Christmas Eve eve

December 23, 2017 / thefrugalportlander / Leave a comment

This morning I took holiday gifts to my nephew, his Mom and Dad. Seeing his tiny little eyes light up when I walked in the door with a bag full of gifts, my heart just exploded. I don’t have kids, but I love my little nephew with everything I am. Seeing Christmas through the eyes of a little one is really magical. You see, Christmas isn’t really all about the gifts and presents. It’s about spending time with those your love. And yes I do love giving him gifts, but I think I already mentioned how Oprah helped me out with that one. Each year he gets something he wants, something he needs, something he can wear and something he can read.

So this morning I decided he should open his book present, so that we could read it on Christmas. So we opened the Charlie Brown Christmas book, and read it together. That time together, snuggled on the couch, was worth more than any money could buy.

There will be many gifts under many trees this holiday season, but which ones will we really remember? The time with family and friends, that’s what is really important this time of year.

Yesterday my mom and I made cookies and fudge, wrapped presents, and decorated the tree. We spent time together, we ordered Chinese food, it was perfect. No gift is better than that. Time with her was all I wanted, and it was wonderful.

So if I may make a suggestion, don’t buy all the stuff. People don’t need stuff, they need YOU. Just show up, that’s what people really want. I don’t need any more socks, trust me! I’d much rather have dinner with a friend, time with my nephew. So, because it’s Christmas, let’s remember to give our time, not just things. Happy Christmas.

Halibut for days

December 10, 2017 / thefrugalportlander / Leave a comment

I love halibut, it’s my favorite fish by far. Since moving to the pacific northwest, we have a wealth of fresh fish available to us. I don’t think I ate any fish growing up, and if I did I certainly didn’t like it.

But now, holy balls I LOVE halibut. Lucky for me, my father has taken up fishing lately. He fishes all the damn time. And one of the perks is her bring home fish (rarely). But I now have a freezer full of freshly caught seafood to enjoy. I try to spread it out and enjoy it sparingly, as I don’t have an unlimited supply, but I do cherish what I have been given.

That’s my daddy, proud fisherman! Isn’t he cute.

Now, clearly the fish he is holding is not a halibut. Or at least, that’s what I discovered upon looking it up.

Fish is usually quite expensive, especially when it’s out of season. But local, fresh caught fish can be inexpensive when it’s on sale, and if you buy the whole fish. So typically that’s what I do. I buy a whole fish and have the person behind the counter fillet it for me. So I typically buy fish only 3ish times a year. I portion it out and freeze it individually. Then it lasts us longer. Additionally, as mentioned, my dad brings home fish occasionally. On those occasions where he does catch something he can keep, he will share with me. He and mom can only eat so much fish after all. And my father has other friends who fish as well, so we are never lacking.

By shopping locally, and seasonally, it saves me a great amount of money. I have friends all over the country and we are rarely eating the same thing at the same time. What is in season in Portland varies from what is in season in Missouri. What are you eating this season?

My favorite blogs

December 6, 2017 / thefrugalportlander / Leave a comment

Like many of you, I have my favorite blogs that I read on a regular basis. Most of them, have to do with frugality, and most of them I have been reading for years! I may not know these people personally, but I feel like I know them from reading about their lives for this long. I hope you will check them out (alright I have the feeling most of you know them too!)

The Financial Diet is a great place to start. It has a whole group of contributors with different, interesting points of view. Multiple articles published daily share all kinds of experiences. From dating frugally, to inexpensive grocery ideas, it’s a great well rounded financial picture.

Frugalwoods is one of my very favorite blogs ever! Mr and Mrs Frugalwoods bought a homestead in Vermont not too long ago, and it is such a cool perspective! She genuinely makes me want to move to the middle of no where on a farm. They grow their own fruits and vegetables, heat their home with wood her husband has chopped, it’s amazing! They lived in Boston for a few years prior and I found that life interesting to read about as well! They have one little girl and another on the way so I am curious to see how this affects their life on the homestead.

The Non Consumer Advocate is written by an awesome gal named Katy who also happens to live in Portland. I have been reading this blog longest of all. She works as a nurse and has two boys in college. She writes about her life, how she saves money creatively, and her side hustle of selling items she has purchased at local Goodwill stores. It’s a very relatable blog. (fun story, once I saw Katy walking down the street to the local grocery store and I made my dad turn the car around so I could say hi)

The Frugal Girl is another one I adore. Kristen lives with her husband and four kids and writes about daily life. She writes about grocery shopping, what they eat for dinner, what the kids do for fun, and family outings. I love it. She is kind and compassionate, and speaks with such heart. Because of Kristen I subscribe to Mighty Nest which I absolutely love. It’s a monthly subscription box, which sends you something that is eco friendly for the home. I have gotten glass water bottles, Tupperware, glass cleaner, sponges and dish clothes. It costs $10 a month and each thing you receive is worth at least $10. If you are looking for a cool gift for something this holiday season, I highly recommend it.

