Frugal Friday: Homemade Cloth Napkins

Several years ago, my Mom  spent a lot of time making cloth napkins for us to use on a daily basis. Cloth napkins can be very expensive to purchase so I had an idea. I started collecting fabric from remnant baskets at stores and from Thrift Stores & Garage Sales. This is a great way to get fabric cheap!

 

We now have a variety of cloth napkins to use everyday as well as some for holidays & seasons. There are not any napkin "sets" just a mish mash of fun and decorative prints. The point was not to have all matching napkins but to have enough to use for 3 meals a day. This has helped save money because I will no longer purchase paper disposable napkins and it is good for the environment because we have completely eliminated a disposable product in our house. This idea is not only frugal but fun!

 

 

To make cloth napkins:

1. Cut fabric into squares (any size will work).
   
2. Use a serger or you can hem the edges with a sewing machine.

This post is linked to:

• Frugal Friday

 

Frugal Friday: Save Money on Travel

We love to vacation in Branson, MO and typically we go 2-3 times each year.  When we go, we either stay in a vacation home owned by husband's family or my Dad takes care of the travel plans.  I really do not like to book travel plans.  I always wonder if I am making the best possible hotel choice and if I am getting the best rate available.

Last week we made a trip to Branson to attend Homeschool Day at Silver Dollar City and I had to make travel arrangements.  My husband's family vacation home was occupied and my parents were not coming on this trip. 

This made me a nervous wreck and I spent almost an entire day searching multiple travel sites as well as hotel & Branson websites.  I almost purchased a hotel room several times but always ended-up chickening out.  It was so bad, that at one point Connor decided we weren't going on vacation because Mom was too chicken to purchase a hotel room.

I finally found a hotel that I liked at a price that was not bad at Travelocity.com.  Just as I was about to make a purchase, I noticed their "Top Secret Hotels" and there was a 3 star hotel in Branson, MO listed for $36 a night.  WOW!!  That was more than half off the price of the 2 star hotel that I was about to book so I clicked on it.

Everything looked great except you don't get to see the name or address of the hotel until after you book it.  There are also no refunds or exchanges.  There was some basic hotel information that was provided and I was able to see how the hotel rated on things like cleanliness, child friendly, amenities, etc.

So after some debating and lots of encouragement from Connor, I booked it!  Now, I will admit that purchasing a hotel this way is a gamble and I was a bit nauseous while doing it.  You really don't know what you are getting until it is too late.   I was slightly confident booking this way because I am very familiar with the Branson area and I searched through all of the 3 star Branson hotels on the Travelocity website and I did not find any that I would not be comfortable staying in.  I don't think I would choose a "Top Secret" hotel in a city that I was not familiar with or had never visited.

So, do you want to know how it turned out?

Our "Top Secret" hotel was the Westgate Branson Woods Resort and it was wonderful!!  The rooms were basic which is ok with us because we only sleep there.  However, it did have a mini-fridge & microwave.  The room was also in good condition and very clean.  There were a lot of ammenities like an indoor swimming pool, fitness room, playgrounds, shuffleboard & ping pong.  The only thing it did not offer was a free breakfast but I knew that ahead of time so we planned in advance to eat breakfast at McDonalds.

This resort is also a Time Share and so we were offered a free breakfast and some other freebies to attend a time share presentation.  We politely declined and that was the end of it.

This was a great experience for us and we paid less than $90 ($36 a night + fees & taxes) for a hotel room for 2 nights with 3 people (2 adults & 1 child).

Have you ever booked a hotel or a "Top Secret" hotel with a travel site?  What was your experience?  I would love for you to share your experience (good or bad) in the comments!



This post is linked to:

• Frugal Friday

Christmas is Coming, Are You Ready?? (Part 3)

In addition to the expense of Christmas gifts, another big expense at the Holidays can be food.   Especially if the family is coming to your house this year!  Even if you are going to other people's homes, the cost of food can add up if you bring a dish to each gathering.

