'm also always intrigued by medical history.

Modelland by Tyra Banks // Lord, this one has been around forever and I'm just now getting to it. We'll see how it goes. 😬

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell // Lately I've been consuming everything I can about cults, so naturally I snatched this one up when I saw it at the library.

Ghost Story by Peter Straub // I've had this copy for forever and I really want to delve into it.

I'll go over these more once I've finished them!

Be sure to add me as a friend on Goodreads!

frugal friday - december

Christmas has come and gone! Here's to a new year of saving and making money.

• No Spend Days: Only One 😔
• Grocery deals: free bag of salad with a Kroger coupon, $1.61 bag of cauliflower florets, $1.80 80 Acres Power Crunch, 49¢ avocado
• Money made outside of my job: 
• DoorDash: $135.14
• Ebay/Poshmark/Mercari: $21.60
• Other: $26.81
• My auto/renters insurance company made one too many mistakes so I took to the internet to find a replacement. I got quotes from another company and ended up saving $50 a month and I'll get a partial refund for $85.47 from my old company.
• iHerb sent me a $10 promotional credit, which I used to buy needed celery seeds*, Alba Botanica lip balm*, and Frontier Savory Pepper*
• I cashed out $11.56 from the Eureka app. I had it sent to my PayPal account.
• Via ibotta*, I got back 25¢ for a Whole Foods receipt and $5.30 at Walmart

I'm still decluttering! I cleaned out my storage closet and packed up some things I'd like to keep but didn't really have a home in my current apartment. It got a lot of things out of my every day living space.

• Several flower pots and propagation jars - sold on Facebook marketplace
• A top - sold online & shipped with recycled polymailers
• I have switched over to 100% glass for my food storage thanks to my coworkers savings glass jars for me, so I swapped out plastic condiment bottles for glass and recycled all of those. I'll do my best to replace the plastic clad products with glass or make those condiments myself from scratch. I washed and donated all of my other food storage containers to the local Food Not Bombs.
• I shipped off four old pairs of sneakers to GotSneakers - we'll see if I get back and cash for them.

I'm still trying to work through a lot of the freezer and pantry - I'm doing another low grocery month. I eat a lot of fresh produce, so I don't count that in my travels.

• Used up from the freezer and pantry - a bag of Trader Joe's vegan orange chicken, some lima beans, a can of tomatoes and chiles, a can of black beans, 

Frugal Fails:

• Somehow my laptop charger broke off so I had to order a new one for $10. Not an entire fail as my laptop is a $75 refurbished Chromebook, but still an expense I could have avoided

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

frugal friday - november

The holidays are approaching and I'm saving up to make a large purchase - here's some frugal stuff for November!

• No Spend Days: Sadly only four!
• Grocery deals: $3.79 5lb bag of potatoes, free bag of Kroger shredded green leaf lettuce with coupon, $1.49 loaf of bread, 99¢ each jarred low sodium pasta sauce, 99¢ Ranch Idahoan Instant Potatoes
• Money made outside of my job: 
• DoorDash: $41.25, $27, $28
• Ebay: $47
• Other: $15
• I used two empty dog food bags for trash - saving a bag I actually paid for
• I needed something from the store so I walked the three blocks one way instead of driving. My car rarely moves on the weekends.
• Baked potatoes in the air fryer are cheaper and quicker than the oven - I love using Penzey's Krakow Nights on potatoes
• I shipped off two Tervis tumblers to be evaluated for heat extortion via their Lifetime Guarantee. I've done this once before and while the tumbler couldn't be saved, they gave me credit and I ordered a new one.
• I'm starting a new job! While I love what I do currently, the customer service aspect is weighing on me pretty badly. I'll make $4 more an hour and I'll be in a private kitchen.
• A sweet regular who I have become friends with brought me the nicest good luck card and a $20 Petsmart giftcard - the best gift for me is one that spoils Ogden!
• I was tasked with making deviled eggs for Thanksgiving - I don't typically make these so instead of buying a portable egg plate, I borrowed my sister-in-law's

I'm still decluttering! I feel like I've been doing this forever and my belongings don't dwindle. What is happening?

• Another plant pot saucer, half roll of paper towels (though I salvaged what I could to clean floors) - chewed up by the piranha that is Ogden
• Two 32oz Hydroflasks (and picked up in a half hour!) - sold on Facebook marketplace
• A simple clip photo holder, a NWT laptop bag, - sold & shipped with recycled polymailers

I'm still trying to work through a lot of the freezer and pantry - I'm doing a low grocery month.

