My two boys are highly sensitive to Poison Ivy. Very bad for two very active, woods romping, fishing, rolling in the grass and mud little boys such as mine

All summer, one of my boys will have a patch of the itchy miserableness. I have tried Every product marketed to relieve, dry up and prevent poison ivy outbreaks. To no avail, they all offer minimal relief, that's no-lasting.

UNTIL this lovely woman told me just weeks ago of a tried and true “old folks” remedy.

FELS NAPTHA soap!!

I was in disbelief. A bar of soap?? A bar of laundry soap?? No way!?? YES Way! for $1.27 I got a large

bar of soap at Ace Hardware, washed my sons itchy hands, and after two washings it was almost dried up!!

Now when they come in from their outdoor adventures, they are immediately stripped and bathed in the soap (watch the eyes) to PREVENT breakouts, their outside clothes are laundered in shavings of the soap to get rid of the oil that can stay on clothing for up to a yr.

And if they do get a few itchy bumps, I cover the bumps in the lather and allow the lather to dry. It's my new, personal miracle!!!

I hope someone might find this as helpful as we have!

Blessings to you and yours!!

If you have leftover powdered or regular milk, and don't know what to

do with it, pour it in your bathwater and your skin will be nice and soft.

Paper towels are getting really expensive where I live. So I decide to try a pack of kitchen towels that are 6 for $4 from Walmart. And they work really great for any kind of mess. I keep a stack

of them in the kitchen and even my guys like to use them better then paper towels. If they get stained I just add borax to the laundry when I wash them. Hope this helps some else on a tight budget.

I have reused my flexible plastic cutting boards by cutting them to the appropriate size and using them

in the bottom of my re-usable shopping bags or as a stiffener in the bottom of a homemade purse or bag.

Scouring pads begin to rust once they are wet. Cutting them in half doesn't work for big hands. I don't bother cutting scouring pads in half anymore. I use it and then pop it in a baggie to store on the freezer door. When you need it again,

the warm dishwater thaws it out quickly. Use it to scrub and then simply return it to the bag and refreeze. You can do it over and over again until it gets too yucky. Then throw it away. I also keep the baggie on the door for the next scouring pad.

I have very curly and 'wild' hair and use a spray detangler/leave in conditioner (for wet and dry hair). It makes brushing/combing easier and reduces frizz drastically without using hairspray etc. Many people also use these for children as it makes combing a little easier – especially for tangles that can be a little painful for little ones. I noticed that it is quite pricey, in com

parison to shampoo and conditioner.

In the old bottle, I added a small squirt of my regular conditioner, filled with water and shook well to mix it up. I have been using it for a while now and have noticed no difference to the original product.

You could use any pump spray bottle with a 'mist' setting. For me, the savings are small enough for this to be a practical frugal tip.

I have seen alot of posts about using baby socks as reusable tampons. If you want a less mess/hassle product I would highly recommend the diva cup. It's a small reusable cup made of either gum rubber or

silicone. They cost about $30 but are well worth it since they last at least 10yrs. They are a little tricky the first time you use them but everyone I know who owns one would never go back to pads or tampons.

This isn't exactly a frugal tip but it is something that every Widow should know. I learned this the hard way, I lost my husband before I was 60 years old. A single widow of sixty can star

t withdrawing from her husbands Social Security account. It will be reduced of course. When I started at age 60 it was 70 1/3 percent of the amount I could have gotten if I had started at age 65.

We all know that smoking is a dirty habit, but did you know that it can shine up those old silver rings while still leaving the character on them?

I have tons of old silver rings, many of them spoon rings. After a while they become dull. Naturally it's time to clean them but if you put them in a jewelry cleaner they are COMPLETELY clean and, in my opinion, equally lifeless.

Tarnish gives old silver character and makes its design pop out.

I have discovered ( thank

s Mom ) that if you put a fingertip into an ashtray and then rub the outside of your piece with it, the tarnish comes off very easily but still leaves the hollows and ridges dark!

Afterwards you can wipe the ring with a paper towel, or rinse it under running water just to make sure all the ash is off!

