Free Samples for the New Year

Pet 'n Shape Dog Treats

Pur Minerals Makeup - Lip Revival or Mineral Moisture Complex

Scoop NYC Fragrance

Sun Crystals Natural Sweetener

Life's Little Luxuries

Life is filled with small, simple pleasures that cost almost nothing. Take some time to enjoy them this week!

• Savor a cup of your favorite coffee or tea in a quiet room.
  
  
• Spend some time watching old home movies or looking at family photographs.
  
  
• Curl up on the couch with a good book.
  
  
• Take a long, hot bath.
  
  
• Go for a brisk walk, and enjoy the feel of the fresh winter air in your lungs.
  
  
• Write a long letter to an old friend.
  
  
• Take a nap (and refuse to feel guilty about it!)
  
  
• Eat dinner by candlelight.
  
  
• Stargaze.
  
  
• Wear your favorite outfit—whether it’s flannel pajamas or a little black cocktail dress—all day.
  
  
• Watch a movie you love—in bed.
  
  
• Spend an hour doing absolutely nothing at all.
  

See how refreshed and rejuvenated you can feel, without spending any money whatsoever?

Splatters and Spills

I’m messy in the kitchen. Every time I cook or bake, I somehow manage to cover my floors, my counter tops, my sink, my stove, and myself in various ingredients. Sometimes it’s flour (easy enough to clean up); sometimes it’s tomato sauce (not so much). Whatever it is, it’s always a wreck.

After ruining three tops over the past six weeks in this manner, I’m considering buying an apron. Sure, I could just start wearing the clothes I’ve already stained when I cook and bake in the future. But there’s something wonderfully romantic about the idea of whipping up a batch of cookies while wearing an adorable apron—even if I’ll only be wearing it over sweat pants and a tank top. I just worry that I’ll buy a beautiful apron, and then feel terrible when I make a huge mess of it on the first use!

What about you? Do you use aprons to protect your clothes while you cook? Do you have special clothes for doing potentially messy chores around the house? Has it saved you money over the years? Share your experiences in the comments section.

Soup's On

Homemade soup is one of my absolute favorite frugal dinners. It’s tasty, nutritious, and costs practically nothing. Even better, the fragrance of homemade soup simmering away on the stove is just about the coziest, most welcoming smell in the world. A big bowl served with homemade bread, biscuits, or muffins is the perfect hearty dinner for a cold winter’s day!

Thankfully, homemade soup is incredibly easy to make. Fill a large pot with chicken, beef, or turkey bones, plus any vegetable peelings you have on hand. Sprinkle liberally with your favorite spices, and cover with water. Simmer over medium-low to medium heat for at least an hour. Drain through a sieve that has been lined with a cheesecloth (actually any damp piece of cloth will do—I use fabric from an old T-shirt!)

Return the broth to the pot and add whatever you have on hand that sounds good to you. Add vegetables and meat first. After they’ve simmered over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, add your choice of starch (Donnie’s and my favorite is spiral-shaped Rotelle pasta!) If your starch is already cooked, don’t leave the pot on the stovetop too long. Three or four minutes—just enough time to warm your rice, noodles, or potatoes—should be enough. Serve with homemade bread, biscuits, or muffins.

Clever Containers

Many of the foods you buy are probably packaged in reusable plastic containers, complete with lids. Why not utilize those to store your leftovers, instead of plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or freezer bags? You’ll save money and use fewer of our earth’s limited resources.

Be careful about reheating leftovers in these types of containers, though. They’re not designed for use in the microwave. You’re better off transferring your food to a microwaveable dish prior to reheating. Not only is it safer, it’s also more aesthetically appealing for you and your family. Use a pretty plate, and you may forget you’re having leftovers entirely!

Let's Do Lunch

Packing your own lunch is healthier and more frugal than buying from the office or school cafeteria every day. Make or buy a reusable lunch container rather than carrying brown paper bags, and you’ll be environmentally friendly in addition to frugal.




If you’ve always purchased your lunch and don’t know where to begin, the easiest thing for you to pack is leftovers from the previous night’s dinner. If you don’t have enough for a lunch sized portion, consider stretching what you do have in creative ways. Stuff a tortilla with a little leftover meat, shredded cheese, and salsa for a quick burrito. Pour the last remnants of your chili dinner over rice. Add leftover meat, rice, and vegetables to chicken stock for a quick soup. Use your imagination!

Whatever you pack, don’t forget to include a drink and some healthy snacks to complete the meal!

Enjoy a Free Holiday Movie from Redbox!

