Keep or toss? You make this decision many times each week with a wide variety of items. Clearly, you can’t and shouldn’t save everything simply because it can be reused sometime later. A handful of bread bag twist-ties neatly contained with an intended purpose? Good. Dozens of plastic milk jugs shoved in the garage and [...]
Drawers are a common catch-all area. Even though they’re hidden from view when shut, they can be extremely frustrating when you need to access anything inside them. Stores sell all types of solutions, but you can get creative and reuse what you already have on hand rather than spend money. Here are a few suggestions: [...]
Gift cards are practical gifts, but they have a reputation as last-minute gifts or an easy way out. While it’s true that a plain, unwrapped gift card can be a bit awkward to give and receive by itself, you can make your gift more unique and thoughtful by jazzing up the presentation to personalize it [...]
How many shopping days until Christmas? You have plenty of time to make some gifts for the children on your list. Odds are you have some of the supplies already. Visit www.frugalvillage.com/2009/08/21/easy-homemade-gifts-for-kids/ for some ideas. Try these fun homemade gifts: Puppet theater: In a child’s room, you can suspend a curtain from a tension rod [...]
Preparing a large holiday meal can be stressful. It’s not easy to plan, prepare and coordinate cooking times for the entire menu. If you’re smart, you’ll lighten the load by planning a potluck with family and friends. But if you’re the sole cook slaving frantically over the stove, cleaning and trying to get everything perfect, [...]
Getting children to school can be stressful. Organization not only makes mornings run more smoothly (which is especially helpful on days when you’re running late), but it teaches young children valuable life skills. Put a few tools and systems in place, and soon your kids will be able to manage effortlessly on their own. COMMUNICATION [...]
Autumn brings thoughts of rising utility bills. For some, heating costs aren’t merely an annoyance, but have become a bill that needs to be well planned for. Now is a good time to prepare for the upcoming colder temperatures. The following are some strategies to prepare for cold weather: Bulking up: Pull out the flannel [...]
Winter gear can take up a lot of space. Your entryway and closet are often the first areas you, your family and guests see, so you want them to be tidy. Rather than frantically looking for a lost mitten, piling up boots, or cramming and shoving everything into your closet until the door no longer [...]
Fall decorating is a luxury not everyone can afford. Fortunately, you can still add a bit of fall fair without busting your budget. Sure, you can bring the outdoors in and decorate using pine cones, acorns, gourds, branches, dried pods or flowers, Indian corn, etc. You can make simple color changes with throw blankets, place [...]
Plan ahead for the upcoming holidays. If buying gifts or supplies far in advance isn’t your thing, you can still think about ideas for free and low-cost ways to enjoy the season. What frugal activities or traditions have you done during the holiday season? Here are a few ideas. PUZZLES: Pick up a jigsaw puzzle [...]
Wallpaper and borders can be bought cheaply. You can find some that are samples, remnants or discontinued and on clearance. You might come across some at garage sales or thrift stores, too. These are perfect to complete a small room project, but you can put them to use in other creative ways. How have you [...]
Old wooden ladders can be found at garage sales, estate sales and flea markets. It might be too old to be used for its intended purpose, but if you see one (folding or straight) marked low or free at the “curbside mall,” it can be creatively used in your home and garden. Ladders can be [...]
You want to make every penny count. This can include never or rarely spending money on certain items. Sometimes you can substitute with a cheaper alternative, make it yourself or simply go without. Are there things you’ve stopped spending money on for the sake of frugality? For frugal families, paper towels and plastic wrap top [...]
photo by glass_window A bare-bones food budget means buying just what you need to maintain proper nutrition. Mentally calculate how much it costs for a handful of items such as pop, chips, boxed cereal, ice cream, cookies, juice boxes and fruit snacks. If you free up that money and apply it elsewhere, you can stretch [...]
photo by Barb McMahon Trying to declutter your home can be a challenge. It can be tough to decide what to keep. The first reader tip can help you narrow down what you actually use. You can use a similar concept with other rooms in your home. Box up items you’re unsure you want to [...]
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 [...]
Making pancakes can be time consuming. To shorten the time, you can bake the batter in muffin tins and cake pans. Visit www.frugalvillage.com/2010/02/21/bake-a-cake-for-breakfast/ for directions. Still prefer to use a griddle or skillet? Reuse a large-size ketchup squeeze bottle to dispense dripless batter and perfect shaped pancakes. The first reader tip offers another solution. MAKE [...]