• I brought home a romaine end and regrew it! I ended up getting enough growth to eat it on a taco. I've got several green onion ends and more romaine ends regrowing now.
• Used up from the freezer: last of a bag of shoestring fries, a block of tofu, ten tilapia filets tossed in turmeric for Ogden, the last of a bag of Gardein crab cakes, giant ball of hashbrowns (freezerburnt) 
• I pulled a large portion of black bean soup from the freezer - I heated it up, threw in some fresh diced tomato, sour cream, and spicy ranchero sauce and it was great. I got two meals out of the bowl.
• Teriyaki sauce finally went on sale so I can use up the last of the rice noodles and a block of tofu I've been marinating
• Thanksgiving dinner was cancelled due to illness, so I just cooked here at home for me and Og. I used up so much from the pantry and freezer! A few potatoes, some sweet potatoes my great uncle grew, a bag of stuffing, a box of jumbo shells, a package of Trader Joe's beefless crumbles, a low sodium gravy packet

Frugal Fails:

• Somehow my little pot of return address labels, thank you cards, and note cards fell into a tupperware of water and plant cuttings I was soaking in the sink. I managed to salvage my sheet of stamps but had to toss everything else ☹
• Ogden chewed the corner of my phone and it spread, resulting in needing a $136 screen replacement

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

frugal friday - october

There have been some circumstance changes and some opportunities that have opened, so I really need to buckle down for them!

• No Spend Days: 7
• Grocery deals: free bag of Kroger salad with coupon, $1.49 box of Cap'n Crunch, BOGO free can of pumpkin (2 for $1.75 each), free Too Good No Sugar yogurt with Kroger coupon, $1.19 So Delicious yogurt, $1.49 jar of Bertolli Garlic Alfredo sauce, $1.99 10oz snacking tomatoes $1.59/each Smart Ones meals, free 14.1 box of Barilla Al Bronzo Fusilli with local store coupon
• Money made outside of my job: 
• DoorDash: $57.72
• Ebay: $17
• Other: $10
• I scored a fully functional basic sewing machine at a local crafty thrift store for only $15! I've wanted to pick up machine sewing for so long but was holding out for a deal
• I got an email from my health insurance that said I had $60 one week and then another $20 in rewards. I'd rather them just take that off a bill, but I redeemed it for Mastercard giftcards - I used the giftcards to make payments on my electric bill
• When back at my dad's one weekend I packed up a box of old inventory that I wanted to get listed, brought it home, and listed it. Either it sat back home, got donated, or I listed it and sold it. Either way it needed to move!
• A catering event at work rewarded me with a couple salmon filets and a large container of mushroom marsala (oh my god, this was so, so good)
• I went up to visit family and my dad's girlfriend fed me dinner while I was there. It was very tasty!
• My Kroger Cashback had a balance of $5.75 so I sent that over to my PayPal account

I'm still decluttering! I feel like I've been doing this forever and my belongings don't dwindle. What is happening?

• One heeled sandal of the pair, two plastic plant saucers, his ceramic treat jar - chewed up by the piranha that is Ogden
• Mini sewing machine - sold on Facebook marketplace
• Package of buttons, NWT bralette - sold & shipped with recycled polymailers

Frugal Fails:

• 3/4 of a loaf of bread molded, unfortunately
• I had to cancel my endoscopy appointment because they called me 6 days before the appointment and dropped the bombshell that they wanted a $750 deposit. Even if I had that in my emergency savings, this is not what I would use it on.
• I lost 96¢ on an Etsy sale because of Offsite Ads. I promptly went into my settings and opted out of these.

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

link love

recipes I'd like to try: creamy vegan green chile casserole // tvp lasagna soup // garlic buffalo tofu sandwich // vegan irish stew // popped lentils with mashed potatoes // Polish dill pickle soup // potato garlic soup // lentil sloppy joes // orzo puttanesca 

Lodge has new DOLLY PARTON CAST IRON PANS! 

I'm loving this Mokuyobi Dragonfly Camp Bag.

Here's a great tutorial on how to make figure 8 bows.

Definitely check out my friend Jess' recipe club, thyme & butter!

Recently a (very well) targeted ad introduced me to Jiby's leash badges!