If you've been to a grocery store over the past few months, chances are you've seen a Redbox machine. These machines distribute DVDs for the relatively low price of a dollar a day. All you have to do is swipe your credit or debit card, and make your selection. The Redbox releases your DVD instantly. When you're done, you return your movie directly to the machine. It's quick, convenient, and inexpensive in comparison to the prices you'll pay at traditional movie rental stores.

A dollar a day isn't a bad price, but free is even better—and free is what your cost will be if you register your email address at Redbox.com. Once you sign up, Redbox will regularly send you codes for free movie rentals. All you have to do is enter your code when prompted by the Redbox machine. Your DVD rental will cost nothing for the first twenty-four hours (you will be charged the regular dollar-a-day rate after that).

Redbox sends codes fairly regularly, but if you want to watch even more free movies, you can get additional codes at Inside Redbox. This is an online community of Redbox users who share their codes. Sign up with them, and you may never have to pay for a movie rental again!

Who Would Actually Do This????

I've never been a fan of Lexus' holiday commercials, and it turns out I'm not alone. Check out this post at Lazy Man and Money, and ask yourself, "Would I ever spend $60,000 without first consulting my significant other?" If the answer is "Yes," you're probably not frugal!

Some Freebies for You

Simply Nutrilite Nutrition Bars

Jergens Moisturizer - three samples in one pack

Splendid Delites Sugar-free Chocolate Crownies

3M Transparency Film

Copy of Home School Enrichment Magazine

Drink to your (Frugal) Health

Want to cut calories from your diet, reduce the number of artificial ingredients your family consumes, improve the look and feel of your skin, and save money, too? Start drinking water instead of soda, juice, or artificial fruit drinks!

Donnie and I use a Brita water filter, which makes our water taste better and (hopefully!) rids it of impurities. Even though we almost never buy bottled water, we still seem to have a huge collection of bottles (leftover from work events, family parties, etc.). We just run those through the dishwasher, fill them from the Brita pitcher, and stash them in the fridge. It’s convenient, healthful, and cheap—three things I happen to like!

Supermarket Steals: Menu Planning

In my last post in the Supermarket Steals series, I discussed creating a preliminary shopping list working with weekly circulars and your coupon collection. Once you’ve done that, it’s time to plan your menu for the week. After you’ve created a meal plan, you’ll go back and tweak your grocery list one last time before heading to the store.

Menu planning isn’t difficult, but it does require some creativity. Start by doing a quick inventory of your refrigerator, freezer, and cupboard, and asking yourself the following questions:

1. What can I make using only the items I have on hand?
   
   
2. What can I make using the items I have on hand, plus items on my preliminary shopping list?
   
   
3. What can I make using the items I have on hand, items on my preliminary shopping list, and one or two additional item?

Focus first on meals you can prepare using only items you already have. You can probably come up with two or three ideas fairly quickly. For instance, if you have chicken broth, any type of pasta, some leftover chicken, and frozen vegetables, you’re all set to make chicken noodle soup—it doesn’t take a gourmet chef to see that! Other combinations won’t be as obvious, but with experience you’ll be able to come up with tasty dishes using a wide variety of ingredients. A little bit of leftover soup, stew, or chili can be poured over biscuits, or mixed with rice to create a whole new meal. Just about anything tastes good stuffed into a tortilla, topped with salsa, and baked. A little leftover meat goes a long way when it’s sautéed with some sliced potatoes and topped with cheese. Use your imagination!

You may be able to think of seven meals you can make with ingredients you have on hand, but don’t put them all on your weekly menu. You don’t want to deplete your larder! Plan for two or three dinners using what you already have, but no more. The rest of your meals should ideally be made from a combination of ingredients you have on hand, and items on your preliminary shopping list. Try to come up with new and interesting uses for items you can get at a good price. For instance, you can sometimes get packaged foods for next to nothing by combining coupons and sales. These items aren’t delicious by themselves, but can be transformed with a little know-how. I write more about this subject here.

By now, you should probably have a full menu plan. If you don’t, start thinking about recipes you can prepare using foods you have on hand, the items on your preliminary shopping list, and one or two additional items. If the total cost of the items on your preliminary shopping list is below your weekly budget, you have a little wiggle room to focus more on what sounds good to eat and less on how much things cost. Just make sure you still stay within your limits! If your total is almost equal to (or above) your budget, eliminate any items from your list for which you don’t have an immediate need before planning to buy additional items. Stocking up on basics when they’re on sale is great, but not if it means going over your weekly grocery budget!

