Use it. Don't lose it.

[mumof2]

I am guilty of receiving gift cards as gifts for birthdays and holidays and then never using them.
i've been trying to get better about it, but I still have a bunch in a drawer.

Have you ever thought of giving them to shelters....homeless etc....thats what we use to do

[scfr]

Paid my credit cards online yesterday, and redeemed $15 in rewards as a statement credit. I redeem every time I log on to pay, unless DH has beaten me to it (the redeeming part). Those reward dollars are not adjusted for inflation, so the sooner they are used the more value they have.

P.S. - Edited to add: I wonder how many credit card rewards just vaporize, never to be used?

[scfr]

I placed an online order at Target today, using the gift card I bought at a 10% discount during their 2020 holiday promotion.
DH made a potato stew last week and mentioned that he wished he had some carrots. I suggested he use some of the frozen mixed vegetables in an opened bag in the freezer ... he did, and it was great.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Tried to use all our panty and freezer.

[scfr]

Pantry Items Donated: My workplace is having a food drive for Hunger Action Month, with the collected items to go to the school district's food pantry. I looked at my "upcoming best by dates" inventory list and found a couple items that had dates a few months out to donate. I plan to bring in a couple items each week. Having that list already made up is handy.

[scfr]

Baked a pan of lasagna today using pasta & sauce on my pantry clean out list.

[scfr]

For lunch I made a soup using some tomato puree and garbanzo beans on my pantry clean out list.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

For lunch I made a soup using some tomato puree and garbanzo beans on my pantry clean out list.

spicy fish soup, used up frozen tilapia and rice cake and beef meatballs.

[scfr]

Baked some cornbread this morning using a mix that had a best by date of several months ago. Made some pasta salad using pasta approaching the best buy date and canned kidney beans that are past it.
Set some bone broth out on the counter to remind me to drink it because it's approaching it's date.

I have a couple other items in the pantry that I know are are past their best by dates and I'll be eating those over the next few weeks. And obviously it's time for me to do another "pantry sweep."

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Well this is kind of a fun thread.

We've had a container of cooked wild plums in the freezer since last autumn. In the past week, we were making gooseberry jam and did not have enough fruit for a second full batch. So DH got out the plums and mixed some with the gooseberries for a two-fruit jam. But we didn't need all the plums, so he pulverized what was left and has been diluting it in water to make a light fruit drink.

BTW, both gooseberry and plum jams make a good basis for sweet and sour sauces such as you might use on barbecue or spring rolls.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

eating some meat from the freezer we'll see how it goes tonight...

[scfr]

Paid 2 credit cards online today, and redeemed reward points at the same time.
Added the $10 egift card I got during Target deal days to my account.

Total not lost or forgotten about due to "use it don't lose it" philosophy: $40

[scfr]

I went through my pantry yesterday and found a can of tomatoes and a can of spicy pinto beans that were a bit past the best by date. I mixed them to make a not-really-but-sort-of easy chilli.

[crazyliblady]

Paid my credit cards online yesterday, and redeemed $15 in rewards as a statement credit. I redeem every time I log on to pay, unless DH has beaten me to it (the redeeming part). Those reward dollars are not adjusted for inflation, so the sooner they are used the more value they have.

P.S. - Edited to add: I wonder how many credit card rewards just vaporize, never to be used?

I do this, too, and also make a line item in my check register to transfer the amount equal to the rewards to my savings. It is a money game I play.

[crazyliblady]

Have you ever thought of giving them to shelters....homeless etc....thats what we use to do

This is a great idea if you have ones close to expiring or if you get one for a store you don't like.