Thrift Thursday: Your Secret Weapon

Today, my tip is the most powerful tip for being thrifty - your attitude. When you pursue a frugal/thrifty lifestyle, you can view it one of two ways: "Poor me, I never get to buy anything full price. I'm always having to make sure I get the lowest prices, wah, wah, wah." OR you can tell yourself: "I am trying to be the best steward of my resources that I can be. My actions now will have a positive effect on my future."
Case in point: as readers of my blog know, my husband and I bought a new (to us) house last Fall. There are several rooms that still have things that "bug" me. I would love to redo the kitchen to be more efficient, replace the 1970's shower and tub in the bathrooms, etc. However, our house needs a new roof. A roof has to be the least exciting thing to save up for. You really never look at the roof or think about it unless something is wrong with it. I could go ahead and make the improvements I want to make on the interior of the house, and put the big roof expense on credit, or get a loan. But that would have me be a good steward of my resources. Saving up and paying in cash will be better in the long run. Right now, I can have a pity party when I look at the lovely kitchens and baths in blogland and in magazines. Or I can look at them and save away the images for the future. I choose to do the later, telling myself that by waiting, I will have an even better kitchen in the long run.
I don't always have a great attitude about money and things. There are things that we have done to improve the house already (such as our mini master bath remodel). But by and large, I try to keep these things in mind when I shop and when I see things I don't like about my house:

• What I have works fine. I might not like it, but it works. I have things 100 times better than most of the world.
• Use it up, wear it out. Make it do, or do without (wisdom from an earlier generation).

Be sure to check out Kristin's blog for more Thrifty Thursday tips!

Thrifty Thursday - fans

I'm reposting this from 2 years ago to join Kristin today for Thrifty Thursday. Be sure to hop over to her blog each Thursday for more great tips!
If you spend most of your time in the room that has the thermostat, run the fan in that room. The fan will make the room a degree or so cooler, which will make the thermostat run less throughout the whole house. For that matter, a fan in any room will make the room seem cooler, which means you can usually crank up the thermostat a degree or so higher.

Thrifty Thursday: Shopping

My tip today is easy to do, but sometimes hard to remember: before you arrive at the checkout on a shopping trip, look over your cart. Are there several "wants" in there amongst the "needs?" Could you put one item back that you really don't need? Perhaps something that wasn't on sale, but you got it anyway?
I find that I often allow things to creep into my shopping cart if I'm shopping with my son, and/or I'm hungry. Sure, it's nice to have treats once in a while, but most of the time, the things that find themselves in my cart are pure junk. If my son is with me, I'll show him the things that crept into the cart and tell him to pick one item to take home. He's good about choosing, because he still gets one thing. And I don't wind up spending money on junk that serves no real purpose other than to make me fat(ter)!
Of course, this doesn't only have to be done with grocery shopping. Some stores are almost impossible to go in and out without buying more than I went in for. I find I do better at resisting things if I make a list and shop from my list. The list gives me something to focus on, so I don't find myself wandering around the store.
If you have a Thirty Thursday tip, join Kristin each Thursday.