I wouldn't suggest picking up a smoking habit just to clean your rings, but it is a very cheap and easy way to clean up those old rings without taking away their spunk!

There is a product in the store laundry area (near products like Shout) called “Color Catcher.” (Looks like fabric softener sheet, but thicker.)

I have used one sheet to wash mixed colors in laundry loads, as it traps any loose dye in the wash water into the sheet you place in the wash. I have even cut the sheet in half and still gotten good results. People who sew and prewash their fabri

cs before cutting, could maybe use this to maximize the number of fabrics that they could wash together at one time, since the dyes may release in the first washing. It may also be good for a single person, elderly, or bachelor who do not have enough dirty clothes to separate the colors and yet have full loads for economy. May or may not be economical based on the cost and how you will use it.

My mom taught me at a young age to never waste butter when a recipe calls for a buttered pan. Instead, when you use sticks of butter save the wrapping an

d use those to butter your cake pan or muffin tins. I keep mine in a plastic baggie in the fridge and it definitely saves money and a little bit or waste.

This is to all of you who have, like me, been afraid to get a pressure canner. By all means get one. I saved up and bought one from Walmart and am so glad I did! Though it does not save much time per occasion over a waterbath it is so versatile and the one for about $90.00 will do 20 pints at a time! So if you want to preserve food by canning by all means get one. It really is not scary at all. I saved from grocery money and had my children give me money for birthday etc. in order to get mine.

(editor note: Please be aware this is about a canner NOT a cooker.  A Pressure Canner is strictly for canning food and a Pressure Cooker is for preparing meals only.)

The newest prices for powdered milk in the grocery store are $15 to $17!!! (lg. box) gone are the days of cheap, but still good to have on hand.

(Editor's note:  Please comment and tell us what you're paying for powdered milk where you are, and if there are any ways to save.)

I have a small plot of land I like to call my vegetable garden.  In my attempt at gardening, I have tried a variety of mulches (like paper, straw, etc.) to keep down the weeds, but there are always a few stubborn ones that come through.

Since I don't like to use anything chemical on or around my vegetable plants, I've found using just plain old white vinegar in a spray bottle works well to keep the weeds a

t a minimum.  I use the vinegar full strength and spray all over the ground around my vegetable plants.  This seems to work just fine as a preventative measure.  I do this on a dry day as rain would wash away the benefits of the vinegar.

If the weeds are too aggressive (like dandelions), I take a bottle of vinegar out to the garden with me and pour a little directly on top of each weed poking up through the mulch.

In my area of the Country a person can get Basic Cable TV for about $22. a month,

a big savings over Expanded Basic which cost me about $56. a month when I had it.

If you have made a pot of soup and it isn't as thick as you would like a quick way to

thicken it is to add some instant mashed potato flakes, carefully, a little goes a long way.

A simple thing we all use is hand soap. Buy a drug store pump foam hand soap and then just reuse it. You just refill to about a 70 (soap) to 30 (water) mix. Start with less water and gradually add enough that the pu

mp works easily. Use a permanent marker to leave a small line to use as your refill line for how much soap to use. The refill you choose needs to be basic without any pumice type additives as they will clog the pump.

I had been purchasing Feline Pine cat litter because it was biodegradable. I now purchase wood stove pellets and sprinkle with baking soda to reduce any odors. Wo

rks like a charm. I just make sure to purchase the smallest pellets I can find. Here Feline Pine is $5.00 for 5 pounds. Wood stove pellets are $8.00 for 50 pounds.

I am like many who don’t have big freezers or pantry room. When I do buy bulk to make gifts in a jar, I make several to “gift” myself with. That way I have soup starters, bread, cookie, hot chocolate, brownies, etc. on hand ready to go with a couple of added ingredients. In the long run I same time and money this way and don’t sacrifice a great amount of space.

Many of us save odds and ends of vegetables for making soup stock. Another thing you can do is save the liquid you use to boil or steam vegetables. A lot of the flavour and nutrients of the vegetables are left behind in the

water – and we normally just throw it away.

Freeze it in ziplock bags and once you have enough vegetable scraps and liquid, you'll have a great base for a stock – whether you add some meat/bones for flavour or not.

