Don't Take Free Items Beyond What You NeedPlease don't take free items just because you are too cheap. As a result, items that had been free we now have to pay for. Here are just a few examples.
Selling Items on CraigslistMany people are now selling on Craigslist and on Facebook swap sites. I can't get over how many of the photo ads show the item for sale covered in dust and in a filthy setting.
Budgeting to Feed a CrowdA friend of mine had heard we are having our family dinner for Thanksgiving at my house and made the comment that she could never afford to feed so many people. I told her it was easy on the budget, if you plan ahead.
Add To Gift Box All Year LongI have a "holiday/gift box" that I keep in my closet. I started this box years ago when our church started a secret sister program. Each month, you give your secret sister a small gift, and at the end of the year, you tell her who you were.
Help Your Cell Phone Return HomeMy young teens share a phone, so when they have events that my husband and I are not always at, they can call us if need be. Needless to say, it gets left or lost at times, each kid thinks another has it.
Funeral Savings And Other TidbitsSadly, our family has experienced several funerals this past year. The first one caught us off guard. We found out a bit too late that we had over paid, big time. I am going to share with you some things we learned, in hopes that it will prevent others from over paying.
Cook Bacon in the OvenI am scared of frying bacon. I know, sounds silly, but I have been burnt by popping grease a few times and I am bacon shy. My husband, showed me this trick shortly after we married. This is how he "fries bacon", in the oven.
My Frugal Life: Adopted AngelsI love to be frugal and love to entertain. What I have been doing for several years now, is serve a single food, cookies, and simple beverage and ask for gifts. But, the gifts are not for me, they are for others.
Successful Vacation TipsDon't "advertise" your trip before or during on Facebook, Twitter or other social media. This includes posting photos while on your trip. Wait until you return home to announce you just returned and post of your adventures. Many home burglaries are the result of people who watch for people to announce their schedules online.
My Frugal Life: A Winter MiracleI wanted to share with you all what our "stay at home married ladies" group at church did several years ago at Christmas. We were a Wednesday night group of about 15 women who met weekly for Bible Study and grew rather close.
Rope Lights Show the WayMy husband and I just got a new bed and it is slightly bigger, just enough for me to run into it during my middle of the night bathroom trip. A night light in the bedroom keeps my husband awake. So, my solution was to get a string of the LED rope lights in a soft white color.
Spending Money to Save MoneyMy husband spent extra when he bought my new vacuum cleaner to get a bagless. It is now well over a year old, and I have probably saved at least $30 on not having to buy bags. That was the price I spent buying the HEPA filter bags from my old vacuum.
Refrigerator Care and Cleaning TipsNext time you scrub out your refrigerator, scrub it with baking soda added to your water. It gives it a clean fresh smell. Then, remove the lid of the baking soda box and place it in the back to absorb odors.
My Frugal Life: Shopping WiselyOnce again today, I scored at the thrift store. Last week, I did very well at Aldi. My family is considered "upper middle class" and yes, we shop at such stores.
Summer Education TipsThese are my tips for continuing your child's education throughout the summer. Play Math BINGO, I made mine from the plain (inside) cardboard on cereal boxes. I made squares and put numbers in each square.
Getting Ready for WinterThis is the time to prepare for winter if you live in one of our colder states. Waiting until the last minute to prepare for the cold or an outage most often results in spending extra money or putting money out for repairs.
Preparing for Holiday VisitorsWith the onset of the holiday season, many of us find we may have some occasional unexpected company. There are several items that we can keep on hand, and things to do to make such visits more pleasant.
Create A Coupon Book For ShoppingEvery time I shop, I have someone ask to look at my coupon book. I have shared it on here before a few years ago, but will again to kick off this new section of my blog on saving money.