WFMW: Coupon Tips

A couple of my real-life friends wanted me to write down my tips for using coupons. If anyone has any more tips, feel free to add to my list.
I'm not a coupon queen, and I don't have an expert system. I clip coupons from the Sunday paper, and I receive e-mails a few times a week from couponsurfer. With the e-mail coupons, I select the coupons that I'm interested in, and I print them out.
Coupons aren't for everyone. If you are trying to decide whether or not to use coupons, determine if the money you will save using coupons is worth the time it will take to clip and organize the coupons. I happen to have more time than money, so to me it is worth it to spend time going through coupons, cutting them out and then sorting. Since clipping and sorting coupons is pretty simple, I usually wait to do the coupons while I'm watching TV. That way, I still get something done but I'm enjoying myself.
All of the work into cutting out coupons is wasted, though, unless the coupons are sorted. If you cut out coupons and then fail to use them thanks to poor sorting, then all you've done is waste your time.
I've used a few systems for organizing coupons. Currently, I do the standard baseball-card sheets for my coupons, and I store the sheets in a 3-ring binder. Because I subscribe to a coupon service with my e-mail, I frequently get the same coupon with only a different expiration date. To conserve space, I keep all copies of the same coupon together, filed with the most recent to expire coupon on top. This method may not work for everyone, though. Some people prefer to sort their coupons based on the coupon's expiration date.
When I prepare to go shopping, I always cut out and file my coupons before I go through the sales papers and make my lists. That way, I've recently seen many of my coupons as I flipped through my binder. I've had many an "a-ha!" moment while going through the sales papers thanks to viewing my coupons before. When I see a sale on an item that I also have a coupon for, I move the coupon to the front of my binder. That way, when I am at the store, all of the coupons I know I will use are at hand and I don't have to spend time at the store flipping though my binder. In this front section, I also place coupons for items that I know we will need soon, so I can watch for unadvertised sales. I have also placed coupons that are especially good (more than $1 off) and coupons that are expiring soon in the front sheet.
In addition to coupons from the Sunday paper and e-mail, I also have coupons that are loaded onto my shopper's card for Kroger. I get coupons loaded onto my Kroger card through Shortcuts and Proctor & Gamble eSAVER (these sites can also load coupons onto shopper's cards for other stores, I just happen to prefer Kroger). After I select and load the coupons onto my shopper's card, I print out the list of the coupons on my card and I keep the list in my binder. When I am making my shopping list, I glance over the printed out sheets to check for any additional deals. The coupons on the shopper's card can be used in addition to a paper coupon, so the savings can really add up - especially if the item is on sale.
If you are interested in a one-place site for coupons and store deals, you might want to check out Coupon Mom and Southern Savers. Both of these sites are free, and operate on the premise of buying when an item is on sale in order to have it when you need it. This type of shopping can be initially difficult on a shopping budget, because you will buy items in a greater quantity than you would for regular shopping. However, in the long run, this will even out because you will have paid less for the item. You might only shop to stockpile one category at a time, or do a pantry clean-out (eat based on what you have on hand) while you are building up your supply.
Even though coupons are a great money saver, there is a catch. Just because you have a coupon for an item doesn't mean that the item is a good deal. There are many times that the generic brand is still cheaper than the name-brand with the coupon. Take your calculator with you when you shop and calculate if that "sale" is really a sale. There may be a generic or a different size that is a better deal than the sale or what the coupon is good for.
It is also helpful to understand how coupons work. Items typically go on sale in cycles. If you keep a price book, you can chart the sale cycles of items in your area. Frequently, an item will go on sale either the week a coupon is issued, or 4 weeks after a coupon for it is issued, which is typically the last week the coupon is still valid. Stores can issue coupons for merchandise they carry, as can the manufacturer's of the product. In some instances, such as with Walgreens and Target, you can use the store coupon in addition to the manufacturer's coupon.
There are many websites and blogs that detail how to use coupons more efficiently than what I've detailed here. But these are the things that have worked for me!
To read more great tips, check out We are THAT Family.

WFMW: Poor Girl's Xerox

Last week, while working on my sister's scrapbook/baby book, I needed a toddler dental chart to put on the tooth page. I searched Google for images, but I couldn't find a plain chart that didn't have some type of clip art attached, or that was the right size. I knew the dental chart in BB's baby book would be perfect for the page. However, it was 10 at night, BB was asleep, DH was at work, and all local copy places were closed. I don't know about you, but when I'm working on a project, I'd much rather keep going than to stop and start. I needed to come up with a way to make a copy of the dental chart, and I had to use materials on hand. I improvised, and I'm very pleased with the results. For this, you will need:
1) tissue paper (not tracing paper)
2) pencil
3) scotch tape
4) fine-tip Sharpie marker
5) paper that you want the new image on
6) image that you want to copy (very helpful)

Step #1: Using scotch tape, secure the tissue paper onto the image you want to copy. Make sure the paper is completely smooth and firmly in place.
Step #2: Trace the image using the pencil.
Step #3: Carefully remove the tissue paper from the original image and secure the tissue paper tracing where you want the copied image to be. Again, make sure that the paper is completely smooth and firmly in place.
Step #4: With the fine-tip Sharpie, slowly trace over the pencil lines you have made on the tissue paper. It is important to go slow so that the ink will permeate the paper.
Step #5: Carefully remove the tissue paper. The Sharpie should have evenly gone through the tissue paper, creating a stamped image of the traced item.
This method certainly works for me!

Thrifty Tip: Shaving

The thriftiest way to shave, of course, is to simply not shave. But most of us can't stand looking and feeling like Neanderthals. For those who “must” shave, there are two thrifty options. The first is a straight razor. Frankly, the thought of sliding a straight blade across my skin, and having to keep that blade sharp, frightens me. In the blade's defense, I have read that once you learn how to use a straight razor you never want to go back. For some reason, when I read “once you learn how,” images of “Psycho” and “Sweeny Todd” flashed through my head. I can't possibly imagine why.