Here's a bunch of free e-cookbooks centering around mushrooms.

_________

Photo by Carol Romão on Unsplash

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

empties #27

It's been a while since I've used up some products. I only wear makeup on special occasions now, so I don't go through nearly as many products as I used to. I'll be marking the non cruelty free products.

Thayer's Facial Toner* in Rose Petal// I picked this up on clearance forever ago, but these are big bottles! I liked this toner and would definitely buy another bottle. I liked that it wasn't greasy or drying.

Dr. Teal's Nighttime Witch Hazel Facial Toner // I am the target market for this gimmicky stuff. I straight up do not need the burden or clutter of two different toners, so I won't buy this again.

Tree Hut Coco Colada Sugar Scrub* // These little scrubs from Tree Hut are affordable, easy to find, and non-greasy. I love them! I usually wait for a sale or clearance to make them even more affordable. I would and am going to buy more of these.

Mrs. Meyers Hand Soap* in Daisy // I'm working through a backstock of hand soap right now (when Ulta used to run their 3/$10 hand soap sale) but I like this brand and plan to add it to my next Grove* order. I especially love their Fresh Cut Grass scent.

Whim by Ulta Beauty Banana Body Wash // I don't think the Whim collection is really a thing anymore at Ulta, but if it was I'd buy this again. Banana anything is always a hit with me. It lathered well.

Mary Kay Paint the Sky Lotion // not cruelty free // I got this forever ago as a gift and finally used it up. I don't support MLMs, so I won't repurchase even through it was a decent lotion.

Bath & Body Works Hemp Seed Oil Hand Lotion // not cruelty free // When a neighbor moved she set out a box of free things and I snagged this. I work in food service and wash my hands and change gloves a lot so my hands get dry. This was a decent lotion, but B&BW isn't cruelty free.

Pacifica Wake Up Beautful Super Hydration Sleepover Mask // This mask was super thick and I loved it. I'd wake up with my skin glowing. Sadly, I don't think this is available anymore.

Bath & Body Works You're the One Hand Lotion // not cruelty free // This was a gift from a while ago. Like I said about the Hemp Oil tube, I go through lotion like crazy.

Ogden is obsessed with chewing up my lip balms (so much so that I've gotten decorative boxes for my nightstand and coffee table to secure them) and here are his latest casualties. Lip balm is one category where I buy for effectiveness instead of if the company is cruelty free because I have chronic dry lips and consider this more of a medical issue.

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Lemon Sage Thickening Shampoo // This left my scalp nice and tingly. I like Paul Mitchell products and once (if) I use up all the other shampoos I'd buy a full size.

Jason Apricot Scrubble // For a bit I had a hard time finding a good chemical exfoliant so I picked this up at TJMaxx. It took a fair amount of rinsing to get it all off my face, so I ended up just using it for my hands. I think I'll avoid any type of scrub for my face.

L'Oreal Wonder Water // not cruelty free // I bought this on a whim, not even thinking about the face that L'Oreal isn't cruelty free. Which sucks, because this was quite the wonder. This made my hair nice and silky. I have since replaced it with Garnier Fructis Glass Hair Water*.

Derma E Overnight Peel // I used this occasionally and really didn't see much difference. I kept it around so long that it eventually went off and I won't be replacing it. 

NYX Total Control Pro Foundation // I believe this was a Walmart clearance find. I just never really could get it to blend so I eventually gave up on it. It was very thin as well.

Lanolips Balm Banana* // At the height of my horrid chapped lips I was trying any balm I could get my hands on. While this definitely helped, it was just so sticky. I'd buy it again, though, if I needed it.

Covergirl Clean Matte BB Cream* // When Covergirl finally went cruelty free I was so excited to use this BB cream again! I had used it when I was younger and liked it then. It still works well for me now. It's lightweight but buildable without becoming cakey. I'll keep buying this!

Ulta Makeup Brush & Sponge Cleaner // This was fine. It's cheap enough that I'd buy it again if I needed it. I admittedly don't wash my brushes like I should, so maybe I'll add that to my cleaning routine.

 Nip + Fab Viper Venom Blurring Shot // I loved Nip + Fab products but not only are they hard to find, they go off so quickly!

Pacifica Perfume Roller in Indian Coconut // My favorite scent by Pacifica. I don't think I'd do a rollerball again, but I'd definitely purchase a spray bottle of this!

