photo by Meryl CA DEAR SARA: I’ve heard about making homemade fabric softener. Do you have a recipe? I’d like to save money. Fabric softener is expensive. — Heidi, Ohio DEAR HEIDI: Many people simply add 1/4-1/2 cup vinegar to their rinse cycle. Some people cut their dryer sheets in half. One unique tip is [...]
photo by sunsurfr I receive a lot of gift ideas for the mom-to-be and baby but rarely any ideas for the dads. The first tip is a cute gift idea for the new dad. He’ll have everything he needs for diaper duty. DAD-TO-BE GIFT: You can make a tool belt filled with supplies. Use a [...]
photo by Ethan Bloch You see tips all the time to help build a successful savings — or, at the very least, ways to pare down your spending. Ever wonder what decisions will lead to financial failure? Identifying negative behaviors, thoughts or habits is important in order to work on changing them. Here’s a list [...]
photo by o0karen0o Tortillas can be bought or made cheaply, so they make an excellent key ingredient for frugal recipes. You can make tortilla wraps by adding your favorite sandwich fillings. Tortillas are delicious as part of breakfast burritos, too. Add scrambled eggs and your favorite toppings, such as cheese, salsa, crumbled bacon or sausage, [...]
photo by p200eric DEAR SARA: This one always puzzles me. Do you tip on food items that you get to go? — Stella, California DEAR STELLA: Yes, I tip even on to-go orders. There is a person putting together my order and taking time away from his or her dine-in customers. Some restaurants might require [...]
photo by worktheangles The laundry room is one area where you can save money. I’m sure you’ve heard tips such as wash clothing in cold water, cut dryer sheets in half, wash full loads but not tightly packed ones, clean the lint trap, and hang clothes to dry. Laundry tips like these help to save [...]
There’s still time to make some quick and easy crafts with your kids. All of these are fun family activities, and they’re nice enough to give as gifts, too. The supplies are inexpensive, but the projects create priceless memories. REINDEER CANDY BOWL: Take any size clay pot. Glue on wiggle eyes and pompom nose onto [...]
photo by ifindkarma It can be a challenge to organize your schedule and home when you have children. I remember how simple it was to get housework, errands and appointments completed when I had only one child. Now it seems as if even the easiest of tasks take a long time to accomplish, and remembering [...]
photo by acme Cold temperatures are upon us, and the light summer fare has been set aside. We have heartier appetites and long for comfort foods. One of my favorite breakfast treats on weekends, during the colder months, is waffles. No, I’m not talking about those hard-as-a-hockey-puck frozen waffles that we occasionally toast up on [...]
photo by seattle municipal archives DEAR SARA: Do you store your flour in the refrigerator? I have been keeping my bread flour in the refrigerator, in the original bag within a plastic bag. I would like to get my refrigerator back, but with a good sale on whole-wheat flour recently, I now have three bags [...]
photo by lucy The first tip is a great frugal idea. Some people use dryer sheets, mesh onion bags, a loofah or a balled-up piece of aluminum foil to scrub pots and pans. Add tulle to the list. POT SCRUBBER: My grandma gave me a mixer, and stuffed in the bowl was a piece of [...]
photo by miguelb Found money adds up. Approach it as a game and not a serious way to supplement your income. Many people don’t find it worth their time to pick a penny off the ground. How long does it take? One second. Maybe two. Do you enjoy the “feelin’ lucky” factor of stumbling across [...]
photo by luminais Frugalitarians have many small habits. Some of these strategies don’t necessarily save much money. They might seem silly or insignificant to others because of the time spent doing them, too. But the fact is that these decisions reflect the creativity and determination by penny pinchers (called this for a reason) to be [...]
Try something new for the holidays. Whether dinner is at your house or you’ve been asked to bring a dish to pass around, the following side dishes are crowd pleasers. They’re all familiar, so they won’t be avoided and will go well with most menu plans. Mashed Potatoes 5 pounds potatoes, peeled and cooked 1 [...]
photo by benbengraves Holiday gatherings are often highlighted by signature dishes — favorites that appear year after year. Without that single recipe, the celebration just wouldn’t be the same. Maybe it’s a recipe that has been handed down through the generations and evokes fond memories or a story. Eating it feels like home.
DEAR SARA: Every time I buy a new shower curtain, I buy new shower curtain hooks to match. I have frogs, flowers, and angels that matched some decor in the bathroom in the years past. Besides donating them, is there any fun, creative things I can do with them? — Palooka, Missouri DEAR PALOOKA: It [...]
photo by inkynobaka Say goodbye to ugly, messy gravy globs. If you don’t have a thermos, you can use a fondue pot or slow cooker to keep it hot. KEEP GRAVY HOT: During the holidays, if you want to keep your gravy hot and prevent a skin from forming on top, use an insulated coffee [...]