The second thriftiest method to shave is to use an electric razor. This is the method that I prefer. I find an electric razor to be quicker than a regular safety razor, there is no water being used in order to shave, and there is no shaving cream to buy. The initial purchase is more expensive than a pack of safety razors, but a properly maintained razor will last for years. Why not give it a try and let me know what you think?

Thrifty Tip - Wrapping Paper

Today's tip is short and sweet: to protect your wrapping paper, unroll the wrapping paper completely. Without using the cardboard tube, re-roll the paper so that it is a smaller roll than before. Place the roll of wrapping paper inside the cardboard tube, and you no longer have to worry about your wrapping paper becoming torn or wrinkled. Since you will now get to use the entire roll, instead of throwing away messed up portions like you did before, you will save money!

Thrifty Tip - Fans

If you spend most of your time in the room that has the thermostat, run the fan in that room. The fan will make the room a degree or so cooler, which will make the thermostat run less throughout the whole house. For that matter, a fan in any room will make the room seem cooler, which means you can usually crank up the thermostat a degree or so higher.

Thrifty Tip - Dry Milk

Long-time readers of my blog know that I buy dry milk instead of regular milk for DH and I to drink. Up until recently, Wal-Mart has beaten Kroger's price by $1.00 per 20 qts. However, Wal-Mart has recently upped their price to $15.99 for a 20 qt box, compared to Kroger's $11.99 20 qt box. This week, Kroger has their dry milk on sale for $11.79. It's only $0.20 cheaper ($0.01 a qt cheaper), but every little bit helps. Just in case Kroger raises their prices to match (or surpass) Wal-Mart in the near future, now would be a good time to stock up if your budget allows. For those who don't currently use dry milk, you really should give it a try. Mix it 50% with regular milk at first, and then gradually reduce the amount of regular milk. At $11.79 for 20 qts, it's only $2.36 a gallon, compared to $3.99 for the "real" milk.

Thrifty Tip - Buying in Bulk

We all want to make the most of the money we have, especially with gas and food prices ever on the rise. Buying in bulk is a great way to cut costs on things you use all the time. However, having a larger amount of something can sometimes encourage you to use more than you normally would if it were a smaller amount to begin with. Dairy products are a good example of this, especially the five-pound blocks of cheese! When you buy the larger blocks of cheese, go ahead and slice the cheese into 1-ounce slices (or whatever amount you regularly use at a time). Portion out yogurt, Jell-O and pudding by placing it into ½ C-size small cups. Better yet, use a rounded 1/3 C instead of a ½ C for pudding and yogurt, which will make the item go farther and will not likely be noticed by family members.

Thrifty Tip - Oven Cleaner

If you're like me, you probably don't clean your oven after every use. Frankly, after I finish cooking, eating and washing the dishes, I just don't want to do anything but veg out. Unfortunately, this means that the inside of my oven often has charred who-knows-what inside. The thought of oven cleaner scares me since I have a small one and oven cleaners have major fumes. So when I heard that you can reenact 6^th grade science and use baking soda and vinegar to clean your oven, I decided to try it out. I sprinkled baking soda on the stains, put some vinegar in a spray bottle, and sprayed vinegar liberally on the baking soda. This caused the classic fizzy reaction, and since I was spraying the vinegar, I didn't have to worry about a large-scale volcano in my oven. The fizzy action loosened up the gunk, and I simply used an oven manufacturer-approved scrubber to clean up the gunk. I followed up by wiping out my oven with a wet cloth and – voila! - clean oven, no fumes. Of course, the best part is that baking soda and vinegar and way cheaper than oven cleaner, and I don't have to worry about BB accidentally ingesting them and being harmed.

Thrifty Tip - Ice Cream

To be honest, this tip is only good one time - tomorrow (Wednesday, April 30), Baskin-Robbins is having a $0.31 scoop night. All ice cream sold from 5pm-10pm will be $0.31 a scoop, with a limit of 10 scoops a person (and who can even eat that much?). Best of all, the proceeds go to benefit the families of firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty. So skip dinner and use the money you would have spent to cook on buying ice cream - hey, it's only once and it's for a good cause!

Thrifty Tip - Produce

With the price of food on the rise, it can be difficult to eat fresh produce while staying on budget. Most produce is available year-round thanks to importing, but food that is in season for your area is usually cheaper than at other times of the year. To find out what grows when where you live, Google "[your state's name] fruit and vegetable growers association." You will most likely find a produce guide on your state's site that you can print out or save onto your computer for easy reference. Of course, the easiest way to eat produce cheaply and in season is to go to your local farmer's market!