Now that you have your weekly meal plan, it’s time to go back to your list one last time. If you’re in the lucky position of having everything you need to feed your family, and extra room in your grocery budget, you may want to pick up some staple foods for your pantry or splurge on an un-frugal treat. You can also choose to redistribute the extra cash to some other area of your budget, put it into savings, or give it to charity. If you’re still above your spending limit, even if it’s only by a few dollars, you’ll have to compensate by taking some money away from another area of your total budget. We’re all going to end up in that position every now and then. The more experienced a shopper you become, the less frequently it will happen to you!

Now you’re ready to head to the grocery store. Make sure you stick to the items on your list. Try not to window shop! If you come across a really terrific unadvertised special, and you have (or can make) room in your budget, then by all means, put the item in your cart. Other than that, steer clear of impulse purchases.

So far we’ve talked about saving money on your weekly food purchases. Don’t think I forgot about personal care items, over the counter medications, cleaning supplies, and the like. The next post in this series will teach you how to get these items for next to nothing. All you have to do is remember the frugal fabulous shopper’s three favorite letters: C-V-S.

Beautiful Bows

Gina at Six in the Country showcases her beautiful bows made from simple curling ribbon. Her creations are much prettier than bows you buy in the store, and significantly less expensive. I've included a picture of her creations, so you can see what I mean!

Penny Pinching Packages

Instead of buying wrapping paper and bows this holiday season, why not invest in some good, sturdy gift bags your family can reuse year after year? You’ll save money, and use fewer of our earth’s precious resources.

Yum

Check out the recipe of the day at Not Quite June Cleaver: Eggnog Fudge. How delicious does that sound? What a thoughtful homemade gift it would make!

Rice and Beans!

Rice and beans are cheap, tasty, nutritious, and can be prepared in countless ways. This is why so many frugal people love them! I’m a big fan myself, although I must say some of the unique ways I use these foods would probably make purists cringe.

If you’re like me and prefer a good bit of variety in your diet, don’t be afraid to experiment with different ways of embellishing the traditional rice and beans recipe. The possibilities are limitless, and you certainly won’t break the bank. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

• Layer rice and beans, leftover cooked meat, and grated cheese in a casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for twenty minutes, or until cooked through and bubbly. Serve with sour cream, salsa, and tortilla chips.
  


• Form cold cooked rice and beans into small cakes. Panfry until brown and crisp around the edges. Serve with meat gravy and a vegetable.
  


• Add vegetables, cut up leftover meat, and rice and beans to homemade chicken or beef broth for a quick soup. Serve with biscuits or warm tortillas.
  


• Fill tortillas with rice and beans, and lay seam-side down in a casserole dish. Top with enchilada sauce or salsa and grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for twenty minutes, or until cooked through and bubbly. Serve with sour cream.
  


• Add two cups of your favorite broth, some minced garlic, and a can of diced tomatoes (including liquid) to the water in which you soaked your beans. Simmer over medium-low heat until thickened, stirring occasionally. Add the rice and beans. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, and homemade bread.
  


• Stuff hollowed-out green peppers with rice and beans. Top with grated cheese and bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for twenty minutes, or until cooked through and bubbly.
  


• Make a loaf from two parts rice and beans, one part ground beef or chicken, and an egg. Top with tomato sauce and grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for forty-five minutes, or until cooked through and bubbly. Serve with a vegetable.

Share your own delicious ideas for rice and bean recipes in the comments!

DO Sweat the Small Stuff!

Small lifestyle changes, ones you barely even notice, can have a huge impact on your overall financial picture. The only thing you have to do is be aware of the opportunities for change that exist all around you. Keep the question, “Am I wasting money?” at the back of your mind as you go about your day. After a while, your small changes will become routine, and you’ll save money without a second thought!

Start making a difference today by doing these little things:

• Brush your teeth in the shower.
  
  
• Reuse plastic wrap, food storage bags, or aluminum foil.
  
  
• Wash your clothes in cold water.
  
  
• Use half your usual amount of shampoo, conditioner, or body wash.
  
  
• Get out of the shower five minutes earlier than usual.
  
  
• Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
  
  
• Set the thermostat two degrees lower than usual.
  
  
• Shut your computer down before going to bed.
  
  

There are literally hundreds of small changes you can make that will have an impact on your overall financial picture. All you have to do is identify them.

What little life changes have you made? Have you made a significant dent in your budget? Let readers know in the comments!

Frugal Fiber-optics

Donnie and I aren’t big holiday decorators. In fact, in nine Christmases together, we’ve only put up a tree once, and then didn’t take it down until June. We’ve put lights in the windows a few times, and enjoyed their glow well into the following spring. Last December was our first Christmas in our current home, and we really intended to not only decorate, but also un-decorate in a timely fashion. Unfortunately, between my emergency eye surgery and our trip to Arizona, we never hung so much as a single strand of tinsel. This year we once again talked about putting up a tree, but it still hadn’t happened as of last weekend.

