photo by Tama Leaver DEAR SARA: I made a ham and just froze the bone and some ham for soup later, but what can I do with the drippings? Seems a shame to waste them. I’ve never done anything with ham drippings. At the very least, I could make some suet for the birdies. Any [...]
photo by Bohman It’s always useful to have a spare set of keys. Don’t try to hide keys on a doorframe or underneath a doormat, garden rock or the body of your car. These are obvious spots that thieves look first. The first tip has a good suggestion for spare keys. SPARE KEYS: My husband [...]
photo by Nick Bramhall It’s time for a frugal year in review. Financial gurus always encourage you to pay yourself first. This is important. All of the debt-reducing, money-saving strategies and ways to increase your income won’t mean much if you don’t take care of yourself first. When you reflect upon the past year, what’s [...]
photo by LizMarie The new year gives a fresh start for frugality. It’s the perfect time to start planning, organizing, learning and challenging yourself. Some frugal strategies are harder than others. Master one tough area, and slowly add easier methods throughout the year to avoid burning out. But which strategies tend to be the hardest? [...]
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time for chocolate, and it’s never too early to plan for the sweet stuff. These recipes are all quick and easy to prepare. The first two make a single serving, so they’ll work well whether you celebrate with someone else or alone. Simply double the recipe for two. One of [...]
photo by Lel4nd Being frugal can be difficult when you’re just starting out as a young couple. Newlyweds are filled with hopes, dreams and challenges. To help young couples get off on the right foot, readers share their advice. COMMUNICATE: You have to be on the same page with finances, or it can cause huge [...]
photo by LeifheitUSA DEAR SARA: How often do you vacuum your home? My friends and family think I am insane because I vacuum darn near every day. It just got me wondering, how often is normal? — Lisa, Virginia DEAR LISA: Although I’m frugal, I want my home to be tidy. I typically vacuum daily. [...]
photo by jules:stonesoup Pantry stockpiling and purchasing food in bulk are popular among frugal people. But it’s common for larvae or Indianmeal moths to be carried in with bulk purchases such as flour, cereal, dog food, powdered milk, spices and birdseed. If there are females, you’re bound to have an infestation. Within a couple of [...]
photo by LizMarie One of the best appliances I’ve ever purchased is a Crock-Pot. I use it throughout the year, but I especially like to use it in the summer so I don’t heat up the kitchen by using the oven. I enjoy the freedom of prepping a meal early in the day and not [...]
photo by quinn anya DEAR SARA: Help. Do I take a gift? One of the ladies on my block invited me to a brunch that she has invited all the other ladies on the street to. They did it last year (I wasn’t able to attend), and, from what I understand, it is an informal [...]
photo by house of sims Trim your candlewicks each time you use them. You’ll save money because they’ll last longer and will prevent your candles from smoking. The first tip shares a simple household tool you can use. TRIM CANDLEWICK: Just thought I’d pass along a solution I’ve discovered for trimming candlewicks so the burned [...]
photo by ktylerconk You don’t have to sacrifice happiness if you’re frugal. Small pick-me-ups or indulgences can help you maintain your frugality without completely blowing your budget. You simply need to redefine luxuries. If you think about it, there are plenty of enjoyable low-cost splurges. Some can be impulsive, and others can be worked into [...]
Winter is upon us. The kids get cabin fever quickly when their outside free time is limited. You’re looking for some fun things to do before you all start climbing the walls. You don’t need a wallet full of cash to enjoy the cold, snowy days. There are all kinds of frugal ways to enjoy [...]
photo by jek in the box Being frugal doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice good food. Serving common foods in new ways helps to combat the frugal-dinner doldrums. Creativity can stem from having fewer ingredients to work with, too. Out of an ingredient or short on time? Some substitutions will give similar results for less [...]
Our family had a walk-in pantry when I was a kid. It was huge. I’ve seen smaller bedrooms. I wish I had a room like that in my home now. I have a floor-to-ceiling pantry, and because of limited space, I need to stay on top of things to keep it neat and organized. A [...]
photo by bucklava DEAR SARA: We buy Super Pretzels in bulk. Each box comes with a huge cinnamon/sugar pack that we never use on our pretzels. Now I have about three pounds of it and no idea what to do with it. Plus, as long as we keep buying the pretzels, we will keep getting [...]
Ketchup isn’t terribly expensive to buy, but if you run out and have a few pantry staples on hand or have an abundance of tomatoes, you can make your own at home. Visit www.kissmyspatula.com/2009/05/31/homemade-ketchup for a homemade ketchup recipe that uses whole tomatoes. The first tip below has a simple version using canned tomato paste. [...]