In September, I begin to budget for Holiday food.  I set aside some money each week and then watch the grocery store ads.  There are a lot of food items that will be at rock bottom prices or even FREE (with coupons) in October, November & December.  Purchasing these items early, when they are on sale, is key to saving money.  DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE WEEK OF OR DAY BEFORE A HOLIDAY.  At this point the stores know you are desperate and very few items will be on sale.

I also take advantage of these rock bottom prices to stock-up on some items for the year.  Items like cake mixes, stuffing, turkeys (Last year I purchased 6 turkeys for the freezer at $.66/lb.!), hams, cool whip, canned & frozen vegetables, Jello, etc. will be at the lowest price of the year so stock-up if it is in your budget!

By having a plan and budget in advance, the cost of Holiday meals does not have to be expensive.

Christmas is Coming, Are You Ready?? (Part 2)

A great way to save money on Christmas gifts is to give homemade gifts.  This requires some planning so if you want to give homemade gifts then start planning now.  Search for craft ideas and recipes (Pinterest is perfect for this!) and start to purchase supplies (look for sales, coupons & clearance items).  If you have a plan, you will save both time & money.

If you like to give portraits as Christmas gifts, you can also start planning for that now.  There is plenty of time to purchase outfits (sales, clearance, consignment shops/sales, garage sales & thrift stores) and decide if you want to take the picture yourself or have a professional photographer take the picture. 

Christmas is Coming, Are You Ready?? (Part 1)

 

Did you know it is only 99 days (as of 9/17/12) until Christmas? Have you started planning or budgeting for Christmas yet?

Two years ago we made a big change in the way we plan for Christmas. Instead of waiting until the last minute and using credit cards, we started planning for Christmas on December 26th and spreading the cost of Christmas over the entire year.

If you have not started planning & budgeting for Christmas, it is not too late. This week I will be sharing some tips and ideas to keep Christmas from being a stressful budget-buster so here is tip #1:

Plan a budget for Christmas now.  Right now.  Not next week, next month or in December.  Plan a budget right now.  Knowing exactly how much money you have to spend will make it much easier to decide on gifts.

After you have your budget make a list of all the people you will need to buy gifts and decide on an amount to spend for each person.  This doesn't have to be exact, it can be a range. 

Now that you have a budget and a list, you can start buying gifts.  Since you are not waiting until the last minute, you have plenty of time to look for items on sale and clearance so you will save money! 

Don't you already feel better now that you have a plan?  Come back tomorrow for more Money Saving Christmas Tips!

Countdown to Christmas!

Can you believe that there are only 100 days (as of 9/16/12) until Christmas??!!  This week I will be sharing some tips to help you prepare for Christmas now.  A little Christmas planning now can save you a lot of stress and budget-busting later! 

Save Money on Home Improvement Projects by Thinking Outside the Box

We have a faucet on the wall in our garage.  It can be very convenient to have this faucet but it is in a very awkward location and there was nothing to protect the dry wall from water splashes.  We needed a solution to protect the wall but all of our options were expensive and/or complicated. 

I really wanted to tile the wall but that is not one of our home improvement skills.  The faucet is located in a corner so 2 walls would need to be tiled in order to protect the dry wall.  This would make the project of tile expensive (supply costs add up fast!), time consuming and difficult (at least for us). 

So after a lot of thought, I came up with a frugal solution to protect the wall!  We purchased 30 Vinyl Peel & Stick Floor Tiles for $.69 each.  We then used liquid nails construction adhesive and applied them to the wall.  We then sealed the corner edge with caulk so that water cannot get behind the tiles. 

The result is a beautiful, water resistant, easy to clean wall and it cost less than $25 for the entire project!

How do you save money on Home Improvement Projects?

Share with us in the comments.