Thrifty Tip - Bathtub Cleaner

While thrift is typically used to refer to saving money or spending money wisely, thrift can apply to any judicious use. Today's use of the word thrift has to do with time. I used to clean my bathtub using foaming tub spray for the entire area, Soft Scrub for the tough spots, and Magic Eraser on the impossible spots. Then I learned about Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber. This handy device consists of a foam handle and disposable cleaning pads that attach in a velcro-like manner. You simply attach the pad to the handle, wet it slightly, and you're good to go. At around $3.00 for a refill pack of 6, they're not the cheapest cleaning item. But one little pad will clean the toughest, nastiest soap scum and mildew in your bathtub, with enough cleaning power leftover to clean your sink. I am able to clean my bathroom quickly without having to apply product, scrub, reapply product, and scrub some more. One good swipe is all it takes to cut through the gunk. I also have more room on my cleaning products shelf, since I don't have to store multiple items for one purpose. One note of caution: since this cleaner works so well, I always wear gloves when I use this, just to be safe. After cleaning, I make sure that I rinse the bathtub very thoroughly, as BB will sometimes drink his bathwater! :(

Thrifty Tip - belt storage

My husband has several belts that I was always trying to find a way to store without taking up too much room in our small closet. I knew that there were belt hangers, but when I priced them at $14, that was more than I wanted to spend on a simple loop of metal with a hook. After some brain-storming, I saw that my local Target store sold skirt clips separately from a hanger. I bought a pack of 6 for a couple of bucks, attached 4 of the clips to a hanger I already had, and voila! A belt hanger that stored the belt flat, took up much less room than the standard belt hanger, and cost 1/3 of a regular belt hanger's price.

Thrifty Tip - Making Stocks

I like to make a lot of soups, stews, and rice dishes that seem to always call for various stocks or broths. Once I learned how easy it is to make my own, I started doing so. Most recipes call for carrots, celery, etc. to be used. Rather than buy the vegetables I want to use in the stock just for the purpose of making the stock, I keep a bag in my freezer full of stock vegetables. In it, I toss the leafy parts of celery, lone celery stalks that are going to go to waste, carrot peelings (I wash carrots before I peel them), leftover onion, and anything else that I think might work well in the stock. Since the vegetables are just going to be boiled for a long time and then discarded, it doesn't really matter what form the vegetables are in. By keeping the vegetables in the freezer, I can make stock whenever I need it, or have chicken/beef/turkey that is suitable for use in the stock. After all, if I bought things when they weren't on sale just to make something like stock, I wouldn't be saving much money, now would I? ;)

Thrifty Tip - Mopping

If you're like me, and you can't stand sticky spots on the floor, you probably have a Clorox ready mop or the Swiffer version. The mop starter kit isn't too expensive, especially if you wait until there's a $5 off coupon for one in the paper. The mop comes with the solution and the mopping pads to get you started, and then you "must" buy refills when those run out. However, I've found that you can make your own mopping solution (whatever you regularly use) and refill the mop solution dispenser and it works just as well. As for the one-time-only pads, you can use tri-fold cloth diapers, or even a cut-up old towel in the pad's place. Simply wash after using, and you're good to go for the next time!

Thifty Tip - Lotion

This is a re-post from 3/08 for me, but I thought I'd submit it to Kristin's Thrifty Thursday series.
I love the scented lotions at stores like Bath and Body Works, but I hate the price. I've tried the off-brand versions of the lotions, but to me they just don't smell the same. What's a thrifty - yet picky - girl to do?
To make my expensive scented lotion last longer, I buy unscented cheap lotion and mix the two together. I don't do anything fancy, I just put a squirt from each bottle in my hand and rub my hands together. I still get plenty of the scent that I love, and my expensive lotion last twice as long. If I happen to think of it, I ask for the scented lotions for birthday and Christmas presents, thus making it even cheaper for me! ;)

Thrifty Tip

If you save cards like I do, but you don't want to save the envelopes that the cards came in, you can recycle your envelopes into pretty scrap paper. Simply take apart the envelope, and cut off the triangular pieces. You will then have a rectangle of still perfectly good paper to use for grocery lists, or whatever. For those especially crafty people, you could even use craft scissors to give the edges a pretty design (this is by no means original to me, and I don't remember where I got this from, so my apologies to whoever).