Tarte Maneater Mascara // This brush was just okay. I've used better. This came in a palette and I'd use this again if it came in a set, but I wouldn't spend the money on a full tube.

essence Get BIG! Lashes Mascara // Love this! It's buildable and doesn't clump. The brush is really nice for separating lashes. I have two new spares already in my vanity.

lash flex Thickening Mascara // cruelty free status unknown // I couldn't tell you where I got this. An ipsy box maybe? The brush was nice and once the formula dried out a bit, I liked it. Who knows where to buy it again, though!

Mary Kay Satin Lips Shea Sugar Scrub // not cruelty free // This was a decent lip scrub, but I stopped buying from MLMs.

All of these were fine (cruelty free status unknown). I don't think any of them blew me away enough to buy them again, but then again I'm not the biggest fan of masks in general.

Another empties post wrapped up! I'm slowly going through more products.

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

frugal friday - september

I've been writing these but somehow keep falling off mid-month. September came through, though!

• No Spend Days: 6
• Grocery deals: free bag of Kroger salad with coupon, 98¢/pound zucchini, 58¢/pound yellow onions, 78¢/pound potatoes, free brioche roll at Lidl with coupon, $2 markdown bag of salad
• Money made outside of my job: 
• DoorDash: $66.50
• Other:  $57
• Labor Day weekend turned out to be a four day weekend for me and I utilized some PTO to cover the days, I didn't shop a single Labor Day sale, and my car didn't move the entire four day weekend
• I've begun my journey of trying to unearth some chronic health issues and my doctor submitted the OTC medication that I was using via pharmacy/insurance and saved me 18¢ per pill
• After my (copay free!) doctor visit, I met my dad for lunch and had a coupon for the restaurant in my email and saved him $10 off the bill
• My best friend and I have "family items", which are things that we share instead of spending the money for each household to have one. So far we share an immersion blender and a trifle bowl! Bonus - the trifle bowl we got for free from another friend who was cleaning out a home, and the immersion blender was a cool $9.99 at Lidl
• While pricey, Ogden's annual vet visit wasn't a frugal fail because a yearly check up and updated vaccines will hopefully save many dollars in vet bills down the road! A less than $75 vaccine is going to be a lot cheaper than treating Leptospirosis
• A friend at work was helping a friend sell wine at an event and he brought me a bottle of blackberry ginger balsamic vinegar (pictured) 

• I went back home for my niblings' birthday party and spent some time with my great uncle afterward and he sent me home after a couple hours of great talk with some homegrown sweet potatoes and end of season tomatoes!

I'm still decluttering! I feel like I've been doing this forever and my belongings don't dwindle. What is happening? It wasn't a great month for getting rid of things.

• my practically new pair of sandals, the power cord of one piece of a lighting kit, a couple books (luckily thrifted) - chewed up by the piranha that is Ogden
• Arbor press I never used, a pair of leggings, Hey Arnold! New Season 1 DVD - sold on Facebook marketplace & eBay
• Four metal straws - given away on Facebook

I'm still trying to work through a lot of the freezer and pantry.

• Nature's Own Perfectly Crafted White Bread is so good to me that I actually finished a loaf of bread before it molded. Well worth the $4+.
• I made a large pot of black bean soup and used up some portobello caps, roasted red peppers, three cans of black beans, jalapenos, the last of a carton of vegetable broth, other meals used up a bag of Beyond chicken tendies, bottle of Zesty Italian dressing, and a bottle of ranch I didn't really care for, and some the last of my giant bottle of ketchup!

Frugal Fails:

• I lost two cucumbers to the bottom drawer of the fridge (out of sight, out of mind, now moldy)
• Bought a log of goat cheese at Wegman's for $4.29 and then noticed Lidl had them for $1.99 😑
• My coffee table (a little $23 deal from Amazon) literally fell apart when I put my feet on it one night so I'm on the hunt for a free one on Marketplace

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

frugal friday - may

Onto May! 

