Money Making/Saving Monday

 Summer isn't over yet. In fact, I'm looking forward to using the community pool starting at the end of this week without grandkids and the splashing (they have early morning adult only hours but since I'm not an early morning person, I rarely use them).

Even so, my personal break from blogging is over and one of my goals is to increase my casual income by $100 each month and get back to using all the freebies available to me as well as grocery deals-especially the way food prices seem to be jumping).

And since I haven't had a Frugal Friday post in seemingly forever here in the retirement zone, here are a few things that have been happening on the saving and spending front. Good and bad.

1.  I spent some time using a dedicated email address to sign up to all the places that have birthday freebies since September is my birthday month. There are some I wont use, but the current list includes resturants, clothing stores, Ace hardware and the like. Some of them, like Ace hardware are actually coupons off (ten off 25) but if it's something I need (I go through a bunch of painter's tape in quilting) then it's worth it. As I update the blog for fall, I'll make a tab above for a list of the freebies and so on I get. Oh, and I've also updated my book list for the year.

2. After a fair amount of introspection, I decided NOT to return to the full gym membership/group exercise option offered by my local county. I don't get Silver Sneakers through my insurance. I've become very happy with my youtube offerings that include one mile and two mile walks, weight programs, yoga and pilates and I walk outside for fresh air (or I do when it's not triple digits). I'll just go with the ten dollar rec pass for the senior center which will include card groups, craft groups, line dancing and all the normal non exercise activities. The community is supposed to start chair exercise soon as we return to the normal (hopefully).

3. I've not been great about carry out and drive through. Panera especially is my friend as is the local gourmet burger joint. So realistically I've cut money from elsewhere and am also on a serious dive to cut the grocery bill. To the point of starting one of those grocery price comparison lists, as well as being ruthless about any waste. I've even resorted to frozen fruit and some canned, as I've had some fruit go bad quickly even though I eat it all the time

4. My income will be freed up more starting sometime in September and I've decided to put the difference into car savings.

5. I've been sewing, and painting wood and so on-generally making things to sell on FB or in person or at small pop up craft fairs at breweries and bars which they have many of here. At this point it's all fall related! I still can't decide if a craft  blog to go along side it is a good idea.

6. I'm budgeting for a fall vacation since it's really to warm to do anything here except the occasional day drive. Fairly sure that will be a run to the gulf and Padre Island, but who knows.

7. I made a  rough budget month by month so I know what's coming up between now and the end of the year.

8. I made my quarterly "Everything I can do for free or almost free" either at home using stuff on hand or in the neighborhood. Lot's to still explore around here, so it's a pretty long list.

9. I'm actively following some money making lists and dedicating time to the making money at home thing so that I can plan for my larger , longer vacatin sooner rather than later (I have a Christmas trip plan in mind).

10. I did my own pedicure (pretty poorly) as I do every other month, I used up stuff on hand, I've started crafting with old and thrifted clothing and scraps(both for finances and sustainability), I cancelled all my streaming services except for the very basic now that I have more in person entertainment options, I did NOT hire a cleaning service (but it's coming eventually, no matter what I have to give up), I kept my eye out for organizers and shelves on Marketplace instead of buying all the new and cute Ikea stuff.

I'm supposed to be driving to Denver (non stop with a break of sleeping in the Dumas, Texas Walmart RV area for a few hours), but the smoke is so bad that Denver is temporarily the most polluted city and all the windows have to stay closed. What to do, what to do. Besides seeing my kid and family, I need to load up the car and bring stuff back. I'll have to go soon.