If you do a lot of baking, a frugal alternative to those little packets of yeast is to buy in bulk from a warehouse store such as Costco. Keep it tightly closed in your freezer and it will Keep indefinitely. If you have some yeast that isn’t working too well, dissolve it in a little water that has some sugar in it and let it set and grow awhile before using. Remember the yeast in bread reacts with the gluten that is developed in the flour by kneading so don’t stint on the kneading.

That would be “Vidaila Chop Wizard”. I have in the past chopped fresh produce & froze them for later during the busy week. It would take me a whole Saturday. Now with the wizard I can buy my fresh pr

oduce when it's on sale. With the wizard it takes no time at all to get those veggies in the freezer. No more onion tears, just peel cut in half lay on grate, push lid down presto chopped onions.

I keep my shoes in their original box (keeps them dry and dust-free). In order to know which pa

ir is inside, I take a picture of the shoe and print it, then tape it to the outside of the box.

The best possible soap scum remover or for cleaning tile is shampoo.  Just think about it, if it removes oil,h

airspray, etc from your hair stands to reason it would cut soap scum and get a lot of other things squeaky clean.

The best thing I've found to remove soap scum is…..a fabric softener sheet! Use the cheapest ones you can find. Just wet i

t and use it to scrub the tile/tub/sink. Make sure to rinse well as the fabric softener can leave a film if not rinsed completely.

To make some of the frugal recipes even more frugal, I suggest bypassing the canned beans and buying the dry beans. You will get three times more for the sa

me or less money. Do a quick soak, then simmer until tender and then add them to your recipe. One third of a 1 lb package is equal to a 15 oz can of beans.

Just wanted to add to the frugalness lol. I have found I save alot just by making sure to use my leftovers.One night a week I pull all the left overs out of the fridge and I get a night off cooking! Also if I have small amounts of veggies left, i have a bag in the freezer that I add it

too. when the bag is full I use it for soup. Just making sure you run all your errands, pick up all you need at the grocery store, that saves on gas and time. Anyway ya'll probably know all of this,some of us are slow learners. Thanks! Have a great day!(i love your web site!!!!!!!)

place in vehicle to discourage mice
place in closets/dresser drawers
place in

side shoes
place in stored suitcases
rub gently on hair to remove static cling

When I am browning ground beef for anything, Taco's, Chili, Sloppy Jo's I add one cup of cooked rice for every pound to pound and a half of meat just after draining the grease off. This works really well and your family will never know.

The rice ( brown or white ) takes the seasoning very well. I try to freeze left over rice from meals that way there is no waste. If you are having a meal with rice then try making a little more and plan a meal with ground beef for the same week.

I often walk or jog in the evenings for exercise. It's very hot and humid where I live so my exercise clothes go from clean to very sweaty right away. Rather than launder them constantly, or buy more sets, I keep a small bottle of detergent in the bathroom. I run a sink-full of warm water, add a scant cap-full of detergent, and soak the sweaty clothes while I take a shower. Since they're only mildly soapy, it doesn't take long to rinse them out and hang them out to dry (outside if the weather permits, or inside if it doesn'

t; they usually dry by the next evening, even indoors). It saves water because I'm not using the machine for a tiny load all the time, and it saves wear and tear on the clothes. They're clean enough that I don't mind wearing them all week until the next full laundry day when I can wash them more economically with a full load of clothes.

Of course, this could also be done with at-home or children's play clothes that were a little too dirty to be comfortable but for which you didn't want to do a special load of laundry.

When I cut the ends off of onions, carrots(including the peels), celery, as well as parsley stems I put them in a bag in the freezer to use later on when I make stock. I also save the onions skins( they give a nice rich color to chicken stock). Then, when I am ready to make the stock, I throw a bag or 2 in the pot. That way I don't waste anything and I also don't cook all the nutrients out of the vegetables I intend to eat. When the stock is done, I strain the whole thing and throw the used ends out.

Wet a clean wash cloth and pour about 1/3 cup of fabric softener (I use Downy) on cloth. Put

into dryer with clothes. On each load re-wet the wash cloth. This will do 4 or more loads.