This post is linked to:

• Frugal Friday

Frugal Friday: Six Items that I Will Not Buy New

1.  Children's Dress Clothes & Shoes

It seems like Connor is growing non-stop and every year he needs 2 new sets of dress clothes (1 for Christmas time & 1 for Spring time).  It is so frustrating to purchase expensive dress clothes and shoes that are only going to be worn maybe 3-4 times.   I quickly realized that if my child only wears his dress clothes a few times then other people's children probably only wear them 3-4 times too so I started searching thrift stores. 

This does take some time and a little planning ahead but the savings are definitely worth it.  I usually pay $2-$3 for a pair of boys dress shoes that are like new (probably worn 3-4 times or less),  around $5-$7 for a designer (The Children's Place, Ralph Lauren, Carters, Gymboree, etc.) dress shirt & sweater vest and $2-$8 for designer dress pants.  This would easily cost $50+ new. 

 I don't have a daughter so I have never really looked at girl's clothing at the thrift stores but I am guessing that "like new" girl's dress clothes would also be abundantly available.

2.  Coffee Makers (& Iced Tea Makers)

I think I might have a coffee maker obsession.  Yes, I currently own every coffee & tea maker in the picture above.  We use the single-cup maker most of the time but I keep the 6-cup maker for when my parents are visiting, the 12-cup maker for when we have dinner guests and the large percolator for when we have a large party & the iced tea maker is for when it is too hot for coffee. 

I have used each one of these at least twice within the last year so to me it is worth it to keep them.  I also paid less than $25 for all of them at thrift stores and/or garage sales!  Most thrift stores have a large selection and wide variety of coffee makers for $5 or less.

3.  Baskets (Especially Easter Baskets!)

Almost every thrift store has an abundance of baskets with most of them priced under $1 and because of this I never buy baskets new! 

If you want seasonal or special occasion baskets (Easter, Christmas, Flower Girl, etc.) this may require a little advanced planning.  It is easier to find seasonal or special occasion baskets in their off season.  For example, it would probably be difficult (but not impossible) to find Flower Girl baskets in May or June.  However, there will probably be an abundance of them in October or November.

4.  Storage Shelves

I used to purchase those big plastic shelves to use for storage in the basement.  You know, the ones that start at $50 and quickly go up from there.  I found the cabinet pictured above at a thrift store for $50.  It is perfect for storing my small appliances that I don't use on a regular basis and it also has cabinets and drawers for storage. 

Sometimes, if you just think outside of the box you can come up with a storage solution that meets your storage needs and costs significantly less than new products designed for storage.  I am currently scouring the thrift stores for a large dresser to store old towels (used for cleaning).

I don't just buy basement storage at thrift stores.  I purchased the cabinet pictured above for $20 at a local thrift store plus about $10 worth of paint and voila I turned it into this:

I use this cabinet to store my good china & stemware in our dining room.

5.  Large Plastic Children's Toys

All of my son Connor's large (& most of the small too) have come from thrift stores or garage sales.  These items are outrageously expensive new and there is an abundance of them available second hand.  It does take some patience and searching but it is definitely worth it for the money saved.  The Little Tikes Car pictured above retails for around $60 (oh yes $60, that is not a typo) and I found this one at a thrift store (in very good condition) for $5!!

We received the boat pictured above for FREE from friends at church. The retail price for this is around $200!!!!  Their children had outgrown it and they wanted it out of their yard.  Don't be afraid to ask friends or neighbors for large plastic toys when their children are done with them.  Most parents can't wait to get them out of their yard and are happy to give them away or sell them very cheap.

If you are in the market for a large plastic toy (car, kitchen set, table & chairs, tool workshop, sandboxes, water tables, baby doll furniture, etc.) I definitely recommend doing some searching at thrift stores and/or garage sales.  You can save a ton of money with just a little bit of work & patience!