• No Spend Days: Only 3 - it wasn't a great month for these!
• Grocery deals: five boxes of strawberry applesauce on clearance at $1.49 each, markdown $1.80 asparagus, markdown $1.78 bag of salad mix, $1.67 blackberries, $1.99 bag of mini peppers, $1.99 breakfast sausage, $1.49 Mountain Dew 2 liter, $2.99 2lbs of strawberries, $4.49 Dove body polish, $1.49 Kroger makeup remover wipes, $3.99 party size Doritos, $1.49 blackberries, $1.17 markdown bag of salad mix, $1.79 dozen eggs, $1.49 bottle of Italian dressing
• Money made outside of my two jobs: 
• DoorDash $126.75, 
• Other: $339.25
• I borrowed a few ebooks from the library - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
• A Kroger visit granted me $3.50 back from ibotta
• My second job has a neat little wall of free items you can pick from if you spend $50, so I snagged the pictured 9.5oz container of onion powder
• I'm changing locations within the company and I'll keep the same schedule, but I'll be working a short ten minute walk from my apartment and will receive a parking deck spot for only $45 a month (an absolute steal in the city)
• I returned a container of already dried up Gorilla Glue and a cooling collar that didn't fit Og to Walmart and got back $8.46

• While Grove Co. ran their Memorial Day sale, I snagged some reusable cleaning bottles at a discount and can hopefully reduce more waste by using their small refill containers (when you have to walk a block to the dumpster and drive ten minutes for recycling, less waste is important 😂) along with a promo for a free bottle of Method fabric softener, Method wood cleaner, Method body wash, and two samples of laundry and dish detergent pods

I'm still decluttering! I feel like I've been doing this forever and my belongings don't dwindle. What is happening?

• Large stack of DVDs, stickers - given away on Facebook
• A paper bag of clothing and shoes - donated
• Watering can, two notebooks - chewed up by the piranha that is Ogden
• A large stack of vintage linens - sold

May wasn't great for note-taking of food waste. Whoops!

Frugal Fails:

• My local Aldi changed to those god-awful huge baskets and I couldn't get mine back into the cart return and got frustrated and just walked away from my quarter
• I accidentally left a jar of jalapenos out on the counter and tossed them
• While under the weather I racked up two parking tickets - $25 a pop, but still way cheaper than paying for a parking spot

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

frugal friday - april

The year is flying by! March's post somehow got lost, too, so here's April's.

• No Spend Days: 8
• Grocery deals: $1.99 NatureSweet Glorys tomatoes, free jar of Kroger pasta sauce
• Wegmans had an Earth Day coupon for a free reusable bag, which I redeemed
• I was checking out at Kroger and a worker said "you can use that coupon" - someone had left a $2 off your next purchase coupon on the machine. She said most people don't check the coupon machine
• Arby's is having a free sandwich month - one free sandwich each week in April with a purchase. I redeemed two sandwiches by buying a juice box ($1.99) while running errands. I don't normally eat meat, but I also don't turn down a free meal
• My dad was getting rid of a few bins of linens/clothing/bedding that were from our childhood, so my brother and I went through them and I brought home an 80s pastel flower Corningware, some potholders, a blanket, some t-shirts/sweatshirts, and some linens I could use at home 
• I took some clothing and shoes and such to Uptown Cheapskate and made $14.00 and they donated the rest to a local thrift shop

• Here are all my birthday month perks that I redeemed!
• A $10 reward from mezeh* (I got a bowl for 72¢!)
• 5¢ off per gallon in addition to the normal 3¢ off at Sheetz - equaling 8¢ off per gallon total
• free slice of birthday cake from Fresh Market
• free vanilla shake from Arby's
• free chicken salad sandwich meal complete with a side of pasta salad, pickle, and a cookie from Chicken Salad Chick
• free Trenta Peach Iced Black Tea from Starbucks,
• free slice of Birthday Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory (my dad took me out for a birthday lunch!)
• free McChicken from McDonald's
• free pecan braid from Panera

I'm still decluttering! I don't know how I accumulated this much junk.

• Lot of 8 embroidery hoops, a dog bucket hat, - sold and shipped with recycled shipping materials
• Two metal dog bowls found in the pantry, an insulated Grubhub bag, four unopened rolls of Christmas gift wrap, a makeup brush cleaning device, a 12x12 craft project box - given away
• A tube of Aquaphor lip balm, several gift bags, my Stanley lid, two mini tubes of Carmex - chewed up by Og the wonder-chewy puppy
• A 12-drawer rolling cart - sold on Facebook Marketplace

I've done really well with food waste lately, so hopefully I can keep it up into April