What about you? What blogs do you guys read?? Which awesome blogs am I missing out on?

Imperfect Produce

December 5, 2017 / thefrugalportlander / Leave a comment

I have always wanted to join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). You pay a monthly cost to buy into the farm, and weekly, or bi weekly, you get a box of fresh produce delivered to your house. Such a cool idea, and a great way to be more involved in your community. But here’s the thing, I can’t really eat raw vegetables. They wreck havoc on my body (one of the joys of Crohn’s disease). So the cost of it has never been feasible to me unfortunately. It’s still cheaper for me to go to the farmer’s market and buy the single had of lettuce I need for the week, and my two apples and 6 carrots, or whatever it is.

But then I heard of a program called Imperfect Produce. It was started in the Bay Area as a way of rescuing produce that would otherwise be thrown away. Grapefruits that are too small, lumpy potatoes, misshapen pears, no one likes to buy cosmetically imperfect items at the grocery store, so it often gets passed up if it ever makes it to the market in the first place. Enter, Imperfect Produce. They collect the produce and deliver it to homes of people (such as myself) who would happily eat it. I don’t particularly care the size of my kiwi!

You can customize the size of the box, and the contents of the box. Don’t like parsnips? You can request never to receive any. Have six growing teenagers? Get the biggest box every week. In our house, there are only two adults and no children, so we get the smallest box, every other week. And it’s the perfect amount for us. It typically costs me about $12 for each box, which is definitely less than all the produce I would pick up at the store. I get to see online the weekend before the box is delivered what it’s contents will be. I can choose to discard any items that wouldn’t get eaten and we can add any extras. Boxes are delivered in the evening so that they stay cool.

Last night we received our box, which we receive every other week. It contained:

8 small funny shaped carrots, 6 small oranges, 2 pears, 3 kiwis, 2 apples, a lot of broccoli, 3 avocados, and 5 oddly shaped grapefruit. And I think I was charged $13. Oh, and an artichoke. Fantastic! Getting this produce delivered makes me especially eager to go through it, as it was already discarded once. Here’s the link Imperfect Produce Feel free to check it out and see for yourself! They aren’t available in all areas yet, but they are expanding.

There are other other organizations across the hungry who offer a similar community service. Hungry Harvest is another one. If you have any interest in learning more, I recommend doing your research. Different communities have different options. How do you save money on produce?

A new tradition

December 3, 2017December 2, 2017 / thefrugalportlander / Leave a comment

I love traditions. Watching the Rockettes with my Dad on Thanksgiving (they always perform during the parade), all of the parade actually, lasagna on New Years Eve and lox and bagels on New Years Day, watching Love Actually while eating Chinese food with my friend Lindsey to ring in the holiday season, all some of my very favorite traditions (and almost all involving food apparently!)

I think I like traditions so much, because I am at my core a creature of habit. Having something to look forward to, that I know I love, makes me happy. For the same reason, I adore my routine. I get up at the same time each morning to walk and feed the dogs. Then I move to my desk to check emails and get started on my work. And so on and on it goes.

Weekends are a bit different, a bit slower. We (hopefully) wake a little later, put on the kettle, and walk the dogs a little more leisurely. I still check my emails and do my work, but I might not get started on the weekends until (gasp!) 8am. This time of year, when our house is full of twinkling lights and garland, I am especially grateful for my slow mornings. I’ll enjoy two cups of tea, browse the headlines, write something.

Which is where I find myself now. Curled up on the couch with my boys, writing to all of you. And I think, I like the idea of writing something a little different on the weekends. So I think I’m going to make that a new tradition. Weekends will be for writing whatever is on my mind. And lucky you, if you so choose, you get to read it!

What I’ve been watching lately

December 2, 2017December 2, 2017 / thefrugalportlander / Leave a comment

We don’t have cable. You probably see it on literally every single “how to save money” list, lose cable. But we do subscribe to Netflix and Hulu which suits us just fine. We have access to everything we could want, and can watch it from anywhere. Seeing as the most basic cable package still costs at least $40 a month, $10 for Netflix and $7 for Hulu is definitely a bargain. My roommate pays for Netflix and I for Hulu, so it ends up being really reasonable for both of us.

So I was thinking, what are some of the shows we have enjoyed recently that you might be interested in?

