Thanksgiving leftover ideas

Here are a few suggestions for Thanksgiving leftovers.

Fondue Cooking

This dipping pot of bubbling goodness is back in style.

Do you know the muffin pan?

Most of us know that common household items can wear many hats.

Five smashing pumpkin recipes

Celebrate with the irresistible earthy flavor of pumpkin combined with a touch of sugar and spice.

Easy homemade gifts for kids

Here are a few low-cost ideas for kids that can be standalone or add-on gifts.

Plan a cookie-exchange party

Cookie exchanges are great because each guest needs to buy ingredients for only a couple of cookie recipes

Start planning for a debt-free holiday

Plan ahead for the upcoming holidays. If you're organized, you'll avoid overspending.

Ways to ease a mild sore throat

Tried-and-true home remedies for sore throats.

Fall in love with pumpkin

Cool weather brings cravings for comfort-food favorites.

Not too late to make a low-cost wreath

Have you noticed the cost of simple ready-made wreaths?

Warm up your space with houseplants

Autumn is my favorite time of year. The days grow shorter, the air is crisp, and home is where I want to be to relax.

Low-supervision cooking

Once regarded as turning meals into gray mush, slow cookers have made a comeback as a frugal cook's appliance of choice.

Casseroles: From oven to table

One-dish meals are comfort foods, and they've had a makeover since retro tuna-noodle surprise.

‘Souper’ ways to save

When it's cold outside, a hot mug of delicious soup is the perfect comfort food.

Blend with the times

One underutilized appliance is a conventional countertop blender.

Piecrusts: Not just for desserts

Jazz up your menu plan or put a new spin on some old-time favorite meals, such as stew, soup or chili and give homemade potpies a try.

Five reasons to air-dry laundry

Air-drying clothes has made a big comeback.

Think before you throw it away

Reusing and repurposing household items easily becomes a habit.


Reader Frugal Tips »

[14 Nov 2009 | No Comment]
Use clamp hangers for more than pants

photo by goldberg
Pants hangers have multiple uses in your home. You can use them to clip a printed recipe to keep it off the kitchen counter when preparing it. Simply hang it from the cabinet handle. Or use them to display children’s artwork. The first tip shares a few additional ways to use pant hangers.
MULTIUSE HANGERS: I have a number of clamp-type pants hangers and have found some other …

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Frugal & simple living »

[14 Nov 2009 | 6 Comments]
Cut back on products you don’t need

photo by cherryfluff
As a society, we’re fortunate — so much so that we’ve become gluttonous. Wants and needs have become blurred. We’ve become conditioned to believe we need many things. Some people might even think chocolate is a food group. But in all seriousness, we’ve forgotten that we live in the land of options. Modern life is different from basic life. But many of the convenience products we enjoy have …

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Frugal Home & family »

[12 Nov 2009 | 2 Comments]
Safeguard your purse when shopping

photo by Le petit poulailler
With the holidays approaching, there are a lot of people carrying cash and valuables when out shopping. Often, people are dressed up, in a hurry and not paying attention. This offers increased opportunities for thieves, so it’s important to take some precautions. If someone is determined to take your purse or wallet, they will. But you can take steps to decrease the risk and a few …

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Frugal Cooking »

[11 Nov 2009 | No Comment]
Use up evaporated milk

photo by arnold inuyaki
In the back of the pantry, you might find a couple of cans of evaporated milk that are close to expiring. It typically lasts about a year unopened in the pantry and once opened and refrigerated, you have about a week to use it. It’s wonderful when used in mashed or scalloped potatoes, coffee or tea, scrambled eggs, pies or French toast, to a name few.
Here are …

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Question & Answer »

[10 Nov 2009 | No Comment]
Keep homemade mixes fresh

photo by House of sims
DEAR SARA: I have found several homemade mixes on your forums that I would like to make. If the mixes were stored in a glass jar and exposed to light, would it affect the mix? I am unsure with some of the spices. The reason I ask is because I would like to use glass jars, such as mason jars, and adhere a label. I think …

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