6.  Bread Machines

My very first bread machine was a wedding gift and it sat in a cabinet collecting dust before I was brave enough to try using it.  Bread making can be very intimidating in the beginning.  I soon became confident with bread making and now I could not live without my bread machine. 

My first bread machine was a gift so it was new but for many years I had seen lots of "new" and "like new" bread machines at thrift stores and garage sales so when my bread machine died I decided to hit the thrift stores.  I really wanted one with double paddles but I just wasn't able to find one.  Then, one day my Mom called to tell me that she found a double paddle Wolfgang Puck bread machine at their church rummage sale for $20!!  I absolutely love this bread machine (pictured above) and it is something that I would not have been able to afford new at a retail store.

What items do you only buy second hand? 

Share with us in the comments!

This post is linked to:

• Frugal Friday at Life as Mom
  
  

Two Tips for Saving Money on Washing Dishes (Dishwasher & Hand Washing)

Make your own Dishwasher Detergent:

• 1 cup Borax
• 1 cup Baking Soda
• 1 cup Water
• 2-3 drops Lemon Essential Oil

Mix baking soda, borax & water until dissolved and then mix in essential oil. Store in a glass jar or squeeze bottle. Use 2-3 tablespoons per load.

 

Make Your own Foamy Dish Soap:
I make my own Homemade Foamy Hand Soap so why not do the same with dish soap!

Here is the recipe I use:


Add 1/3 cup Liquid Dish Soap of your choice (I used the basic blue Dawn but you could use whatever you have on hand) to the foamy dish soap bottle and then fill with water. Gently shake. That's it!! This will make your bottle of dish soap last twice as long and it cleans just as well.

Watch the CVS and Walgreens ads for dish soap to go on sale. You can usually get it for FREE or really cheap with coupons and/or Extra Bucks!

This post is linked to:

• Frugal Friday at Life as Mom

 

 

Homemade All Purpose Cleaner Recipe

Making your own cleaning products is a great way to save money and to go green!

Lemon Lavender All Purpose Cleaner

• 2 cups Water
• 1 teaspoon Borax
• 1/4 cup White Vinegar
• 15 drops Lavender Essential Oil
• 15 drops Lemon Essential Oil

Boil 2 cups of water. Remove from heat and add the borax. Stir until completely dissolved. Add the vinegar and allow the mixture to cool completely. Pour mixture into a clean & empty spray bottle. Add the essential oil. Shake gently to mix.

Here are some of my other Homemade Cleaning Product Recipes that I have posted:

• Automatic Shower Cleaner
• Microwave Cleaner
• Carpet Steamer Shampoo
• Basic Kitchen Sink Cleaner
• Mirror Bright Cleaner
• Laundry Soap
• Fabric Softener
• Dishwasher Detergent

This post is linked to:

• Frugal Friday

Homemade Eye Make-Up Remover

Yesterday, I was reading another blog and came across a link to this recipe for Homemade Eye Make-Up Remover.  Most eye make-up removers cost between $3-$5 at drugstores, Target etc. and there are rarely sales or coupons for this product so I decided to try the recipe.  It is so simple & cheap to make!

Homemade Eye Make-Up Remover

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Bottled Water
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Baby Shampoo (tear free) or a facial cleanser that is safe to use on your eyes (like Olay Sensitive Skin Cleanser)
• 1/8 Tablespoon Baby Oil
• Empty Bottle for Storage (I purchased a small plastic bottle in the travel section at Target for $1.19)

Mix together all of the ingredients in a small bowl and then use a funnel to pour into a clean & empty bottle.  That's it!!


I purchased my supplies at Target:

• Up & Up Baby Shampoo (15 FL oz.) $1.52
• Up & Up Baby Oil (20 FL oz.) $2.49
• Travel Plastic Bottle $1.19

Total Out of Pocket = $5.20 and the supplies should make approximately 20 bottles of eye make-up remover making the cost only $.26 per bottle!