On Hulu, if you haven’t seen the Handmaid’s Tale yet, GO WATCH IT NOW!!! It is so good and so relevant, it’ll blow your mind. It’s shocking, but not at all gory. It’s graphic in what it does to your mind, but it isn’t what you think of in terms of typical creepy fashion.

On Netflix I’ve been watching a string of cheesy holiday movies. A friend of mine started a tradition a few years ago, of watching all the horrible holiday movies she could get her hands on. So I decided to follow her lead. I have watched, a lot, of terrible holiday movies. And let me tell you, it’s a fabulous tradition. They’re hoaky, silly, and fantastic.

Silly holiday movies at home, with my dogs, is a great way to celebrate and feel festive without spending a ton of money. It’s fun to go out and see all the things your town has to offer for the holiday season, but it is never cheap. So instead, this year I decided to stay in more. We are watching movies and making cookies and decorating with what we have. And let me tell you, it has been awesome!

Take advantage of those subscriptions! Watch all the free holiday movies you can get your hands on. And stay warm while cuddling up to your furry friends, or your significant other, and enjoy a warm cup of tea or coffee. It is possible to enjoy the holidays without breaking the bank.

When in doubt, Oprah

November 30, 2017November 30, 2017 / thefrugalportlander / Leave a comment

Let me say first and foremost, I love Oprah. Have always, and will always, admire her for her strength, courage, zest for life, passion, compassion, and honesty. She is a badass lady and we should all aspire to be badass babes! But I digress….

Let’s talk about gift giving. It can be tricky this time of year to decide who you will be buying (or making) gifts for. Immediate family only? Extended family? Which friends or acquaintances? Work folks? It can get tricky, and quickly! One thing you obviously need to consider is you budget. Maybe you can afford to spend money on everyone you have ever met, that’s up to you. I think I’ll save that breakdown for another post.

Today I want to talk about, holiday shopping for kids. I don’t have kids, but I am an aunt, and I take my job very seriously! He is one of the great joys of my life. So for holidays, I always want to spoil him! But how much is too much? Or how little is too little? So I always fall back on something Oprah said, many moons ago.

For holidays, I get my nephew: Something he wants, something he needs, something he can wear, and something he can read. This has gotten me through all holiday seasons since he was born. And it’s really fantastic when you think about it! Perhaps you can only afford to get them one thing this year, that is completely reasonable! However, I squirrel money away all year so that I can do my holiday shopping. If I’m careful in my planning, I can get him 4 things without hurting my budget.

Something he wants

My squishy boy is really into Paw Patrol, so I am thinking I will get him something from the franchise. Perhaps a stuffy or a puzzle?

Something he needs

For this one I ask his parents. Wipes, socks, a backpack. Whatever they deem he NEEDS, I get. He will like it no matter what it is (oh the joy of two year olds!) an his parents will get something taken off their shopping list. Win win!

Something he can wear

For this category I usually go with PJ’s because, darn kids are adorable in jammies! But this year, I found an adorable puffer vest at a consignment shop that will look adorable on him! In a year or so. Hah, it’s too big for him! But I know his parents will agree that it’s a fabulous vest, and they will hang it in the closet until the time is right! It may not be perfect today, but it will be perfect one day!

Something he can read

This one may be my favorite, as I love reading with him. He has a lot of books, but because we read together often, I know what he has and what he doesn’t have. I plan to go to the library book sale to see if I can find some gems. Children’s books can be so expensive, and they don’t have a very long shelf life (hah! a book pun!) So I would rather get him books at less than full price.

I love this time of year, and having a little boy to celebrate with is really special to me. I don’t have children of my own, but I spend a lot of time with my two and a half year old nephew, and this time of year is simply magical. He is at such a great age for all the fun things!

What are you doing for the little ones in your life this holiday season?

Soup for days

November 27, 2017 / thefrugalportlander / Leave a comment

Have I mentioned how much I love soup? I could eat soup every day. And this week, I intend to do just that!

For the past two weeks, I have been in the Midwest for work. I have a unique (and totally awesome) job that requires I travel, a lot. I typically am gone 10 to 14 days per month. I love my job with every ounce of me, but by the time I get home from deployment, I need a few days to decompress. I usually have a day or two of overwhelming energy, I’ll clean and do laundry and grocery shop, then I crash. Today I am crashing. All the work and stress and lack of sleep catches up to me and I just need a break.

So today I will work on the blog (hello!) put the finishing touches on my planner for 2018, and probably do a little more house cleaning. In between those things, I’ll rest. I will cuddle the dogs, snuggle the cat, do some dishes, and catch up on my sanity. I’ll read my favorite blogs and maybe finish the book I started on the plane.

