Abandoned House Dining Table Rehab!
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 22, 2022
This one’s been a long time coming; those of you who follow me on social media have been slowly watching this process since I started in April!
The Frugal Girl
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Five Frugal Things | an eBay jumpsuit
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 28, 2022
It’s Tuesday! Time for some frugal things. Although honestly, it’s always time for frugal things around here…). I bought a jumpsuit on eBay. I have a really long torso. And this means that one-piece items, especially those with a pre-defined waist (dresses, jumpsuits, rompers, etc.)
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Thankful Thursday | for a bad forecast!
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 30, 2022
This week, I’m thankful: for a bad forecast on our Hershey Park trip day. We almost canceled the trip because the forecast was wet and cold. But I am so glad we didn’t, for multiple reasons: The rain was really only an intermittent mist.
Meet a Reader | Millicent the Poet
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 27, 2022
Today we’re meeting a longtime reader who happens to be a poet! Millicent and I have exchanged emails multiple times over the years, so I was glad for the chance to get to know more about her. Here’s Millicent: 1. Tell us a little about yourself.
Ask the Readers: Favorite frugal (or splurge) spices
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 29, 2022
Kristen, an idea for an “Ask the Readers” post might be, “What are your top ten frugal spices and your favorite splurge spice(s)?”
Five Frugal Things | 2 freebies, 2 sales, & a vacuum
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 21, 2022
Am I still busy getting freebies over here? You betcha! I got a free wall mirror for my bedroom. I wasn’t exactly looking for one, but I was keeping an eye out for things to hang on my empty bedroom walls.
WIS, WWA | Delayed by the TEAS
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 24, 2022
Hey everyone! I’m here a little late today because I had my TEAS exam this morning, which is basically an entrance exam for nursing school, and the score is one of the factors they consider when they choose which applicants to accept (R.N. school at my college is competitive).
Five Frugal Things | with a $25 mirror
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 14, 2022
I bought a mirror on Facebook Marketplace. I got it for $25, and it matches the bed frame, dresser, and nightstand that people have kindly given me! I found what I think is this model on Amazon, and it sells for $86. So, I’m happy with my $25 price!
Thankful Thursday | SOME things are well
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 2, 2022
I was chatting with a reader on Instagram last month after she’d made a thankful list in the midst of personal hard times, and I said, “Yep! When you make a point of hunting for blessings, it does not mean you pretend that ALL is well.
WIS, WWA | My goodness, meat is expensive
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 16, 2022
What I Spent. I’m still kind of adjusting to the current prices at the stores since I was mostly on a grocery shopping hiatus while I lived with my parents. This is some kind of sticker shock to come back to!
Meet a Reader | Carrie, mom of 7!
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 6, 2022
I’ve never met Carrie in person, but we’ve moved in similar internet circles for quite some time. So, I was delighted when she volunteered to do a Meet a Reader interview. Here’s Carrie: 1. Tell us a little about yourself. I’m a homeschooling mom of 7 (with 3 graduates!)
Thankful Thursday | My semester is done!
The Frugal Girl
MAY 19, 2022
I took my final exam on Tuesday and I am so, so, so happy to have made it to the end of the semester. It’s been a wild ride since January (!!), and I am delighted to have a break. This is the face of a relieved college student.
Five Frugal Things | And I’m in my new house!
The Frugal Girl
MAY 10, 2022
The rain did indeed stop in time for us to move our stuff into the rental house on Sunday. More on the move in a future post, but…the move is why I did not write a blog post yesterday. I was exhausted and besides, I had a lot of unpacking to do.
Thankful Thursday | for painting space!
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 16, 2022
This week, I’m thankful: for space to paint. Last night I was spray painting an old pot and I was thinking how thankful I am to be living in a house, not an apartment building. I have a carport and a whole yard to accomodate all my painting adventures, and I am grateful!
Before and After | a Philco table
The Frugal Girl
MAY 25, 2022
When my dad and I went over to the abandoned house to grab some furniture, we almost passed this little table by. It was very lightweight, super wobbly, and the veneer top had terrible water damage.