This post is linked to:

• Frugal Friday

Homemade Automatic Shower Cleaner

 

I love my Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner!! I don't love the cost of refills. I found a recipe for Homemade Automatic Shower Cleaner. This recipe seems to be working very well in our Automatic Shower Cleaners. It smells just like the refills you buy at the store.

 

This solution can also be used in a regular spray bottle if you do not have a Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner.

 

 

Here is what you will need:

• Empty Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner Bottle
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Dishwasher Rinse Aid
• Dish Soap
• Water

First, remove the cap from the bottle. This is a little tricky and requires a small pair of plyers. Place the plyers around the cap of the bottle and gently squeeze and twist the cap off. Add 1/2 cup Hydrogen Peroxide, 1/2 cup Rubbing Alcohol, 6-8 drops Dish Soap and 2 tablespoons Dishwasher Rinse Aid to the bottle. Fill the bottle with water. Replace the cap (it just twists back on) and gently shake. It is now ready to use!

 

 

This post is linked to:

• Frugal Friday

Frugal Friday: 5 Tips for Building a Stockpile ( & a few pictures of my personal stockpile)

1.  Allocate some money from your grocery budget each week to purchase items at rock bottom prices for your stockpile. 

This does not have to be a lot of money.  It can be as little as $1.00 because the stockpile items should be at their rock bottom price or maybe even FREE after sale & coupon.  Never pay full price for a stockpile item & do not go over budget to purchase stockpile items.  You are not saving money if you are over budget!

2.  Take advantage of seasonal sales and stock-up! 

I like to budget extra money for stockpiling on major holidays when there are lots of great sales. 

For example, Labor Day is coming soon and this is a great time to stock-up on hot dogs, brats, ground beef, buns (for the freezer), ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, pickles, soda, etc.  All of these items will be on sale at great prices over the next couple of weeks. 

Here are some Seasonal Sale Examples:

• Thanksgiving & Christmas (The BEST stockpiling holidays!):  Turkey, Ham, Stuffing, Potatoes, Cool Whip, Canned & Frozen Veggies, Butter, Gelatin, Pudding  Baking Supplies, Cake Mix
• Lent:  Fish/Seafood
• Easter:  Baking Supplies, Cake Mixes, Ham, Stuffing, Potaotes, Cool Whip, Gelatin, Pudding, Canned & Frozen Veggies
• Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day & Super Bowl:  Soda, Ground Beef & other Grilling Meats, Hot Dogs, Brats, Chips, Condiments, Ice Cream, Popsicles

3.  Do not buy more than your family can consume by the expiration date.

Food is not a bargain if it ends up in the trash!  I use a sharpie and write the expiration date on the top of the package so it is easy to find.  I also put the oldest items in front & newer items in the back.

4.  Do not buy more than you have room to store.

I have a large freezer and lots of storage in our basement so I have a fairly large stockpile.  I have also purchased under the bed storage boxes to take advantage of unused (except by the cat) space.  If you live in a small home, have limited storage or move frequently, take this into account when deciding on a size for your stockpile.  It is a good idea to determine how much storage space you have first and take a break from stockpiling when it is full.

 

5.  Always think ahead! 

 When I was pregnant with my son, I knew that we would need lots of diapers when he was born so I spent 9 months stocking-up.  

Look for the items that you use on a regular basis at rock bottom prices & stock-up! 

This post is linked to:

• Frugal Friday 

Homemade Febreeze Recipe

Febreeze is one of those products I love to use but hate the price.  Last time I purchased a bottle it cost $4.97 & it seems like it never lasts very long.  Target used to have a generic version but last time I checked my store did not carry it anymore. 

This summer we have been dog-sitting so Febreeze has quickly become a neccessity.  I was very excited to find a recipe at Fake-It-Frugal (my new favorite blog by the way) for Homemade Febreeze. 

Homemade Febreeze

• 1/8 cup Liquid Fabric Softener
• 2 Tablespoons Baking Soda
• Hot Tap Water to fill 32oz. Spray Bottle to the top (I used an emtpy Febreeze bottle.)