Fortunately, last Sunday my Grandmom gave us a fantastic fiber-optic tree and ended our decorating woes forever. This tree is just right for Donnie and me: it doesn’t take up a ton of room, it doesn’t require any additional ornamentation, it can be put up or taken down in less than ten minutes, and it only uses one light-bulb—making it more frugal and more environmentally friendly than a traditional tree covered in lights. It doesn’t get much more frugal fabulous than that!

Only 10 Days 'til Christmas!

Krista at Life, in a Nutshell provides a little help for all us holiday procrastinators with her post 10 Gifts Under $10 - 10 Days Before Christmas. If you're still struggling to come up with thoughtful, inexpensive gift ideas, be sure to check this article out. Krista's suggestions are simple and smart, especially for us non-crafty frugal folks!

Just a Few More Freebies

Parent's Choice Gentle Infant Formula

BeingGirl Free Sample Kit from Olay

REACH Access Flosser

Diabeti Derm or Zostrix Diabetic Health Products

Power OFF

Did you ever notice that your cable box, VCR, DVD player, and other entertainment electronics are still ON even when you’re not using them? Talk about a waste of electricity! Save some cash, and be a good steward of the earth’s precious resources, by really turning your electronics OFF when they aren’t in use. Donnie and I have ours plugged into a power strip, which we simply switch on and off as needed. Doing this doesn’t save us hundreds of dollars a month, but it’s a small, painless step in the right direction. I am all in favor of saving money (and natural resources) with what can only be described as less-than-minimal effort!

Just remember: Don’t try this if you have a DVR hooked up to your TV, because then none of your shows will record.

Stretch Your Meat Budget

Check out Making the Most of Your Meat Purchases at Simple Mommy for some great suggestions on using leftovers wisely. This article gave me some terrific inspiration for maximizing my grocery budget.

Christmas Placemats

Alison at This Wasn't in the Plan posted a great idea for making Christmas placemats out of old holiday cards. What an absolutely adorable idea!

Frugal Kitty

Donnie and I used to hate buying cheap kitty litter, because it doesn’t neutralize odor as well as the fancier brands (it doesn’t do much to mask the smell at all, actually). Then we started sprinkling the litter box with baking soda once every week or so, and—voila, problem solved! In my opinion, the baking soda actually neutralizes odor better than expensive cat litter. It’s also more environmentally friendly than using chemically treated litters, and it’s significantly less expensive.

Peanut Butter...Yum

Amity at Home Basics published what looks like a pretty mouth-watering recipe for chocolate covered peanut butter balls. These sound like a very tasty treat to share with family and friends at the holidays. After all, the only thing better than giving homemade gifts is giving DELICIOUS homemade gifts! I'll be trying this recipe out soon!

What are your favorite recipes for holiday cookies and candy? Share them in the comments!

Urban Eats

Kris at Cheap Healthy Good wrote a great post about shopping frugally in big cities, where prices are high and pantry space nearly non-existent. She is living proof that it can be done!

Say "No" to Deprivation

Every few months, Donnie and I do something un-frugal, but nevertheless extremely fabulous: we drive thirty minutes to a high-end grocery store in Allentown, PA, where we buy enough of our favorite bacon and pork chops to stock our freezer. It’s not splurging, since we budget responsibly for the purchase. It is, quite simply, a refusal to cut corners in this part of our budget. I strongly encourage everyone who is living a frugal lifestyle to do the same, and allow themselves one or two areas of their lives where they absolutely will not compromise quality to save money.

After all, frugal living is supposed to be about getting the most out of your life, not saving money just for the sake of saving money. If you are saving for your future, paying down any debts you may have, and making timely payments on all your monthly bills, then you should absolutely also treat yourself to the things you enjoy. It’s great to cut corners and save money, but it’s also great to spend a little more and get what you really want. This means different things to different people, but that’s the beauty of frugal fabulous living—there’s room for everyone!

What are some areas of your budget where you are willing to pay more for better quality? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Free Family Fun!

For a night of frugal family fun this holiday season, snuggle up on the couch with a good Christmas book and take turns reading aloud to one another. Don’t forget to make some hot chocolate!

A Penny Saved...

All frugal homes should have a change jar. I firmly believe this. I made a change jar for Donnie’s and my first apartment eight years ago, and we’ve been using it ever since. It is an absolutely effort-free way to accumulate a nice little stash of “extra” money.

Whenever we pay for something with cash (which is almost always), we toss the change in the jar. When the jar is full, we cash it in. That’s all there is to it. Not exactly rocket science. Yet the cash from the change jar has always been a blessing. Over the past few years, we’ve used the change jar money to make charitable contributions, bolster our savings, and have a little extra spending money on vacation. During our younger, broker days, we often used money from the change jar to buy groceries or pay bills.