• Eating through the pantry/freezer: hardboiled the last of the eggs for Ogden, the last of some rice from an Indian delivery, a bag of frozen peaches, a vegan tikka masala from Trader Joe's, 
• I had one almost shriveled yellow squash to use up so I made a little casserole for one with minced garlic, basil paste, thyme, garlic powder, s&p, with breadcrumbs and parmesan on top

Here are some birthday offers I received but didn't redeem, for reference:

• $5 off any service at a local nail salon
• Bruster's added a $3 reward to my account
• Coldstone Creamery sent me a buy one get one free reward
• Free shipping on a $50 purchase from LTD Commodities
• IKEA sent me a coupon for $10 off a $10 purchase
• Box Lunch sent me a $5 reward

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

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recipe // savory stuffed mushrooms

I make a living as a cook and I was tasked with making these stuffed mushrooms for a catering event one evening. They were absolutely delicious. I adapted the recipe for a smaller portion that's easily taken to get togethers!

Savory Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

20-25 medium sized cremini mushrooms, destemmed (save the stems)

2 cups roasted red peppers, finely diced

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

3 tbsp minced garlic

4 cups spinach, finely chopped

1 cup parmesan cheese (I used finely shredded)

1/2 cup feta cheese, big bits crumbled

2 cups breadcrumbs

3 tbsp Lawry's Garlic, Rosemary, & Lemon Rub (or you can sub s&p, garlic powder, rosemary, and lemon zest/lemon pepper)

1/2 cup fresh chives, finely diced, for garnish

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350°

-Begin by removing the stems from the mushrooms. Keep the stems - you'll be finely dicing 1/3 of them and using them in the stuffing

-Bake the mushroom caps for about 10 minutes, remove from oven and cool

-Finely dice the roasted red peppers, onion, mushroom stems

-Mix the vegetables, garlic, and seasoning - sautee these in a pan with olive oil until they start to brown

-Finely chop the spinach and mix into the sauteed mix after the vegetables start to brown to wilt the spinach

-Once the spinach is wilted, remove the mix from heat and cool

-Mix the vegetables and parmesan/feta/bread crumbs together - add olive oil if too dry

-Mold the mix into sizeable balls that fit the mushroom caps

-Stuff the caps with the mix, then bake until the tops of the mix is crisp

-Once removed from the oven, top with fresh chives

Plate them in a shallow serving dish for easy pick up!

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

2024 reading challenge & small book haul

Every year I've pledged on my Goodreads Reading Challenge to read 50 books per year. And every year I have failed. HOWEVER, 2024 is my year to succeed. I dug out my Kindle, ordered some stickers for it, and I'm determined to read as much as I can this year. I have dozens and dozens of books sitting around my apartment and I'm determined to make a dent in them this year!

I met my dad for lunch one day and after we'd parted ways it was raining and gloomy (my favorite weather!) so I stopped by the local Barnes & Noble armed with a partial gift card and grabbed a coffee (tall skinny vanilla latte with oat milk, no whip, at kids' temp) and wandered around waiting for something to catch my eye. The book gods didn't disappoint! I first spotted the book about Secretariat (of whom I am still a huge fan). I grew up not far from Meadow Farm, so he's always had a soft spot in my heart. I find WWII interesting (in that morbid way) and grabbed this bargain book. Lastly, medical controversy has always intrigued me, especially lobotomies, so I can't wait to delve into that one. I rarely pay full price for books, so this was a little treat.

Here's to reading more this year! Be sure to add me on Goodreads!

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

frugal friday - february

The year is flying by! Somehow my Frugal Friday post for January got deleted, so here's starting the year with February. 😑

• Grocery deals: $1.49 blackberries, $2.99 strawberries, $1.44 markdown spring mix, free bag of Cheetos, $3.99 Freschetta pizza, $1.99 bag of Thomas bagels (into the freezer), $1.49 two liter of root beer, 99¢ tube of Colgate toothpaste, $3.99 bag of Totino's pizza rolls, $1.88 markdown bag of butter lettuce, 2 red peppers for 99¢
• I redeemed a free ebook from Amazon First Reads 
• After months of searching, I finally thrifted a push-lever salad spinner for $10!
• While I did order delivery food, I stayed in to watch the Super Bowl via Paramount+'s free trial week
• Over a four-day weekend, I only ordered one meal for delivery
• I picked up a second job that's part time. I really like seeing the number in my high interest savings account go up.

I'm still decluttering!