And I have no intention of cooking all week. (I don’t plan on takeout either, as I just spent two weeks eating entirely, out. I’ll get reimbursed for those expenses, but it still takes a toll on my wallet in the meantime). Saturday, as soon as I got home, I put (frozen) chicken bones in the crock pot to make stock. I added some celery and carrots that were on their way out and set it for 12 hours. About as easy as it gets. The chicken was frozen from the last time I bought a whole chicken. Sometimes I’ll make stock right away, and sometimes I put it in the freezer for future use. Then yesterday I went to Costco and got a whole rotisserie chicken (for all of $5!) and made a giant pot of soup! Fresh stock, fresh rotisserie chicken, the house smelled AMAZING! I added some veggies that we had on hand and wam bam, a literal ton of soup is ready! I put it in individual mason jars for storage, that way it’s an individual serving, and thus no measuring/spilling! 4 of the jars made their way into the freezer after they cooled, and 4 more are in the fridge.

I LOVE soup. And could literally eat it all day every day. So that’s kind of the plan. I have 3 kinds of soup currently in the freezer, so that’ll easily get me through the week. I also have (now 3) jars that are fresh in the fridge. I wanted easy and quick and cheap this week, so that’s exactly what I’m doing!

On a similar note, what is your opinion on chest freezers? Our freezer (attached to the fridge) is so small and is a wacky size, so it makes freezing anything in bulk rather difficult. Upon doing some research, Rachel (roommate) and I decided it would in fact save us money in the long run to have a chest freezer. I had been price comparing for a few months, and took the opportunity this weekend (excellent sales) to finally scoop one up. It will be arriving in about 5 days and we are so excited. Though dropping $170 is never enjoyable, I am confident that it’ll save us money on food. I always want to make a double batch of things like lasagne, soup, and casseroles, but as it stands right now we have nowhere to put them! So, in five days, we will! (I’m kind of a dork about these things so I am over the moon excited about our new chest freezer! My roommate just smiles and supports me. She isn’t big on cooking, but the idea of a place to store all those berries for smoothies is appealing to her!)

I’m excited about the prospect of a freezer full of soup. It’s cheap, filling, healthy, a total win/win/win situation in my book! Do you bulk freeze? What is your favorite soup?

Black Friday, or, the day I did no more shopping than usual

November 24, 2017 / thefrugalportlander / Leave a comment

So today is the day retailers shove down our throats all the amazing sales and deals on shit we (probably) don’t need!

But how do I really feel, you ask? Let’s discuss.

I saw some meme on Facebook that said something like “save 100% if you just stay home”. I mean, it’s true. If you don’t open those emails, if you don’t go to the mall, you are already saving way more than anyone who swiped their credit card today.

My mom used to send me links “Just in case there was something I needed”. But did I really need anything? Probably not.

How do I avoid falling for these sale traps? I keep a list of things that I need/want and keep an eye out for those things year round. If it goes on sale or I find a good deal, I’ll buy it then. For example, right now I have black Doc Martens on my list, as well as a pair of wooden clog sandals. One is appropriate for this season, the other is not. But, I am more likely to find sandals on sale during the winter, so I keep my eyes open. I may not find either of them for months, but I know to keep looking. Then, when I do finally purchase them, they will be at the very best price.

Of course there are so many things on sale, it might be to your advantage to look up whatever is on your list. Are you in need of new bedding, towels, or perhaps tires? All of these things tend to go on sale today (and this time of year) as well. So it would probably be in your best interest to do some research.

Can you get towels/bedding second hand at a thrift store? If you don’t care about everything matching perfectly this would be my first suggestion. People will often donate a whole set of something at once. Perhaps there are 3 of the same towel with matching face and hand towels, but not a full set. As long as you launder these items before use, there is no reason you can’t snag these deals! Comforters are another great deal at second hand shops, as they don’t get a lot of wear and tear (usually) so you can often get a great deal on new looking bedding! As someone who doesn’t particularly love matchy-matchy bedding in the first place, this is a great resource for me.

Last year on black Friday I got new snow tires for my Prius. I had been desperately needing some as we have been getting some nasty storms in the Pacific Northwest and NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO DRIVE IN THE SNOW. Additionally, we don’t salt or de-ice the roads in Portland. So snow tires or weather tires are really important to me in my tiny, slippery Prius. I got tires for 20% off which is a great deal when you’re spending close to $600!

For this year, I don’t plan on buying anything today. I may see if my underwear is on sale (did you know that apparently you are supposed to replace underwear yearly? I didn’t) as I am in the market for a few new pairs of undies. But if there isn’t a deal of them, I’ll continue to wait it out until they do go on sale.