Seeing firsthand how much benefit can be reaped from such a miniscule effort is what leads me to believe that even the smallest changes can yield big results. You don’t have to overhaul your entire lifestyle to become more financially secure. It’s possible to save thousands of dollars a year by adopting just a few frugal habits. You can overcome debt, build savings, and consume less of our earth’s precious resources while still having a wonderful, full life. You can get the things you really want, without borrowing against your future. And the best part is, you can start making those small changes today.

There are a million things you can do, right this very minute, to get started on the road to financial freedom. Turn down the heat. Clip a few coupons. Resolve to make dinner at home tonight, and really do it. Or, just put a few coins in a jar. Whatever first frugal change you decide to make, do it today, and don’t ever look back.

Advertise for FREE with Frugal Fabulous!

If you have a home-based business and are interested in trading samples of your product for three months of FREE advertising at Frugal Fabulous, please contact me at kgregg613@yahoo.com.

Supermarket Steals: Your Preliminary Grocery List

For years, Donnie and I approached grocery shopping in a manner I’ve since come to view as “backwards thinking.” We decided what we wanted to eat, made a list of the ingredients we would need, and maybe (or maybe not!) checked the weekly paper to see if there were any coupons for those things. When we got to the store, we usually bought not only the items on our list, but also anything else that caught our attention. We spent about $150 (or more) every two weeks, and we usually ended up throwing away food.

Now we do things differently. The amount of time we spend planning our grocery shopping isn’t much greater than it used to be, but the amount of money we spend at the store is significantly less. We have had to learn to be a bit more creative and flexible in our cooking, but we still eat very well. Neither of us feels the slightest bit deprived, and we even have room in our budget for splurges. The secret to our success is no secret at all—it’s just good, careful planning.

Every week, before I even think about what we’ll be having for dinner over the next seven days, I sit down with the circulars for two local grocery stores and two local drug stores, a pen, a notepad, and my coupon box. I read all the circulars cover-to-cover, jotting down the name and price of any item I feel is a good (or potentially good) value. Some frugal people keep a master list of non-sale prices at local grocery stores, and refer to that as they read the weekly ads. Donnie and I considered doing this, but we have been shopping at the same stores for so long that we feel we’re able to identify a good price when we see one. However, if you believe a master price list would be useful to you, then by all means, make one. Erin at About.com: Frugal Living shows you how here.

After I have jotted down my potential purchases, I refer to my coupon file and see if I can bring the prices down further with coupons. If I have coupons for any of the products on my list (which I usually do), I adjust the price on my list to reflect the savings. I do a quick check to make sure I am within my budget for the week (which is $30). I include the price of free-after-rebate items in my total, since I will be paying for them out of pocket (unless I’m shopping at CVS and paying with Extra Care Bucks—which I’ll discuss in a later post).

If my total is significantly higher than I would like, I immediately eliminate costlier free-after-rebate items I don’t really need, and also deals that are good but not great. However, if my total is below, slightly above, or just at budget, I don’t make any changes for the time being. Instead, I turn my attention to the topic of meal planning. After I’ve spent some time working out a menu, I’ll return to my list and make some final adjustments.

If you haven’t already guessed, the next Supermarket Steals post will be all about planning a menu using items from your preliminary shopping list and ingredients you already have on hand, then tweaking your list to create a final draft. Stay tuned!

Just a Few More Free Samples

Sunsilk

Metamucil

3M Print to Last Paper

Head and Shoulders

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

I despise clutter. I’m not a naturally organized person, and the more “stuff” I have around, the harder it is for me to keep everything tidy. Even with a very small number of household items, I still struggle to maintain order. This is why I like to give away, throw away, or sell just about anything for which I cannot determine an immediate use.

However, I’ve also discovered that holding onto things that may be useful someday is actually not a bad idea. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said to myself, “If only I had a…,” just to realize that I had gotten rid of the perfect item days prior. As a result of such moments, I try hard to balance my desire to tear through the house, getting rid of everything in sight, with the realization that sometimes saving things is GOOD.

There are a few categories of “thing” which I now try not to toss, unless I already have one or two of them on hand. When someone gives me tea in a pretty wood box or tin, I hold on to those (this was Donnie’s idea). They’re great for organizing small objects. I also keep pump-style hairspray bottles, but only every now and then (otherwise, they could probably pile up pretty quickly!) There’s no reason to ever buy a spray bottle at the drug store if you're constantly getting them as a byproduct of your hair styling supplies. My favorite facial moisturizer comes in a cute (plastic) jar with a screw-top lid. I have yet to determine a use for this, but I just know it will come to me, so I kept one. For some reason, it strikes me as a nice place to keep buttons—except I can’t sew, so I don’t really need a button holder. Donnie recently held on to a cute jam jar, which after the label was removed looked almost decorative. It will make a lovely little vase. I also try to save small boxes and food packages that just seem like the “right” shape or size for later use as storage containers.

