Three times is the charm, right? I’ve had a lot of fun this week, celebrating Christmas, getting ready for the new year and blogging up a storm. Are you having a good holiday season?
In case you missed any posts from my third week, here they are again.
Reflections in A Dime Store Window: My first exposure with getting good deals happened early on in my childhood. Caught up in the holiday wonderland of Brooklyn, New York, the sort of magic that is captured by the song “Silver Bells, Silver Bells,” I would stare wide-eyed at the shops lining the street.
Don’t Throw that Food Out! Ways to Save Food Gone Wrong: Who hasn’t had a recipe turn out wrong, a cake crumble or toast burn? Your first response might be to toss the offending dish in the trash and start fresh. Sometimes you find yourself with leftovers so small that you don’t think they can be saved, so you toss them. My husband is guilty of that one. Being frugal, though, means using what you have and wasting as little as possible. Here are some simple ways to save or reuse recipes that have gone wrong or use up those little extra leftovers.
New Uses for Old T-Shirts: I love my t-shirts. I use them to sleep in during the summer and to layer under my clothes in the winter. My husband and son wear t-shirts all of the time, too. There is just something about the soft cotton texture and easy wear that make t-shirts a real favorite in my house. Eventually, though, the t-shirts start to show signs of wear, from shrinking into a square shape to getting holes at the collar and seams.
Free Samples from Walmart: Don’t you love getting free things in the mail? Did you know that Walmart offers sample products for free on its website
How Far Will You Go to Be Frugal? (1): Do you know someone who is extremely frugal? From using coupons on groceries to raising chickens in the city for free eggs, a frugal person has to find her own level of frugality. Here are some of the more extreme ways I have heard about, when it comes to being frugal. Some of these ideas may just leave you shaking your head and thinking, “There is no way I would do that!” Or, you may just be inspired by some of the things people do to be frugal. Either way, this is going to be fun.
How Far Will You Go to Be Frugal? (2): In a previous post, How Far Will You Go to Be Frugal? (1), I shared some of the more..um..let’s say extreme ideas that people practice to be frugal. Some of the ideas I have tried myself or modified for my family, while other ideas are too extreme for me.
Top Places for Free Samples: I love getting free samples. From shampoo to coloring books, there are a lot of opportunities out there to get your hands on some free product. Here are some of my top ways to obtain free samples.
Reuse Those Rags: Make a Rug: What do you do with clothes that are too worn to pass on to others? Reuse them of course!
Free Sample Stockpile: Creative Uses: I love getting free samples wherever I can. In an earlier blog, Top Places for Free Samples, I listed the best sources for everything from shampoo to coloring books. But now that you have all of those great freebie samples, what do you do with them? Well, here are some of the ways I use up my free sample stockpile.
Free Seeds! Expiring Soon: Although we are in the middle of winter here in Pennsylvania, I am thinking about a pretty spring garden. This year I am really looking forward to having lots of flowers and veggies, mostly because we will be moving to a new home with two acres–plenty of room for planting. Currently, we have a backyard the size of a postage stamp.
The Best Ways to Save Water: Want to save some cash? Try saving your water. Here are some easy ways to save, drop by drop.
My Frugal New Year Resolutions: Whenever I make resolutions, they do tend to be frugal ones. Okay, with the exception of my one big one: spend more time playing with the kids. I always put that one on my list because it is so important. I don’t want to lose out on that time with them while they are young, and I have to remind myself that a frugal practice has to be frugal in time as well as money. Spending an hour doing something that saves a few pennies might not be worthwhile if it takes away time from my family. Of course, some frugal practices can involve the kids and be fun. Click here to learn more about involving your kids in frugality.
Getting Your Kids Involved in Being Frugal: Are your kids part of your frugal lifestyle?
I love involving my children in our family’s frugal practices and ideals. By having them involved, they learn some good lessons, such as managing money in a sensible way and reusing items in a disposable world. Another positive aspect of teaching them about frugal practices early on is the fact that they get to spend more time with us, as parents, following along and helping as we do what we can to save.
12 Free Cookbooks by Mail!: As winter sets in and is filled with days indoors, I love to make my home warm and inviting with the yummy smells of cooking. Cooking at home is a very frugal thing to do, especially when it is done with ingredients you already have on hand. For example, I had a very large stockpile of condensed milk that I needed to rotate. I was tired of of the same old recipes and was racking my brain for something new. Thanks to one of these cookbooks, though, I made up some pound cake that was just right. I would have never thought to make pound cake otherwise because it just is not part of my regular meal planning.
Stock Up on Freebies for the Outdoorsy Guy/Gal: Okay, now that the holidays are almost behind me, I am thinking of birthday and “just because” gifts. For immediate friends and family, I like to sign up for freebies I know they will like.