I was reminded today while reading an email I received, that there are some products out there, that simple do far more than their original purpose. For instance in this example, coffee filters. Priced at a dollar, at most of your dollar stores, they can apparently be used for more things that you ever imagined. 1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers. 2. Clean windows and mirrors. Coffee filters are lint-free so they’ll leave windows sparkling. 3. Protect China . Separate your...
In these times of economic stress, and the stress of not knowing if you will be the next to lose your job, most of us are making the effort to stretch our pennies farther than ever, whenever possible. My husband and I have been working to develop a mindset, that first asks “can we do without?” before it ever ever asks, “can we afford it?” If you make frequent trips to the store, you know what I mean. “Oops hey honey we are out of mayo, can you stop by the store and get me some?” is a common refrain...
Make your coffee at home, do not swing through the drive through for a cup. You might not realize how much money this simple tip will save you, but over time it can really add up. For example my husband loves his Starbucks! Unfortunately our pocket books do not love his Starbucks! He goes for the big cup with an extra shot in it (honestly I have no clue what the extra shot is since I am not a coffee lover myself but I know it isn’t alcoholic since it is from Starbucks, LOL!). Anyway, his coffee runs around $3.50 a cup! OUCH! Now...
A common complaint I hear is how families spend good money on fruits and vegetables, that don’t get eaten. Learning not to buy what you won’t eat, and eat what you buy is part of the equation, but inevitably, you will end up with withered lettuce and leathery apples eventually. The good news is that all is not lost, many fruits and veggies can be used past their prime, if you know how. Here are a few good tips to get you started. Vegetables such as carrots, celery, potatoes, onions, and garlic can be handled in many ways. Dice them,...
Part 3 of a 4 part series about eating the Frugalest Diet and Healthy too. Part 1: Frugal-est Meals and Healthy Too! Part 2: Getting Your Family to Accept a Healthier Diet In our last 2 posts, we talked about how it is possible to eat frugal and healthy. In this post I will share tips to buy and cook healthy meals that don’t cost a fortune. In the American culture we often see a rich diet as a healthy diet, and a frugal diet as a poor diet. Funny thing is if you really look at the costs you find the frugal and healthy don?t have...
Part 2 of a series on Frugal Healthy meals Part 1 Frugal-est Meals and Healthy Too! One of the most difficult issues facing parents today, is how to adapt a families diet, to create Healthy and frugal at the same time. It takes a bit of adapting on the part of your family members, and it is your job to figure out how to make that transition as painless as possible. As I pointed out in my last article, the problem with many frugal diets is that they contain far too much processed foods and foods high in fat, sugar, and other detrimental...
The following article is part one in a 4 part series on eating frugal and healthy. When you think about Cheap meals, the first thing that usually comes to mind is of course macaroni and cheese and hotdogs. For many of us growing up, and for our kids (for those of us in the older crowd) grew up on this staple food, especially if we were unlucky enough to have a parent who either was not gifted in the cooking department, or as in my case growing up, was a single parent with not a lot of time or energy. The problem is, that these foods,...
Nobody will dispute that with state of the economy times have become more lean. Grocery prices are soaring, coupons are becoming less available, and the cash pool from which to shop is shrinking. More People are looking for more strategies to stretch their dollars than ever in recent history. Many people are turning to the practices of our ancestors during the great depression and it is no wonder why. Our grandparents knew how to stretch a dollar till there was no stretch left. There are many things you can do to help your budget, such...