Okay, so that sounds like a good bit of junk for someone who dislikes clutter. Fortunately, it’s not that bad! None of this stuff takes up more than a tiny amount of space in the laundry room (which, I will admit, is not the slightest bit organized anyway!). And it’s significantly more frugal than having to pay for a jewelry box when I could have used a pretty tea tin, or a water-spray bottle when I could have just filled an old hairspray container. Not only is it good money sense, it’s also responsible stewardship of the earth’s limited resources. Packaging materials seem to be overtaking our lives, so we may as well put them to good use.

What types of “trash” do you save? What uses have you found for the items you stash away? Or do you toss everything? Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Keep It Clean!

Preparing most of your meals from scratch is a great way to save money and take care of your health. However, many of us, especially families where both adults work full time, have a hard time maintaining the motivation to cook a homemade dinner every evening. Fortunately, there is a way to practically guarantee that you’ll actually stick to your plan to cook at home: keep your kitchen clean.

Donnie and I have made a serious commitment to cooking at home almost every night. Even before we were frugal, we preferred to eat homemade meals than restaurant food. However, some nights we were so exhausted from school and work that we really didn’t feel like making anything from scratch. On those nights, going home to a sink full of dirty dishes and counter-tops covered in groceries that hadn’t yet been put away was the last straw. If we were exhausted, and our kitchen was a mess, we gave in and got pizza. We weren’t happy with ourselves, but we were just so tired.



However, even on the nights when we least felt like cooking, if our kitchen was already tidy, well-organized, and ready for immediate use, we were almost always able to pull ourselves together and get a decent meal on the table. If we didn’t face the prospect of having to spend twenty minutes cleaning up before we could even begin to think about cooking, we were okay. There’s just something so much less exhausting about preparing a meal in a pleasant, clean environment than in a cluttered, chaotic one. Now that we’re committed to frugality, we’ve made a point to keep our kitchen in decent shape at all times. It makes sticking to our resolution much easier!

If you’re firmly committed to the idea of eating at home most nights of the week, and especially if you’ve been having trouble keeping that commitment, then make a resolution to keep your cooking area as neat and tidy as possible. This may seem challenging if there are no adults at home during the day, but it can be done. After dinner each evening, wash your dishes (or load the dishwasher), put away all your leftovers, and wipe down your countertops. If you want to soak a particularly crusty pan, make sure you do it right away. In the morning, make sure your breakfast dishes are at the very least cleared off the table and stacked neatly to be washed after work. Practice these small clean-up routines daily, and you’ll kick the take-out habit in no time. Bon apétit!

Free 22 Piece Power Driver Set

Jennifer at iMommies lets us in on a great deal: buy a $10 American Builder 22 Piece Power Driver set at Buy.com, then get $10 off when you sign up for Google checkout. Sign up for budget (aka, free) shipping, and you just got yourself some tools for the cost of nada. In PA, we don't even pay sales tax on internet purchases. What a fun, free holiday gift!

Who Doesn't Love More Free Samples?

True Lemon Crystalized Lemon

Airborne on the Go Health Effervescent Formula

Feline Greenies Dental Chew

Clean & Clear Morning Bust Shine Control Facial Scrub

Always Maxi Pads

Sock it to Me

Deb at Keep it Cheap posted some great ideas for re-using old socks in new ways here.

I've been trying to make a rag rug from old socks for months, but I'm not very crafty, so I haven't made much progress. I'll probably end up giving my matchless socks to my grandmom's dog Phoebe (the sock thief).

Supermarket Steals: Creating a Coupon Collection

Using coupons when you purchase groceries can save you thousands of dollars each year. Unfortunately, many shoppers don’t use coupons as effectively as they could. Some people create shopping lists, then check the weekly paper to see if there are any coupons for the things they intend to purchase. Other people check the paper before making a list, but only clip coupons for things they plan to buy on their next shopping trip. These shoppers may save a few dollars per visit to the grocery store. But they never see a significant reduction in their expenses.