I don’t use regular antiperspirant/deodorant anymore
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 8, 2022
Like most of you, I’d heard for years that regular deodorant/antiperspirant is possibly not the most healthy thing to be putting on my armpits. But I felt rather stuck because heaven knows I am a sweaty person. Even WITH regular deodorant.
Thai Red Curry Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 15, 2022
When I was a kid, the only curry I had ever tasted was the yellow sort you use in Indian cuisine. But in the last few years, Cook’s Illustrated introduced me to Thai red curry paste and OOH I love this way more than yellow curry. So delicious!
A collection of small abandoned-house treasures
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 1, 2022
You guys know about some of the bigger things I’ve rescued from the abandoned house (like…furniture!). Click here to see this table now. But there are a lot of smaller things I’ve put to use too. So…I thought it’d be fun to do a round-up of those.
Five Frugal Things | So much to choose from!
The Frugal Girl
MAY 31, 2022
During the months I was living with my parents, it was a bit of a challenge to put these posts together. There’s only so much frugality that can happen when you don’t have your own home. And for most of the time that I lived there, I hadn’t even told you guys what was going on! ).
WIS, WWA | Plus one!
The Frugal Girl
MAY 27, 2022
Lisey arrived this week! So we are temporarily a household of three (plus a cat and hamster. how we feel about being reunited ??. What I Spent. I spent: $111 at Aldi. $6 6 at Safeway. $30 30 on a Hungry Harvest box. So, $147 for this week.
WIS, WWA | $45
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 10, 2022
What I Spent. I built some meals around what was in my freezer this week, so my spending wasn’t super high. I spent: $30 on a Hungry Harvest box. $15 15 at Safeway.
Thankful Thursday | soaking up the lovely weather
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 9, 2022
This week, I am thankful: for a stretch of beautiful weather. Last weekend, the weather was positively heavenly. Low humidity, temps in the high 70s/low 80s…just so perfect!
I finished a piece of furniture! (the free bookshelf)
The Frugal Girl
MAY 23, 2022
Alrighty, patient readers…as you know, I’ve been blessed with lots of free furniture lately, and I’ve been working on rehabbing most of it. So, this is the first in an intermittent series of makeovers. First up? This bookshelf.
Q&A | Step tracker, Aldi vs. Lidl, hoarder homeowner, & mastermind groups
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 20, 2022
I have a collection of question from you all, so buckle up for some random topics! What activity tracker do you use? A lot of you asked this when I shared the screenshot of my steps for the month of May. I have a Withings Steel watch that tracks my steps and my sleep, and their app is the one I use.
WIS, WWA | $80
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 3, 2022
What I Spent. Putting this here just because a post that starts with only text is boring ??. This week, I spent: $13 at Safeway. $67 67 at Aldi. So, $80 this week. What We Ate. Saturday. Lisey and Zoe were both out with separate friends, and I don’t remember what I made for myself!
Five Frugal Things | a mostly spendy one
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 7, 2022
Item #3 today was particularly spendy…but not as spendy as it COULD have been. ??. I got my book club book for $0.99. I accidentally forgot to get this month’s book from the library. Book club is on Thursday and I realized this on Sunday.
Five Frugal Things | I’m almost there
The Frugal Girl
MAY 17, 2022
Hey everyone! I’m off taking my final exam this morning, and then woohoo, my life is gonna be quite freed up. I used a wood marker on my free dresser/bed frame. Reader Kate let me know that the furniture she gave me had been through a move and had some dings. (Of
Thankful Thursday | In a hurry
The Frugal Girl
MAY 26, 2022
I have exactly 30 minutes before I have to leave to go get a tooth filling taken out and replaced, so…I’m gonna speed run this post. Ready, set, go! This week, I am thankful: that my neighbors will mow my yard.
Meet a Reader | CeCe the psychologist
The Frugal Girl
JUNE 13, 2022
Hello, everyone! Today we’re meeting a practicing psychologist, so that’s a first for our Meet a Reader series. I really love the variety of ages, stages, and life paths represented by the readers here…variety is the spice of life! Here’s CeCe: 1.
