photo by Alexfayle Air-drying clothes has made a big comeback. For years, it seemed most of the clotheslines were used during the summer months and found in the country. You might enjoy the modern convenience of your dryer, but you can save a considerable amount of money by air-drying your clothes, even if it’s only [...]
photo by erix! Don’t toss out overripe bananas. You can mash and freeze them or freeze with the peels still on. Once thawed, simply cut off an end and squeeze the banana out of the peel. Many people prefer using them right away. They’re delicious in muffins, bread, smoothies, pancakes, cookies, pudding, frozen yogurt and [...]
photo by mom the barbarian DEAR SARA: I’m looking for a cereal-cookie recipe. I looked for the recipe on your forum, but couldn’t find it. I’m sure I saw it on your Web site. It’s a recipe that uses up small amounts of cereal left in the boxes. — Cheryl, Michigan DEAR CHERYL: Here are [...]
photo by playingwithbrushes The first tip is a good reminder to closely monitor the amount of products you use. She mentions laundry detergent as an example. I’d like to add that when using liquid detergent, the cap is not meant to be filled. By force of habit, many people simply fill it. The measurement lines [...]
photo by trenttsd New parents can have a tough time being frugal. There are so many baby products available. Some are easier to do without than others. Whether or not a baby product is useless is debatable. But you can adopt a few frugal strategies to save money, such as buying some used baby items [...]
photo onthedotcreations Creating a budget seems to be a no-brainer. Everyone has his or her way of approaching it. You take your salary, subtract your bills, and if there is money left, you decide what to do with it. Is your method working for you? What are you doing with the money that’s left? Is [...]
photo by swanksalot If you have an abundance of juicy tomatoes this season, consider yourself lucky to have escaped late blight. For folks not so lucky, I’m sharing recipes that don’t use a ton as the main ingredient but will let you savor every delicious bite. Tomatoes and Beans 1-1/2 pounds fresh green beans, cut [...]
photo by phoosh DEAR SARA: My baby is off to college soon. She will be living in the dorm about 75 miles away from home. We need to start getting together all the little essentials she will need. It has been a while (quite a while, actually) since I lived in a dorm. Can you [...]
photo by dpskg I like the first tip, which shares a creative reuse for a lazy Susan. They make great organizing solutions. Use an old lazy Susan for your household cleaners, children’s art supplies or when serving meals that have a lot of toppings such as tacos, salads, sundaes, condiments, appetizers or baked potatoes, too. [...]
photo by Giulio Rosalia Frugal living can be hard to live long term. But you’re not alone. Many readers comment about ways they stay motivated. Most agree that it’s reassuring they aren’t the only frugal people trying to waste less, make things last longer, reduce debt, and save money. And that choosing to be frugal [...]
photo by mathwizxp Going to see a movie at the theater has become a luxury. Tickets and snacks cost a small fortune. Even if you eat beforehand, it can be hard to resist the Junior Mints or the buttery popcorn. Two people going can cost $40 easily. But there are some movies that you want [...]
Pears make a beautiful natural display when placed in a fruit bowl as they ripen. They’re a great source of fiber and are delicious eaten out of hand or blended into smoothies. Fresh pears don’t freeze well until cooked or processed. So if you have more than a few, they can be incorporated into spreads, [...]
Change jars are like mini savings accounts. You can start one to have as an emergency fund or to help you reach a specific goal. It’s a painless way to accumulate some extra money. The fun part is finding a container to use and creating rules for your own change jar challenge. You can tell [...]
photo by orsorama There are some convenience foods that I have grown dependent on, so I don’t frequently make them from scratch. It’s not that I prefer the prepared foods. It’s simply that I’ve grown accustomed to saving time and money. For example, I can buy a loaf of bread. It’s not expensive, and it’s [...]
photo by eamonn Do you know the health hazards lurking in your bathroom? No, not your household cleaners. Think again. Take a look at your beauty products. Have you ever questioned the synthetic materials used to create them? I don’t want to sound like an alarmist, so I’ll spare you the details and simply direct [...]
D EAR SARA: I read your column and was going over your dog cookie recipe, and I was wondering if the 1 egg and 1 tablespoon milk go into the cookie mix, with an additional 1 egg and 1 tablespoon milk for the wash before baking. It is not spelled out in the recipe. Thank [...]
photo by bigcityal The first tip might make you feel itchy, but keep it in mind if you ever get a poison-ivy rash. Learn to identify poison ivy so you can avoid it. According to Poison-Ivy.org, the oil from poison ivy is extremely stable and will stay potent essentially forever. So be sure to wear [...]