If you want to make a serious dent in your grocery budget, the first step is to build a coupon collection. Be diligent about acquiring all the coupons you possibly can, including coupons for items you would not normally purchase. There are many ways to do this. The best advice I can offer is to subscribe to the Sunday paper. This is how most people acquire coupons, but it isn’t the only way. Ask your family and friends to give you coupons they would otherwise throw away. Many people get the Sunday paper and don’t even look at the coupon inserts. They would probably be happy to share. Printable coupons are available not only at popular sites like Coupons.com, but also from specific manufacturers’ websites. Many grocery stores have electronic coupon dispensers in the aisles, right next to the featured products. Quite a few companies will honor written requests for coupons, particularly if you include feedback about their products. I have also heard that some smart shoppers check the newspaper recycling bins in their developments for coupon inserts discarded by others.

Once you’ve accumulated a good-sized stash of coupons, you’ll want to get them well organized. I keep my coupons in hand-labeled, business-sized envelopes held together with a rubber band, stored in an old box. Talk about low-tech! Better-organized savvy shoppers may use accordion-style folders, index card file boxes, binders filled with protective plastic sheets, or even hanging file folders. The most important thing is to use a system that makes sense to you, and allows you to find the coupons you need quickly. With that goal in mind, you’ll want to divide your coupon collection into highly specific categories. When I first started couponing, I made the mistake of using too many broad groupings, such as “toiletries.” I am fairly happy with the categories I have now. I’ve listed them below for you to use as a jumping-off point, but don’t hesitate to experiment with categories that make more sense to you.

Every few weeks, comb through your collection and remove any expired coupons. But don’t just toss them! Military base commissaries accept expired coupons, which means your cast-offs can be a real blessing to families all over the world. Check out The Overseas Coupon Program to find out how you can help.

Now that you’ve built up a coupon collection, you’re ready to start some serious frugal shopping. Stay tuned for the next post in this series, which will teach you how to use make a shopping list the frugal fabulous way!

My Coupon Categories
Air-fresheners and candles
Baking supplies
Batteries
Beverages
Body wash and soap
Breakfast items
Cereal
Cleaning supplies
Condiments
Dairy products
Deodorant
Dish soap and detergent
Feminine products
Food storage products
Frozen food
Fruit
Hair care
Ice cream
Laundry products
Makeup
Meat
Medicine and pain relief products
Mexican
Miscellaneous
Paper products
Pasta
Peanut butter and jelly
Pet products
Potatoes and rice/prepared side dishes
Prepared foods
Rain checks
Razors
Rebates
Restaurants
Rolls, biscuits, and bread
Salad supplies
Sauces
Skin care
Snacks (I’m thinking of breaking this into some more specific categories)
Soup and chili
Toothbrushes and floss
Toothpaste and mouthwash
Vegetables and beans

Get Paid to Take Surveys (no, really, I mean it!)

I know, I know…we’ve all seen about a hundred too many “Get paid to take surveys!!!!!” ads to ever take them seriously. However, some legitimate market research companies really do reward you for answering their questionnaires. One of these businesses is Harris Poll Online (HPO), of which I have been a satisfied member for some time now.

HPO doesn’t promise you’ll make thousands of dollars a month filling out surveys—which is good, because you won’t. You will, however, accumulate points which can be redeemed for various prizes. Most of the prizes are unspectacular. However, HPO does offer $5 gift cards to various stores and restaurants for only 800 points. I say “only” because most surveys are worth 50-200 points, and can be completed in less than twenty minutes.

I realize that, at first glance, this offer doesn’t seem all that worthwhile. But keep in mind the fact that the surveys are fairly enjoyable to fill out; can be done while watching TV, listening to music, or chatting on the phone; and serve an actual purpose (the next time you see statistics in a news article, look at the fine print—there’s a good chance Harris was the polling company!). Plus, for every survey you complete, Harris will enter your name into a drawing for a sizeable cash prize.

I realize this program isn’t for everyone. However, I enjoy getting a Barnes and Noble gift card in the mail every now and then, in exchange for answering a few easy (and occasionally interesting) surveys each month. And I certainly wouldn’t mind winning a drawing for $1000 some time! If this sounds like something you would find enjoyable, I strongly encourage you to sign up here. You won’t get rich, but you will earn some nice rewards without working all that hard.

Introducing: Supermarket Steals

Over the past year, Donnie and I have gone from spending $75-$100 a week on groceries, to only $30. We eat very well, and don’t feel the slightest bit deprived. And we don’t spend hours each week planning out our grocery lists, either! We simply made some small changes to our spending habits, and those changes yielded big results.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll teach you how to achieve similar success in a series of blog entries entitled “Supermarket Steals.” By making a few simple changes to the way you shop, you'll be able to save thousands of dollars a year on food, toiletries, and personal care items. It’s not difficult, I promise! With a little planning, a little creativity, and a little flexibility, you may be able to reduce your monthly grocery bill by as much as 70%.

