Craft recipes are fun to make. They’re ideal for preschool classrooms or as boredom busters for kids at home. In a previous column (www.frugalvillage.com/2011/02/14/make-craft-recipes-for-kids/), I shared recipes for chalk and mock silly putty, and readers requested more. While some craft recipes aren’t cheaper than their retail counterparts, it’s still a lot of fun and educational [...]
Nothing ruins a great vacation opportunity faster than having to count every last penny to make sure you have enough money to make it back home. Taking a vacation is the perfect way to relax from your normally stressful life, and for many people, is the only time they can fully unwind and appreciate downtime [...]
D EAR SARA: Can onions be frozen? I’ve never frozen them, but was afraid they’d turn brown or mushy. — Kelly H., e-mail DEAR KELLY: Yes, they can be frozen. Once frozen, they aren’t very good to use raw in salads. But they’re perfectly fine for cooking. You can peel and chop your onions, place [...]
Dogs love treats. You don’t have to buy expensive boxed treats. Many dogs love to munch on small pieces of fruit and vegetables, and most absolutely love peanut butter. You can make homemade treats, so you can control the ingredients. The first reader tip shares a recipe for biscuits. If you’d rather make treats without [...]
L aser eye surgery is without doubt a pretty amazing procedure and although there are risks, the vast majority of people end up throwing away their glasses or contact lenses for life. Laser eye surgery is not cheap however and whatever price you have in your head you should probably double it! The reason for [...]
With so many herbs present in the world of plants, it can be difficult to keep them all straight. They all have their own uses, properties, and benefits. You may not realize that many common herbs can prove very useful in your family’s household. Lavender Lavender is one of the most loved of all herbs [...]
I am always on the lookout for neat crafty ideas that I can make and use for personalized gifts to those that I love! The past few weeks those fun creative gifts have been in the form of Decorative Storage Boxes that are not only easy and fun for me to make but a project [...]
Dishwashers make clean up a snap. This timesaving appliance can clean more than dishes, too. Some items shouldn’t be cleaned in a dishwasher, such as cast iron, wooden or brass items, crystal, quality knives and many types of pots and pans. But there are plenty of household items that are dishwasher-safe. What have you cleaned [...]
D EAR SARA: The plastic liners in the bottom of my kitchen sink were clear plastic when I purchased them. Through daily use, a little spaghetti sauce here, a little ketchup there, they have become stained and now are orange. How can I remove this discoloration and make them clear again? I have tried hanging [...]
The mindset of frugality is sometimes misunderstood. While some people consider those who watch what they spend simply to be penny pinchers, the psychology behind being frugal may be much more positive. Rather than being negative, this character trait may actually reflect emotional and psychological maturity. Retaining more and spending less could be considered a [...]
Balance transfer credit cards are meant to be a tool credit card debtors can use to eliminate debt more effectively. Unfortunately many consumers miss the point of the balance transfer benefit of credit cards and end up in more trouble than they started with. If you have a balance transfer credit card for the purpose [...]
Christmas chocolate rarely lingers past February. But leftover candy canes tend to get thrown away or sit untouched well into spring. You can make peppermint bark, add them to brownies, Rice Krispies treats or ice cream, or stir them into hot chocolate. The first reader tip has another idea. USE LEFTOVER CANDY CANES: I broke [...]
My frugal living forums play host to a bragging section, where you can post your latest great deals. Sometimes the same bargains can be found in other states, so members will often take advantage of the same deals. Some of the great buys are from garage sales, dollar stores and thrift stores. From an outside perspective, it seems as if tons of people are saving money. But are they?
photo by house of sims Frugal people cook from scratch frequently. But there are some recipes they’re not willing to make themselves regularly. If you have time constraints or don’t have health restrictions, then there’s increased value placed on ready-made and convenience foods. Homemade isn’t always cheaper, but it’s a surefire way to control ingredients, [...]
Warm weather motivates many of us to clean and organize. Storage containers can be expensive. While some can be well worth the cost (large Rubbermaid totes come to mind), others can be replaced with containers you already own or can acquire for free, such as baskets, boxes or a file cabinet. Ideally, you don’t want [...]
DEAR SARA: Dough scrapers: metal or plastic? Which do you prefer? I don’t have one yet and want to buy it only once! — Rosie, Canada DEAR ROSIE: I like them both. I use them for different tasks. They were both cheap, too. I like the flexibility of the plastic scraper. It’s rigid but has [...]
photo by ned raggett Once your child is home on summer break, you can take inventory of what supplies are left that are still in good condition. Often, binders, backpacks, lunchboxes and clothes can be used again in the fall. The first reader tip is great because the kids can have a “new” backpack and [...]
