Little Known Secrets

[moasmom]

I keep a wide mouthed plastic bottle in which I put the lemon zests I sometimes have left over from a recipe. I chop them up roughly and add straight white vinegar, after a week or two it smells delicious, I use it for cleaning, either in the soap recipe above or alone for windows, or as a softener for laundry. I find the smell is stronger and nicer than using essential oils, not to mention it is SO much cheaper.

This is a great idea. Thanks! Vinegar is so useful, but I really hate the smell of it. Lots of lemons around here (I have a productive Meyer tree).

Kara

[Spirit Deer]

Keep Ebay in mind if you need new faucets. I bought new for my kitchen and bathroom and paid a 1/4 of what they are in stores including the shipping. Both faucets were new. My husband works for a family owned home store and even with his discounts he couldn't get a faucet for what I paid for the same ones on Ebay. We are building a new home next year and I'll be looking for faucets etc on Ebay.

We remodeled our kitchen over the winter and I found our new sink on eBay. I wanted a drainboard sink, but they were hard to find and the only one I could find was $1,100. I wanted one badly but not that badly! I went on eBay and found the same sink by the same manufacturer, NIB, for $500 including shipping. It was one of our few splurges and after having used it for a few months now, I'd sure hate to give it up! It allowed me to get rid of the ugly tacky rubber drainboard forever and the wire dish drainer that was such a clutter collector.

[Debbie-cat]

Looks great SD and what a deal!

[everytim]

I read about filling up the car. Do it in the am. When the day is at its coolest. Then their are less fumes due to heat. And if the tanker is there... never fill up then. This stirs the tanks up and you and end up with gunk from the tanks and more fumes in your tank. Less gas.

[peanut]

SD: great looking countertop! You done did good on that one! I'm not looking forward to the countertop we're going to have to measure for and install at our place!

[heartofmine]

SD I like your sink!! I don't think I've ever seen one with the drain board.

We have now started building our home so I'm already on the hunt for things like lighting, faucets, etc. We found a light for the dining room or another room for $25.00 at Habitat for Humanity. My nephew just called and he has me some free mirrors. He and his dad do remodels, cabinets etc and the house they are at has 2 large bathroom mirrors that the lady no longer wants and wants to give away. He's getting those for me and when we get to that point in our house we need them and my bil build's my vanity's he is going to frame them to match my vanity's. My cost will only be for the wood and framing. Score!!

[227melissa]

my best deal has been a find at the dollar tree organic cocoa butter cream been using it on my face and it has really firmed my skin up amazing. no more 30 dollar creams

[Suzan Bits]

Every fall town poeple set uot MANY garbage bags ful of leaves to be picked up.
I just tap on there door and ask if I may have there bags of leaves for my garden. They are usualy delited to see them go.
I scored 6 contractors garbage bags just today- they cost over a dollar each in the store.
Normaly I dont have to buy bags all winter, and just mow/mulch the laeves into my garden.

[bent]

miracle whip (kraft) salad dressing facial treatment: I use it on my face - about 5-10 mins while I piddle before my shower and once I use a soft paper towel (viva-bought specifically for this purpose cause of softness) to gently wipe off the MW -please note if you do this don't get curious and look at the paper towel... it's nasty what that removes from the face... and skin is smooth as a baby's butt.
when I used the dryer I'd put a sponge that I'd dipped in fabric softner and rung out in with the load of clothes... great and a bottle lasted almost 8 mths.
to save on power bill: I use to put a dry towel in with my wet clothes in the dryer run for 5 minutes then hang outside to line dry- nice and soft clothes result not hard stiff from line drying. also if I had to run the dryer for the whole cycle the towel cut the time by 5-15 minutes depending on what was drying at the time.
i use lemon juice and hot water on my tile floors now no other cleaners (sometimes I'll use white vinegar just cause I like to deodorize and WV is a great thing to use for removing odors)
speaking of White Vinegar placing vinegar in glass conatiners (I use baby food jars- that are 14 yrs old) placed around the house out of site to keep down smells- once had a cat that vomited in my bdrm so took a bowl of WV placed on nightstand shut the door in a hour i was able to get the mess cleaned up with no lingering stench.
I put a drop of lavender oil on my kids bedside lamps and turn them on for a few minutes while we 'visit' before bed .... peaceful slumber all around. I use vanilla in my l/r
those are just a few of my LKS.

[oheoh's momma]

this is a great thread read the whole thing..being frugal is not the same for everyone. this costs u money but it saves money in the end. I use coupons and sales for things like frozen pizza and bag pasta meals when we have a crazy day cheaper than going out.
keep gas in your car to prevent crap from coming up in your gas tank.
check your own fluids cheaper than gettiing it done for u

[WV_mom_of2]

I buy packs of cheap, thin washcloths at Dollar General. They are maybe 20 for 5.00 or so. I use them as napkins! I have some here that I've been using for 5 years.

Old cloth diapers make great hankies for young kids to use at home. You can also use them as dust rags.

I buy cheap shampoo (VO5, Sauve, White Rain) for .59, .69 etc and use it as body wash and in my liquid soap bottles.

