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Five Frugal Things | So, my tire had a hole

1. I got my tire fixed for free

My driver’s side front tire got low this past May.

tire pump.

Then it was fine until a few weeks ago, around the time I got my ankle stung by yellow jackets.

It was only a few pounds low, and I thought, “Hmm, it’s been four months since the last time. Maybe it’s fine?”

But then this past week, the low tire pressure light came on again.

Sooo, I pumped it up with my Slime pump, and then I took it over to Midas since they do a free flat repair service.

slime tire pump.

My tire wasn’t exactly flat, but they checked it and initially thought it was intact. I re-explained the history, and the guy double-checked it with a higher PSI.

Sure enough, there was a pinhole leak in it.

So, they repaired it for me, and I was on my way. Whew.

dirty tire.

I think this is the third time I’ve had Midas fix a tire for me. 10/10!

Not every Midas shop in my area does the free flat fixes, so call around if you need this service.

And if you don’t have a Midas near you, Lisey says that Sam’s Club offers this service (she used to work in their tire department), so that’s another idea to try.

By the way last time I shared about my Slime tire pump, some of you didn’t see that I’d shared a link. Soooo….click here to see most current Slime tire pump model.

(it looks slightly different than mine but it is just the newest version.)

2. I “made” a new rice sock

We had one here, but last spring Lisey dropped it outside in the rain, and the rice spilled everywhere.

So, I bought a bag of super cheap white rice and filled two old socks. You can use a single sock, but I prefer to use two to make it more sturdy.

sock filled with rice.

You could sew the sock shut (and maybe one day I will), but the advantage of a rubber band closure is that you can just pop off the outer sock and wash it when it gets dirty. 

We use these when someone has a sore muscle; you just put it in the microwave for a few minutes, shake it up, and apply it to the sore spot.

The shape of a sock is particularly nice for when you need a heating pad around your neck! 

3. I fixed Zoe’s skirt

She’d thrifted this long skirt (so 90s!) but the first time she wore it, it split by the slit.

blue printed skirt.

The fabric split above the slit as well, so it was sort of a mess.

ripped blue fabric.

So, I got out my sewing machine and did a quick repair for her.

mended skirt.

I reinforced the other slit too, since both of them are going to be a point of stress for the material. I sewed a tiny bit of scrap denim on the underside, and then did some stitching to hold it in place. 

Hopefully that’ll help the skirt to withstand the slit stress caused by walking. 

underside patch.

Since the denim is on the underside, no one will be the wiser. 🙂

mended blue skirt.

4. I fixed a catnip mouse

When I went to do laundry the other day, I saw that one of Shelly’s catnip mice was in the laundry room.

And I also noticed that the bottom seam on this mouse had come apart.

mouse with hole in it.

So, I grabbed a needle and some thread (both from the abandoned house).

needle packet and spool of blue thread.

I added a little fresh catnip inside and then sewed the mouse up.

repaired catnip mouse.

By the way, I have to give a shoutout to these little these little catnip mice.

Shelly, being an older feline, is often not much for toys. But she loves these mice! She turns into a young cat when she plays with them. 

5. I made pudding and bread with my extra milk

I inadvertently purchased an excess of milk (still adjusting to a household of two over here!), so I used some of the extra to make this chocolate pudding, and also two loaves of cinnamon bread.

cinnamon bread cooling on a rack.

Sometimes my swirls are really uneven but look how tidy this swirl is! I was a little bit proud.

cut side of cinnamon bread.

I’m not winning any awards in the Use Up Milk In A Healthy Way competition, but cinnamon bread and chocolate pudding do deliver in the joy department. 😉 

Your turn! What frugal things have you been up to lately?

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mommato2

Thursday 5th of October 2023

Such lovely weather in my area and things that have been put off for years is now making it time to get it done. Like, tree trimming....

1) Two trees needed a haircut. In a major way. I got a group out for a quote and at $1150, it was a no-go. The second group wanted $400. They got hired. Savings-$750

2) We purchased a 1/4 cow last September and paid $5/lb for various steaks/roasts/ground, etc. We still have a ways to go before getting thru all of it. Maybe another 6 months?

3) Our oldest had 2 smoke detectors in need of new batteries. He called us for a ladder so he wouldn't have to buy his own or call a handyman. Savings- $100

4) I purchased pie pumpkin seeds from ebay and planted in the spring. So far, 11 pumpkins are growing nicely. I cooked one and made muffins. I'll pick more this weekend. The stores are selling pie pumpkins for $5 each. I paid $2.29 for 15 seeds. I planted half. Savings- $50 +

5) We purchased 2 concrete repair kits for the driveway and completed half the work ourselves. The rest will be done this weekend. A contractor wanted $500 to do the repair. Savings- $470

J$

Thursday 5th of October 2023

I love those Slime air pumps!! I bought two after you recommended it (one for each car) and it's already come in handy 2-3 times :) So thank you!!

Martha O.

Thursday 5th of October 2023

I shopped my closet to find something suitable for a wedding we’re attending this weekend. And I do have a nice dress so no need to buy a new one.

It’s my birthday month so I’m redeeming a few freebies or special discounts on items I use or desire.

I hemmed 2 pairs of dressy pants that I could have been wearing if they hadn’t been so long. Glad to have them as options now.

Used a senior discount on a basic haircut. Glad to have that done.

I’ve made two batches of chicken soup this week( starting last weekend) in hopes we would all find some relief from seasonal allergies. Our grocery bill was much less than usual.

Torrie @ To Love and To Learn

Wednesday 4th of October 2023

I also made swirl bread this week, but mine did not turn out nearly as perfect looking as yours! Well done!

Also, great tip on the free flat tires fixes -- I had no idea.

I'm late getting up my own frugal wins, but I had a good reason!

https://www.toloveandtolearn.com/2023/10/04/weekly-frugal-wins-pitching-for-gold-more-land/

Heidi

Wednesday 4th of October 2023

The first picture the skirt is definitely blue all the rest of the pictures the skirt is grey. What is the true color? Love your mending skills.

Kristen

Wednesday 4th of October 2023

The gray is most accurate!

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