Add all ingredients to the spray bottle & shake.  Now spray away all of those stinky odors!

We still love you Jazz, even if you are stinky!

This post is linked to:

• Frugal Friday

Frugal Friday: Homemade Automatic Shower Cleaner

Do you have a Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner and love the way it keeps the shower clean but hate the cost of the refills?  Here is a very easy recipe to make your own refills with ingredients you probably already have in your home!

Here is what you will need:

• Empty Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner Bottle
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Dishwasher Rinse Aid
• Dish Soap
• Water

First, remove the cap from the bottle. This is a little tricky and requires a small pair of plyers. Place the plyers around the cap of the bottle and gently squeeze and twist the cap off. Add 1/2 cup Hydrogen Peroxide, 1/2 cup Rubbing Alcohol, 6-8 drops Dish Soap and 2 tablespoons Dishwasher Rinse Aid to the bottle. Fill the bottle with water. Replace the cap (it just twists back on) and gently shake. It is now ready to use!


 
This post is linked to:

• Frugal Friday

Frugal Friday: Save Money on Air Conditioning

Doesn't that picture look refreshing??  Five months ago I thought it looked horrible & I'm sure when January comes around it will look horrible again but right now it looks refreshing!  If you are experiencing the same type of HOT weather that we are in Kansas City, then this post is for you. 

Here are few tips to keep the cost of air conditioning down during this HOT, HOT Summer:

1.  Install ceiling fans in the kitchen, family room and/or bedrooms. A ceiling fan can lower the temperature in a room by up to 4 degrees.   If ceiling fans are not an option, box fans will work.

2.  Run appliances like the dishwasher, washer, dryer etc. in the evening. Running these appliances can warm-up the house.  You can also take advantage of warm sunny weather & hang laundry to dry outside.

3.  Try turning the thermostat up a few degrees.  We have been experiencing temperatures of 100+ here in Kansas City for over a week now.  I have found when it is that HOT outside, the house will still feel really cool even if I turn the thermostat up a few degrees.  We currently have ours set at 82-83 degrees, which would normally feel warm but with the outside temperature over 100 it feels cool inside.  Installing a programmable thermostat can also help save money on cooling (& heating but I don't want to think about that now) costs.

4.  Take advantage of sunlight during the day and keep all the lights off. This will save money on your electric bill and keep the house cooler. 

5.  Spend the afternoon at the pool or playing in a sprinkler.    If you're not in the house, you won't be tempted to turn down the thermostat!

If you don't have a pool or yard, you can always have the kids play with water guns, containers of water, a water table or in the bathtub.

6.  Save errands and outings for the late afternoon. This is usually when the temperature is the highest and you are most tempted to turn down the thermostat. Leave the house during these times (usually between 3:00pm - 5:00 pm) and enjoy the AC in a store, mall, library etc.

 
7.  If you have a basement, use it! The temperature in most basements will be several degrees cooler than the upper levels of a house.  Our basement is not finished but we have turned it into usable living space. Spending time in the basement in the late afternoon helps to reduce the urge to turn down the thermostat.


 

 
8.  Use your crockpot. Most people use their crockpot more in the winter months for stews, soups & chilis but you can use it in the warmer months too. The crockpot produces less heat than the oven and so it is perfect for warmer weather.


 

 
9.  Wear cooler clothes and take off your shoes and/or socks. Keeping your clothes light & simple and going barefoot will help you to feel cooler. And yes, that is a picture of our dog licking Connor's feet!

10.  Complete more active chores like cleaning & vaccuuming in the morning or evening and save less active chores like bill paying for the afternoon. You will stay much cooler if you are just seated instead of running around.



Leave a comment and share your tip for keeping air conditioning costs down this summer!

This post is linked to:

• Frugal Friday at Life as Mom