[archer658]

Gift wrap! I honestly believe gift wrap is one of the biggest scams of modern society. But, you look like a weirdo if you don't wrap gifts, so I started saving ALL the giftwrap from gifts given to me. I open wrapped presents carefully so I can reuse the paper, and I fold tissue paper nicely so it can be reused as well. And ribbon is great, because it can be used for art projects or other uses too.

But the best thing is gift bags! Aside from reusing them, I also have sold them at yard sales. Last yard sale I had, I made $5 off gift bags that had been given to me!

When I had my first baby, I ended up with so much "baby" themed gift wrap that I have reused it for every shower since, and so far I have wrapped 6 different baby gifts with gift wrap I didn't buy! And I still have plenty more.

[Felisha]

Gift wrap! I honestly believe gift wrap is one of the biggest scams of modern society. But, you look like a weirdo if you don't wrap gifts, so I started saving ALL the giftwrap from gifts given to me. I open wrapped presents carefully so I can reuse the paper, and I fold tissue paper nicely so it can be reused as well. And ribbon is great, because it can be used for art projects or other uses too.

But the best thing is gift bags! Aside from reusing them, I also have sold them at yard sales. Last yard sale I had, I made $5 off gift bags that had been given to me!

When I had my first baby, I ended up with so much "baby" themed gift wrap that I have reused it for every shower since, and so far I have wrapped 6 different baby gifts with gift wrap I didn't buy! And I still have plenty more.

What an amazing idea! Oh I need to start saving my wrapping paper! This is so awesome! Thank you so much!

[Jessesbride]

I love this thread!!! & I'll even add a couple of my own!

When I wash my face at the bathroom sink (rather than in the shower), I use my washcloth that I just wiped all the junk off my face with ~ to wipe down the bathroom sink/countertops & even around the tub/tiles. & once the washcloth is dried... into the laundry it goes! Makes cleaning up easy breezy!

I go thru mail daily ~ usually just as soon as it comes in, but if not it gets done before bedtime!

I sweep the tile floor daily & some days I've noticed the floor needs to be mopped in certain areas. No problem!!! Instead of getting out the "big mop" or in my case the "swifter" I just use the washcloth that I wiped down my counters/table/stove with & use my foot! Exercise AND Easy! Also, I've been trying to adhere to keeping electricity low ESPECIALLY during peak times!!! So I make sure I get up early & handle laundry, dishes, etc in the morning/later at night to keep from using it up more during the day. Even during the not so peak hours, I've been keeping the lights off (unless they are needed b/c I'm in that room working) & doors to rooms not being used closed... & keeping the laundry room door closed (& lights off) while the dryer is going! During my "peak hours" if I want to get onto the internet, I use my cell phone or my iPad instead of the computer! AND during that time I also make sure that I go do my errands, that way I am in someone else's a/c rather than my own!!

Getting more organized has also helped me get more frugal! If I know what I already have on hand, then I don't have to go get anymore... I used to be very disorganized & now that I've been going thru everything... let's just say I won't need to buy pens again for YEARS!!!! or pads of paper!!!! or ... you get the idea!
Plus someone else gets to have the luxury of wearing/using something I've not been wearing/using for years...

Also I have an "at a glance" calendar (I do have a calendar on my iPhone, iPad & my computer but don't really like them as much ~ as the paper copy I can glance at & see what I have going on that week or the next & make sure that anything that needs to be done before hand, is, well... done!) that I keep with me, as well as a working folder & Organizer binder that I keep with me whenever I leave the house! THIS has helped tremendously!!! I keep my ~ daily, weekly, & master to do lists in my binder, as well as our budget for the month, our meal plans ~ weekly/monthly ~ too!!! That way when I'm out & about... waiting or whatever, I can just jot down my thoughts, etc. I have a "notepad" in my phone that I have a running list of what items we need ~ grocery & house stuff. I'm never without my phone but in the past used to always get to the store & realize I'd forgotten my grocery list at home! Now I'm never without it!

I've also purchased several drink "cups" with lids & straws that I keep for my personal use... that way if either my DH or my DS use way more than what they are allotted (should be 1 glass per day) & end up using all the glasses in 1 day, well.. I still have a clean cup to use & they have to clean out & wash the ones they've used... it's cut down quite a bit on dishes for me to do... cuz I can go DAYS w/o having to wash another cup...

I try to do 1 load of laundry in the washer at night if I need to do any laundry & then in the morning, it's ready to be placed in the dryer & I don't need to turn it on extra to get out wrinkles!

If I've been lax & haven't used up all of our leftovers, we have to dogs in the backyard who think it's FABULOUS to get our leftovers!

I've recently acquired quite a few cloth napkins that we use rather than the paper towels! Helps tremendously!!!

I'm sure there are more.. but those are the main ones...

Kim

[Bobbit]

I save all the inside bags of cereal and re-use to freeze garden produce. The bags are very sturdy, I seal them with my food saver unit if it's something juicy. For shredded zucchini, I put in 16 oz., roll the top over and staple the bag closed. Just remove the staple when thawing out in microwave. I weigh all the food and mark outside of packages. I've used them to put cut up wild game meat in, actually works better than freezer paper.