What about you? Are you planning on getting anything in particular this black Friday?

I am thankful, today and every day

November 22, 2017November 23, 2017 / thefrugalportlander / Leave a comment

As a little kid, I was extraordinarily lucky to live across the street from Ed and Shirley Meyers. They were my mentors, my friends, my confidants, my family. I love them, and still do love them, with all my heart. Ed passed away in 2003 and Shirley passed away in 2008, but I still think about them every single day.

I bring this up because they taught me something extremely valuable at a very young age: always be thankful. At the end of every day, Ed and Shirley would sit on the deck and watch the sun go down. As the last blip of sun disappeared behind the horizon, they would list of what they were thankful for that day. It usually went something like this “thank you God for another beautiful day. Thank you for the kids, thank you for your health, and the beautiful ocean that lays before us.” It changed a little every day, but they each always listed for what they were thankful for. On afternoons I was lucky enough to watch the sunset with them, they would ask me what I was thankful for. It’s a little thing but it has stuck with me all this time.

Now, I don’t need to know whether or not you choose to thank God or the universe or what not, it honestly doesn’t matter. But every day I list off the things I am thankful for, and it’s become a wonderful part of my evening. It reminds me to slow down and enjoy each day and each moment, because we aren’t guaranteed anything.

I typically say my list to myself each evening, but seeing as tomorrow is Thanksgiving I thought I would come up with a list of things I am grateful for today (tomorrow is busy, ya’ll gonna be cooking and cleaning and hopefully spending time with those you love!)

I am thankful for:

The obvious ones: friends, family, my pets

The maybe less obvious ones:

-Coworkers who have become friends, and then became family. We work in a weird world, one where we spend more time working in far away places with neglected and abused animals than we spend at home. We work at all hours, in all kinds of conditions. It is rarely comfortable and it is never glamorous. But I bet if you asked any one of us, we wouldn’t have it any other way. We may be an odd bunch, but I love my work family with all my heart. We have been through it all together and we are all so thankful to have one another.

(That’s Lois, Jess and I eating Jeni’s ice cream last night. I prefer Graeter’s, but it’s still damn good ice cream!)

-My health. Many of you right now are going “but, you have Crohn’s Disease, you aren’t healthy!” True dat. But you know what? I am so lucky to be alive. I am lucky that I know how to manage my illness and that I am able to live the life I want to lead. Is it always perfect? Absolutely not. It’s messy and painful and tiring and horrible at times. But you know what? When I have a good day I relish it. When I wake up after a good sleep I am so happy and appreciative of the energy I have. When I eat cheese! I am thrilled that I can eat some of the things I love without paying for it later (definitely can’t eat anything I want, but I’ll take cheese!)

-The internet. Ever thing about it? Most of our lives revolve around internet. Blogging, facebook, Amazing or other shopping sites, research, WebMd, where would we be without the internet!? I spend almost my entire working day at my computer, on the internet. Sending emails and responding to them. Coordinating flights and hotels for responders, looking up how much 5.11 tactical pants cost. Trust me, I am so thankful for the internet.

-Warm clothing. We are currently operating out of a building with no central heat, at an undisclosed location in the midwest. Let me tell you, IT’S COLD! Today the high is I think 39. So, definitely not the coldest but definitely chilly! I have a Carhartt jacket, fuzzy socks, a beanie that I love, and a scarf adorning my tactical pants and boots today. Plus my work issued hoodie, gotta represent!

-Fall in the Pacific Northwest. I mean, the colors! It’s just stunning. I great up in Southern California and it was nothing like where I live now. It’s truly breathtaking. Nor to mention apple picking, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and everything else that comes with fall (NO pumpkin spice lattes for this lady!)

-My stellar amazeballs roommate. Ya’ll, you have no idea how lucky I am here. Not only do we get along, we agree on most things, like the same foods, like the same movies and tv, laugh at each other, and she loves my critters. I’m gone so much, and Holden gets to stay with her and Reddington because the boys are BFFs. When I called and said “Hey honey is it ok if I bring home a foster dog? He is from one of our fighting cases…” She said yes, as long as I thought he would get along with our boys. I literally am beyond thankful for her. She let me bring my whole menagerie of critters to live in her home. And she hasn’t killed me yet! I’m calling it a win.

I could go on, but I think you see that we all have things we need to be thankful for. I try to practice what I preach and thank the universe every day that I am alive. It’s a beautiful thing you know, waking up each morning.

What are you thankful for today and every day?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, from my family to yours!

The Frugal Portlander

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