Check back tomorrow afternoon for the first post in this series!

Shower Fresh-n-Frugal!

Long, steaming hot showers feel great, but they’re bad for you in more ways than one. Not only do long showers contribute to higher monthly energy costs, they also leave your skin dry, flaky, and itchy. Using gallons of hot water every day is bad for the environment, too!

Spare yourself the pain of high energy bills, irritated epidermis, and ecological wastefulness by keeping showers under ten minutes, and turning the hot water down. The more sensitive your skin, the cooler and briefer you’ll want to keep things. Your wallet, and your skin, and the earth will thank you!

Free Angelina Ballerina Doll

Crystal at Money Saving Mom posted this link, where you can sign up to get a free Angelina Ballerina plush doll. This would make a lovely little Christmas gift!

Build-a-Tree

Meredith at Like Merchant Ships posted a great story about building a Christmas tree using trimmings from other trees. What a fun idea!

A Buy One/Get One Warning

Many frugal bloggers advocate combining Buy One/Get One store offers with Buy One/Get One coupons to obtain two items for free. The idea is that, after the two items are rung up, the price of one will be deducted because of the coupon, and the price of the other will be deducted because of the store offer, resulting in no money owed. This seems to work well for a number of bloggers. If you’re one of the smart shoppers who have gotten things for free using this technique, good for you!

I, on the other hand, have had absolutely no luck with this tactic. I find that computerized drug store registers won’t accept Buy One/Get One coupons if Buy One/Get One store offers have already been processed, and vice versa. Store cashiers and managers are unwilling to override the computer. The whole process leads to nothing but embarrassment on my part.

I suspect those who have successfully obtained free items by combining Buy One/Get One store deals and Buy One/Get One coupons frequent shops that don't have computerized registers, or where there are friendly cashiers willing to override the computer manually. We don’t have either of those things in my neck of the woods, so I guess I’m just out of luck!

I’m not saying you shouldn’t attempt this tactic at least once—you may be one of the fortunate frugal shoppers for whom it works. However, proceed with caution the first time you try, especially if you are shopping at a store with a computerized register.

A Few More Freebies

Gold Bond Powder

LACTAID Fast Act Dietary Supplement

Reynolds Parchment Paper

Sensodyne Toothpaste

Deck the Halls

How do you create a festive, frugal holiday decoration in less than sixty seconds? Fill a juice glass with candy canes, and trim with a bright red bow!

Homemade Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Bananas are the ultimate frugal fabulous food—inexpensive, tasty, and packed with nutrients. Donnie and I got a good deal on a bunch the other day, but there were more than we could possibly eat before they got overripe. It’s a good thing we both love banana chocolate chip muffins!

I made the batch you see here with a combination of whole wheat and white flour—partly because whole wheat flour is healthy, and partly because I didn’t have enough white flour in the house! Using wheat flour made the muffins very dense, which took some getting used to on my part. (Donnie still thought they were great, especially with a glass of milk). If you prefer lighter, fluffier baked goods, you may want to stick with all white flour. However, if your goal is to make a really hearty breakfast treat that sticks with you until lunch, then definitely use at least a little wheat flour.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

4 ripe bananas, pureed (about 2 cups)
4 eggs
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 ½ cups flour
8 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two muffin pans with paper muffin cups. Beat pureed bananas, eggs, sugar, melted butter and vanilla at medium speed until well blended, about three minutes. Add flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix until just blended. Fold chips into batter. Spoon into muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Makes about 24 muffins.

Stop Spending Before It Starts

If you’re trying to live a frugally, I do not recommend window shopping, whether at the mall or online. This type of recreational shopping can quickly break your budget—or your frugal mindset. If you look without buying, you may feel deprived and resent your commitment to frugality. If you buy on impulse, particularly if you use a credit card, you’ll most likely feel like a failure. You don’t want to set yourself up for either scenario, especially if you’re just making the transition to frugal fabulous living.

My recommendation is this: feel free to shop for the things you want and can afford, but have a game plan. Don’t hit the mall unless you have a fairly specific idea of what you intend to purchase. Don’t go to buy “shoes,” go to buy, “dressy black leather flats I can wear with my black dress pants and my jeans.” Know your spending limit, and bring only that amount of cash with you. Leave the credit cards at home. Decide which stores you’ll go to ahead of time, and plan to park as nearby as you are able. If you can, visit those stores’ websites before you leave the house, and identify a few items you’re interested in checking out. Don’t window shop on the way to or from the store. Once you’ve made your purchase, go home. Then take some time to enjoy your new items, and the fact that you got what you wanted without borrowing against your future.

How do you fight the urge to splurge? Share your strategies in the comments section!