Couple Frugal Things.....

So while I've always considered myself pretty thrifty and making sure I'm getting the best deal - there is always room for improvement.  I started reading "The Frugal Girl" blog 4 or so years ago.  I like seeing how she manages her family on one income.  What I really take away from her posts is the ones where she repairs something that is still functional.  Before I started reading her blog I would have thrown something away that had a flaw/defect.  But now I look for ways to repair it before I let it go if it still has a function in my life.  Will repairing it be cheaper than replacing it?  She replaced a button on her jeans after the first one came off.  I would have in the past totally thrown the jeans away, but these fit her great and the only defect on it was the button!  It cost her $5 or so bucks to fix it after she got a kit that she can use again!

She does freezer challenges where she will eat the things in her freezer before she goes shopping again, or plans meals around the things that NEED to be eaten in her freezer before they go bad.  She has taught me to be more intentional about spending money.

Enter my closet!

 Like most of you I'm sure, you have watched the Marie Kondo show on netflix.  I binged it over a weekend and cleaned out my closet.  I got rid of that entire section!  HUGE pile I took to Clothes Mentor.  They offered me $37 for the items that they wanted to sell, I took that in store credit and then treated myself to a brand new pair of Lilly Pulitzer shorts that totally Sparks Joy in my life!  I still have money left over too.  The clothes they wouldn't be able to sell I went ahead and had them donate. They were still usable clothes just WAY too big for me now.

My favorite sunglasses...

 I'm sure you have seen a ton of pictures of me in these sunglasses on my blog.  They are my favorite.  I love glitter and rhinestones.  Recently they fell off my head and had a piece come out.

 Insert sad face!  There was definitely a chunk missing I couldn't get them to touch even if I wanted to glue that seam together.  Because I didn't want to damage them further I hadn't been able to wear them the last couple of weeks.

I realized the other day that I could repair them with my UV resin.  I'd been dabbling in this craft recently.  I don't have a picture of me placing the UV resin in the space with a Popsicle stick because it was a two handed job.

 My first cure, the resin shrinks a little during the curing process.  Once it was done (about a minute later - I always add time to it just in case.  I filled in a few small spaces - very carefully I might add, because I didn't want it to be all over the place and noticeable.

 From far away you cant even tell I did a repair job.  And if you are close enough to tell I did it, then you are WAY too into my personal bubble!  :)

 Close up of my handy work.

I'm so happy that they are fixed and I'm able to wear them again!!!

Overdrive App - Library eBook System

I found this great resource a while ago but never felt the need for it.  While we were camping in Marianna, FL I had the need!  The book I brought with me to read was actually one I had already read just under a different name!  Debbie Macomber has published a few books that are older and republishes them with a new name.  Thankfully this book I found at a thrift store and only paid a $1 or so for it.  I had to call my local library to figure out what my PIN number was to get this all set up on my phone.  Probably took me about 20 minutes because I was trying NOT to have to call.  Had I just called when I first had the question I would have been done in like 5 minutes! 

So this is the APP (and I know this app isn't available to everyone but if you have access to it it's GREAT, and very user friendly!.

When you first open the app this is the screen that you see.  As you can see while we were at Blue Springs I was trying to download books, I finished the one at the bottom and was trying to turn in back in but with cell reception so low I just gave up.  When we went into town I downloaded two, incase one I started reading and didn't like it.  (it's pretty obvious I love Debbie Macomber!)

This is what the side bar looks like when you hit the 3 lines at the top left corner of the picture above.  The bookshelf brings you to the screen showing you all the books you have out (5 at a time), in the picture above.

I chose a book and this is the first page.  I was VERY afraid when I saw 406 pages (the first overdrive book I borrowed had 600 something (two books in one).  But when you are reading you go through them quick because they aren't standard page sizes.

This is the first page of the above book.

See not many words on a page.  Quick easy reading.  When you close out of the app it holds your place.

Here is how you download a book.  Click the 3 lines in the top left corner, Click your linked Library, in my case it says "Chattahoochee Valley Libraries"

That brings you to this screen.

In the search bar you search author name, title of book, theme...like you would in any online reservation system that does inter library loaning.  I clicked on "Debbie Macomber Classics"

Brings me to this screen.

Click on the book you want, click "BORROW"

In our library (and it may be different at other libraries) we have a 14 day limit.  You can go and re-borrow if you need more time.  I did on the first book I read.

You can hook it to your kindle or phone.  I don't have a kindle so I did the "Download Epub eBook" option.

Give it a second to download.

Go back to your bookshelf and you'll see it available.

This is a great option for me as sometimes I forget my book in the car when I'm waiting somewhere.  So I can just pull my phone out and continue reading.  I'm thinking this will be a great option for my daughter for school.

I will always love the smell of a paper book though, you think they make it in a candle?

Reusable Food Pouches

I LOVE these pouches.  I have about 20 of them between the "little green pouch" and the yummi pouches. (www.littlegreenpouch.com and www.yummipouch.com )  My family loves bringing these along any trip to snack on, and because you don't need utensils they are perfect for the car, tournaments where you sit in a gym/auditorium for HOURS (oh wait you don't do that?  Must just be our family, hehehe), and great for lunches.

First off I was making pineapple puree for my son who LOVES pineapple, but lets face it he is coming up on 4 and pineapple chunks leave him STICKY and anything in his surrounding area sticky.  I filled those pouches up and had not enough left for a full pouch.  I left it in my Pampered Chef Food processor that I love so dearly, and added handfulls of blueberries, black berries, and cut up some strawberries. 

Processed it up- 

(I love this food processor because i'm able to take out the blade and it leaves you with a bowl that is EASY to pour, scoop, or spoon out of.  Wereas a traditional food processor has a HUGE whole in the middle where the blade sits and you have to be careful when you are trying to get the food out of the bowl.

This little guy I got from Kitchen Collection for under $5.  TOTALLY WORTH it if you are going to invest in the pouches.  Makes filling SO much easier.

Then just fill it up.  Take a dry erase marker and notate what is on the inside.  Zip it up and store in the fridge!