How did I save money today?

[LadyLocust]

This past Sunday, we went to Wmart to get a mixer - just one of those handheld things. I haven’t had one since my last one died about a decade ago. I have an old manual one or a spoon. Had to make a large amount of frosting so wanted one. The one we picked out was the last one of that kind and the box was crushed (but the mixer looked fine). We got up to the register and the gal said if it’s like that she can give 10% off. We were thrilled and thanked her. She had to get her super to approve it. Her super came, looked at it and instead of regular price of $35 we got it for $20 . I was pleased since it’s not something I really wanted to spend money on.

 

[Pearl]

This past Sunday, we went to Wmart to get a mixer - just one of those handheld things. I haven’t had one since my last one died about a decade ago. I have an old manual one or a spoon. Had to make a large amount of frosting so wanted one. The one we picked out was the last one of that kind and the box was crushed (but the mixer looked fine). We got up to the register and the gal said if it’s like that she can give 10% off. We were thrilled and thanked her. She had to get her super to approve it. Her super came, looked at it and instead of regular price of $35 we got it for $20 . I was pleased since it’s not something I really wanted to spend money on.

And how nice of the super to do that! Should have, but didn't have to! It's nice when people do the right thing!

 

[Peanut]

Found good plastic boxes at walley’s friday, only $4ea (first 3 pics). They were in the fishing/tackle box section. Good for storing all sorts small items. The dividers are nice, lots of ways to configure them. The dividers in right half of the box can be removed completely to store larger items. The best part is the hinges and latches, they are pinned, not creased plastic.

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Bottom two pics… one box has pinned hinges with creased latches. The other has pinned latches and creased hinges. Sooner or later the creased plastic will break. I try not to buy them but sometimes I need a box and have no choice but to buy crappy boxes.

 

[Peanut]

Don't know it others have noticed... but large totes always go on sale at the big box stores after christmas. Usually about half price. Today I noticed they had clear totes. There are no closets in my house. I keep things like bed linens in totes. I have black ones, invariably I have to move and open several to find what I'm looking for.

These clear totes were on sale, $12 for the smalls, $14 for the large size.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Today I saved money by not starting the tractor and plowing the road. We don't need (want) to go anywhere until at least later in the week anyway.

 

[Peanut]

Couple weeks ago I bought several small storage containers for my tool room. I got one with half lids that fold together. My cart was over flowing with containers. I didn't notice that one of the half lids was missing... #$%^

Today I was back at the same store so I went and checked. They only had 2 of the half containers left. I was tempted to swipe a half lid from one of them. They were sitting on the floor and I pulled them out to look a them. I happened to notice a single half lid on the floor behind them. Probably my missing lid!!!! So I grabbed it and stuffed it into the other totes in my cart. The check out girl didn't notice so I didn't have to explain. When I got home it fit perfectly, snapped right in, works fine!!!!

 

[old tex]

A week or so ago I bought (on line) a really nice holder for my battery operated tools. I paid 22 bucks for it. Yesterday I ordered two metal shelves to hang beside it for 20 bucks. They are 16 inches wide & 7 inches deep, which is just what I need. I've got 2 big tool boxes but I find that small things get lost in them. I figured that with a little shifting around I can get the smaller items where I can find them & use the space I empty for stuff just laying around.

Oh & the saved money part,: The holder alone sells for around 50 dollars around here.

 

[Tim Horton]

I like the half lid tote containers similar to the ones in Peanuts photo.. The heavy duty ones are secure and stack nicely and are squash resistant unlike other totes. I got several red and green ones at the thrift store for cheap..

 

[old tex]

I went to walmart to buy a cheap pair of wireless headphones....They were of course out of them & the lowest price they had was 69 dollars. I came home & ordered two pair of very highly rated headphones for $28.

 

[angie_nrs]

I had to make a parts run for hubby this week, so I picked a clear day and had my lists ready with 8 stops to make. I stopped at a few places just to see if they had any clearance deals and didn't find a whole lot. I went to WM and they had the most deals of anywhere. They had Mossy Oak long johns for $5 each so I bought all of them. They also has some MO knife sets for $13 and some frogg togg-like raincoats for $9. I bought them for the kids to put in their BOB's but I'll give them at Christmas next year. I got some kids fishing poles for $7 to donate for the Easter hunt. The deals were the best in the sporting goods section and they weren't advertised, just marked way down.

At another store, I found some clearanced socks for me and bought all 5 packs since it seems right now that all my socks are getting holes in them at the same time. Dang, that's annoying! I also bought some cherry wood on clearance for $3 per box. We cook over the fire all summer long so I thought it'd be worth a try. BIL makes brats and they are awesome......now they might be even better.

I bought a bunch of fresh fruits and vegs on sale and even some on clearance. I wanted to make sure the frig was fully stocked before the 20th......although most of those items will be gone by then. I picked up some other groceries on sale as well. I didn't go crazy on the canned foods though b/c we have plenty. I highly doubt I will going to town again before the end of the month.

 

[old tex]

Yesterday I ordered two metal shelves to hang beside it for 20 bucks.