• A book on Pango - sold and mailed using recycled mailing supplies
• I unsubscribed from a bunch of email lists
• A slow feeder that was just a little too deep for Og, a Clarisonic facial brush - sold on Facebook Marketplace
• My old hair dryer that I had upgraded, four Yeti stickers - given away on Facebook
• The table and six chairs I borrowed for Friendsgiving - passed back to my dad when we met for lunch one weekend
• The 12 belly bands from when I had my two late elderly dogs - mailed to a senior dog sanctuary

I've done really well with food waste lately, so hopefully I can keep it up into February

• I used up a bunch of leftovers from work - cheesy mac, some delicious soup, salad toppings

Frugal Fails:

• Ogden has now chewed through four phone cases since the beginning of December, I'm on number 5 now

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

mini ulta haul

Little mini Ulta haul! I don't buy as many products as I used to since I only wear powder and mascara at work, but I love skincare. I've been trying to cut down on how many items I buy as I still have so many to use up, but I couldn't help finding some items on sale and using up some rewards points.

NYX Filler Instinct Plumping Lip Balm // Wldkat Starflower + Snow Mushroom Ultra-Hydrating Sleep Mask // NYX Marshmellow Smoothing Face Primer // J.Cat Clear Eyesurance Anti-Fatigue Cooling Under Eye Balm

My skin is horribly dry in the winter, so I'm looking forward to trying out this sleep mask! I also haven't tried anything from wldkat before, so I'm excited to try a new brand, too.

I sleep pretty badly so I have some bad undereye bags, so I like to try different eye creams. Pacifica is usually my go-to, but I saw this balm from J. Cat and wanted to give it a go.

While I don't wear colored balm often, I love a good neutral! I plan to use this as an everyday color.

I didn't photograph the primer because I didn't want to shorten it's life while I'm still using up a sample tube from Too Faced, but I love a good primer and can't wait to try it.

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

frugal friday - november

Here's to this month's savings! (And another month closer to Christmas!)

• November's no spend days: 11!
• Grocery deals: $3.99 Freschetta frozen pizza (when did pizzas get so expensive??), free bag of Lay's ranch chips, $1.99 bag of petite potatoes, $1.99 strawberries, two bags of salad for 85¢ each, $1.99 package of snacking tomatoes, 25¢/pound sweet potatoes
• I checked out I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy as an ebook from the library

• I redeemed three offers via Ibotta and got 85¢ cash back for my regular deodorant, Og's food, and the receipt.
• My employer offered us our choice of fish, turkey, or ham and choice of pie for the holidays - I chose six pounds of fish and a pecan pie

Here's what I decluttered!

• Another couple bags of recycling, to the proper bin
• An over-the-cabinet plastic bag holder, my coffee table that ended up just too large for my space, iced coffee maker, bookshelf, a muzzle that I bought for Tucker and ended up not needing, three Lego sets, - all sold on Facebook Marketplace
• Six books - sold on Pango Books
• Two tote bags - given away on Facebook
• A pair of heels - one of which Og chewed up, thankfully they were a cheap pair I didn't love
• Four spools of destash ribbon - sold on Etsy

And again, how I saved on food waste!

• I brought home two and a half quarts of chili, some greens, and some diced tomatoes from work - all destined for the bin, but still good!
• Og helped me finish up a red bell pepper before it spoiled

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*

link love

recipes I'd like to try: roasted garlic, olive, tomato pasta salad // broccoli & feta pasta salad // red lentil fritters // tofu tomato pasta sauce // vegan ranch orzo salad // vegan black bean soup // turmeric & coconut braised chickpeas // white bean pasta sauce // chickpea cutlets

I love this Tomato Girl Summer print over at Blind the Sun.

Recently I rewatched some old Disney favorites and I'd forgotten how gorgeous the animation in 101 Dalmatians is! Here's a great article on it.

It's been a few years since I've read it, but I'd like to read Mort(e) by Robert Repino again!

I think I need to order one of these Boone Bigfoots pennants.

Photo by Marco De Hevia on Unsplash

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lucky bandit is a for profit blog. I use affiliate links and paid advertisements. I may earn compensation for a click or purchase through a link. Paid (whether via product or monetary) reviews will be noted in the actual post. Though compensation may influence the type of posts, all opinions and reviews will be legitimate and honest.

*All affiliate links will be marked with an asterick.*