Thankful Thursday | post-exam
The Frugal Girl
MAY 12, 2022
Hello everyone! I’m writing my list kinda late today; school has had me snowed under (my school + helping Zoe with her end-of-semester stuff). I took my last regular exam today, though, and I got my final assignment finished yesterday.
Five Frugal Things | Rag Time
The Frugal Girl
MAY 24, 2022
I cut up some old shirts to make rags. After I moved here, I realized, ohhhh, I don’t have my stash of old t-shirt rags. But when I unpacked and organized my clothes, I realized I had several shirts that were really beyond wearing.
WIS, WWA | I cooked!
The Frugal Girl
MAY 20, 2022
This week felt a bit like a new kind of normal; we are settling in here at our new house and I’ve been doing a little more cooking. And this coming week should be even better since I’m done with school! What I Spent. Here’s how my spending went this week: $114 at Aldi. $23
What frugal tips have you tried and then abandoned?
The Frugal Girl
APRIL 13, 2022
You guys came up with so many great reader interview questions , I couldn’t possibly fit all of them into future reader interviews. So, I thought it would be fun to occasionally use some of them as an Ask The Readers question; that way we all can share! This one, from Danielle C.,
WWA | (semi) normalcy coming soon
The Frugal Girl
APRIL 29, 2022
I should be moving into my rental not this weekend, but the next…so, these What I Spent, What We Ate posts should return to something a little more normal very soon! Also, you know what? There’s a new Aldi opening up very close to my rental! In fact, it’s 8 minutes away.
WIS, WWA | ok, that was optimistic
The Frugal Girl
MAY 13, 2022
Last week, I was all, “Oh, probably next week our eating will be more normal!” ” Readers, I severely underestimated what it’s like to move at the end of a semester. And this was not a “normal” move by any stretch of the imagination.
Q&A | What happened 10 years ago? Will I always be frugal? Plus, homeschooling with a baby
The Frugal Girl
MAY 2, 2022
I’m currently waiting on some readers to send back their completed interviews, so we’ll do a Q&A post today instead! And of course, if you want to do a Meet a Reader post, just let me know, and I can email the questions on over to you. ??.
Five Frugal Things | I’ve only got one thing
The Frugal Girl
APRIL 26, 2022
Hey everyone! If you follow me on social media, you know that I have been spending these last days sanding and painting my free furniture. Which means that I really don’t have a whole lot else to report in the way of frugality.
Five Frugal Things | a free end table
The Frugal Girl
APRIL 5, 2022
I picked up an end table on the buy-nothing group. I joined the Buy Nothing group in my parents’ neighborhood so that I could give away some sheets my mom no longer needed. And when I saw that someone was giving away an end table, I asked if I could have it. Do I have somewhere to rent yet?
What’s saving my life right now
The Frugal Girl
APRIL 6, 2022
Last week, I did a podcast interview with Sarah Hart-Unger for the podcast she and Laura Vanderkam host (Best of Both Worlds). It’s coming out later in April and I will share the link when it’s out in the world.
Five Frugal Things | I got free furniture
The Frugal Girl
APRIL 19, 2022
My dad and I picked up furniture from the abandoned house. When my brother first bought the abandoned house , I had no idea I would have any use for the furniture in it. But, here we are. Life comes at you fast!
Thankful Thursday | I filed my taxes!
The Frugal Girl
APRIL 14, 2022
This week, I am thankful: that my taxes are filed. Whew. I was pretty darn last-minute this year, but hey, as long as it’s in before the deadline, that’s what counts. And next year, my CPA will do my blog taxes, so, yay! that Sonia’s taxes are so easy.
Thankful Thursday | overnight rain is the best
The Frugal Girl
MAY 5, 2022
This week, I am thankful: for the overnight rain on Tuesday. Overnight rain is my favorite: all the benefits of rain, and it doesn’t interfere with your day! The rain made everything on the trail in the woods so green and lush.
Meet a Reader | Lawyer K from Chicago
The Frugal Girl
APRIL 18, 2022
When K emailed me to volunteer for a Meet a Reader feature, she expressed some hesitation because she and her husband both have high-paying jobs and are quite financially secure. But I think variety is wonderful; we have readers from all kinds of economic situations here, and I love to see it.
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