I posted the above a few posts ago. I had time to rearrange stuff & really liked the extra storage that I gained. Sooo...I went back & did more research & found 2 other shelves on sale for 7 something (for both). So I ordered 2 sets & the total came to 22 dollars for 4 more storage shelves. My only problem is that it's so cold in the garage that I'll have to put off putting them up. But I'm looking forward to them getting here.

 

[MoBookworm1957]

Haven't saved a dang dime.
But paid taxes on Fiat.
Paid off another small student loan.
Replaced some things need to make my life easier ( crock pot).
Bought a few clothes for myself.
Started on blankets for Christmas 2025 for next year.
Will be organizing leather working tools a little bit differently for Christmas gifts 2025.

 

[old tex]

I've been doing this so long that it just came to me to say something about it. This applies if you feed birds. If you do you know that bird food is expensive for how much you get. So expensive that most people won't spend the kind of money that will really make a difference to the bird population. Here's what we do. I go to the local feed store & buy 250 lbs of Milo. Milo is sorghum, the little round balls that you see in every bird food package. Around here that costs about 11 dollars a 50 lb bag. I also buy 40 lbs of sunflower seed which cost 21 dollars a bag. I have 2 regular size garbage cans that I use to put in 3 BIG scoops of Milo & then 1 BIG scoop of sunflowers, over & over. That pretty much fills both cans. The result is that the bigger birds tend to eat the sunflowers & smaller ones eat the milo. Depending on the weather that lasts a while. Of course that depends on how many bird feeders you use (we have 5 plus I feed them spread out on large container tops on the ground). Also don't pay a lot for bird feeders because the birds don't care. The container tops are much more popular than the feeders. And doing it this way you get a much larger number of sunflower seeds than are in those smaller bags of bird food. This winter we are already on our third purchase (done today) & we have a really cold spell coming.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I've been doing this so long that it just came to me to say something about it. This applies if you feed birds. If you do you know that bird food is expensive for how much you get. So expensive that most people won't spend the kind of money that will really make a difference to the bird population. Here's what we do. I go to the local feed store & buy 250 lbs of Milo. Milo is sorghum, the little round balls that you see in every bird food package. Around here that costs about 11 dollars a 50 lb bag. I also buy 40 lbs of sunflower seed which cost 21 dollars a bag. I have 2 regular size garbage cans that I use to put in 3 BIG scoops of Milo & then 1 BIG scoop of sunflowers, over & over. That pretty much fills both cans. The result is that the bigger birds tend to eat the sunflowers & smaller ones eat the milo. Depending on the weather that lasts a while. Of course that depends on how many bird feeders you use (we have 5 plus I feed them spread out on large container tops on the ground). Also don't pay a lot for bird feeders because the birds don't care. The container tops are much more popular than the feeders. And doing it this way you get a much larger number of sunflower seeds than are in those smaller bags of bird food. This winter we are already on our third purchase (done today) & we have a really cold spell coming.

We've tried the milo before and our stuck up birds wouldn't touch it. The only thing they'll eat is black sunflower seeds. During winter we mostly have blue jays, magpies, nuthatchs, junkos and chickadees. Today we saw our first grosbeak. Sometimes we buy a bag of unsalted peanuts too.

 

[old tex]

It may just be because of the difference in the type of bird you/I have in the areas we live in. We have a HUGE amount of smaller birds like sparrows, etc..

 

[zoomzoom]

We've tried the milo before and our stuck up birds wouldn't touch it.

I figure birds are like any other animals (like a dog or cat that's particular). If you don't give them a choice, they'll either eat it or ... they pick their food/hunger destiny.

Oh, and I quit feeding the birds. I was getting 1/2 ton of corn for the deer each winter but kind of quit on that too.

 

[Pearl]

I buy one 40 lb bag of black oil sunflower seed every November. I know the guy up the road has multiple bird feeders and is into bird watching. No bird will starve around here! I feed them for my entertainment and my outside cats' entertainment!! I've been saving money because the city folks who moved in north of me got over their fear or the deer and now enjoy feeding them! Linda deer and her kid live here, like they sleep up against the front of the house in bad weather ! So I feed them daily.

 

[Amish Heart]

I throw feed out for our gangs of guineas that roam the farm, and the wild birds pick on that, too. I hang a suet block now and again for the birds.

 

[Tim Horton]

For a long time, a number of places I've lived I kept bird feeders out until there started to be trouble with bears wrecking things.. This even here at the ..Wrinkle Ranch.. senior housing by the river.. Then you have to stop feeding until bears are denned up..

One of the things I've made that seems a favorite with birds and ..tree rats.. squirrels is to mix bird seed, cracked corn, or shelled whole corn kernels in cheap peanut butter.. Warm a cup of cheap Dollar Tree peanut butter in the microwave 30 seconds, mix in a cup of cheap bird seed or etc, spoon into cup cake papers with a loop of string imbedded to hang it up with.. Refrigerate or freeze overnight and hang out for critters to enjoy..

I've read beef suit is very important to small birds and other critters as the extra fat helps them a lot in winter..

 

[LadyLocust]

Got a few things done today: the wooden train that was still out because I forgot to put it away is now stowed away where it belongs. Made enchiladas for lunch tomorrow. Went and tried my key in hubby’s pickup because it was having computer issues. Got a couple more things washed. A couple loads of laundry done. And got a little knitting done on a sock.