I think helping someone else in need is one of the best savings you can do.
In the last coupla weeks have been blessed with "savings". We have been exceptionally broke, because I spent money stocking up when I was able o tget super deals and now I have to save up for my car insurance. So I am doing my best to not spend money too frivilously or on household stuff, since I am not the only member of the household and the others could chip in.!!!
Over the past few months I have been running into the neighbor, whose contractors we had problems with a few yearsago. Me not being one to hold a grudge forever, have been friendly with said neighbor. This neighbor happens to work for Goodwill. Some weeks ago, she asked if I wanted stuff Goodwill can't sell, like food etc I said sure. So she had been leaving odd itmes of food and cleaning supplies and stuff like that on the fence.
Well the other day, she honked just as SIL was here to pick up the baby. She had her car filed to the gills with boxes of food. Some guy had died and his family was bringing all the food to Goodwill. She came home the next day with another car load. The guy seemed to be stocking up, same as us. i got lots of sea salt, pickling salt, citric acid, canned goods of all sorts, beans, rice, etc. I spent yeastrday morning sorting it, and started making up boxes to share with others, since thre is so much. A lot of the stuff is from TJ's. There must be theequivalent of a case of canned wild caught salmon, lots of tuna, canned beef, ....
Then I went to walk DGS and found a good quality stroller for free. I had one, but it didn't work well in the field. I really wanted a better one, that would allow the baby to lie flat and one I could use out in the field. Now I have one! All we had to do was to clean it! I'll put the other one in the trunk of my car, because it is small and easy to use for errands.
On Saturday was free fishing day. So we went to the lake and had a great time fishing all morning. We tried to pay the entrance fee, but the box wouldn't accept our quarters

So we kept the envelope in the car, so we could pay, when a park person came to collect. they never did.
Looking for a better spot to cast my line, I came across a pair of kids gloves, a pair of pliers, a pair of sun glasses and a new pair of shoe laces, as well as snarled fishing line. I picked all of it up. We did catch some bass, but none were of legal size, but we had a great time.
On the drive home we saw lots of garage sales. But what really caught my eye, was a baby "car" seat thingy not far from home. So after we unloaded, I got back in the car and checked out the "car". It was in front of the fence, indicating it was "free". It was also slightly broken and mildewed. But it was a baby bouncer/wheely seat. I brought it home. we cleaned it up and now DGS has another thingy to mess around in. He will be able to wheel around in it, and or bounce in it. the horn works. and at some point it converts, so he can walk behind it. Way cool. I checked it out on line and found it costs 109.99$ new!!! We don't mind a few broken bits, as long the the thing works!
So I felt entitled to go and buy myself a bottle of wine today! gotta celebrate!
Oh I found out also that neighbor's (who has bee giving us the food) DD has to stay away from salt, so when I made my relish today and realized that the recipe didn't call for any salt, I brought her a jar as thank you!