Basically don't throw anything away. Doesn't mean keep smelly trash. No, I do have a bag to put out to the curb each week, and I do recycle the “trash” that can be. But,just because clothes don't fit anymore, doesn't mean they can't be “refurbished.”

1) A pair of jeans that are too tight, sew a strip of ribbon down the side seams after opening the seams and pressing out the rough seam, gives a little extra room, and makes an old style new. Great for kids who are growing out of their jeans faster than you can buy new ones.

2) Make a shephards pie out of left overs in the fridge rather than throwing  away that on

e serving of left over veggies. I call it “Mulligan shephards pie” a little bit of this and that, all put together, can be some interesting flavors.

3) I make my own laundry soap. Before I started making my own soap, I saved my laundry jugs to I'd have something to store the home made soap in. One batch of home made laundry soap is enough to fill six average size jugs.

4) Keep the thermostat set at 68. If it gets a bit chilly rather than turn it up, put a sweater or bath robe on, or sweep the floor with a broom. In summer, keep it set at 72, and if it's a bit too warm, rather than turn the AC up, drink a tall glass of ice water.

If you have ever had a problem getting those yellow stains out of your whites from storage, smoke, dust,and the underarm stains, this is just what you have been looking for.

• Take 1 cup Cascade 1 cup Clorox II , mix together in a five gallon bucket with the hottest water out of your tap.
• Add your cloth
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  es and let them soak overnight.

I have saved so many shirts that most people would have thrown away this way. Works wonders on baby and kids clothes also.Got the recipe from a girl that used to run a resale shop in our town for kids clothes. She shopped garage sales, then used this and resold them for a profit.

You can use any plastic that is labeled as #6 in the recycling triangle. don't use anything but #6 or you may get harmful fumes.

You will need:

• #6 plastic (I used broken cd cases)
• a candle
• pliers
• utility knife
• tooth picks
• tin foil
• a cup or can of water
• tweezers

To make the beads use a utility knife and a pair of pliers to cut/break off strips as wide as you want your finished bead to be and about twice as long.
Carefully hold one end of the plastic strip with the tweezers over the candle. it should be about 1/4 of an inch from the flame. if it smokes go a little farther, if it does nothing try a little closer.
You will know when you've got it right because the plastic will start to wiggle and curl up.
Immediately take it away from the candle and using your fingers wrap it around the tooth pick. this will i

nsure your bead has a hole in the middle. it may take a couple tries to get it wrapped around. the plastic is very hot so work fast or you will get burned.
Then keep heating it by using the toothpick instead of the tweezers to hold it.
When it is soft again pinch or roll between your fingers to make into the desired shape.
When you are done take the bead off the tooth pick and drop into the cold water to quickly cool it down.
For color you can use colored sharpie markers on the plastic before making a bead or you can use colored plastic like cd cases. I had good luck with cd cases. The take out boxes are very thin and so a little too flimsy to make really good chunky beads.
Your finished beads can be strung as jewelry, key chains, or window accents. Use your imagination.
This is a fun craft for kids but since it does involve a lot of heat and fire I highly recommend the kids color on the plastic while mom makes the beads.

Save money…..Cut dryer sheets in half – half is all you need and will last for more than 1 load of laundry.

When making your carrot cakes use baby carrot food instead of raw carrots your cakes will be more moist and taste a whole lot better enjoy

Serving the needy is one of our retirement goals and one frugal way of doing that is to be able to save ingredients from one meal and use it in another.

For example, last night we served chili to 75 needy folks at our local homeless shelter “The Annapolis Light House” and got rave reviews. Well while we did use many fresh ingredients, at least 1/3 of it was recycled soups and other ingredients which we had placed in a large food processor with spices and flavorings and turned into a the sauce for the meats (ground beef and turkey).

That old food processor or blender gathering dust on your pantry shelf can be pressed into service to liquify leftover meals and saved for chili, Sloppy Joes and so forth. Keep the cash out of the trash and use those leftovers!

(Susanne’s note:  “Keep the cash out of the trash.”  That is pure genius!)

Bill

These slippers take almost nothing to make, are very warm, use up stuff that would usually be thrown away, and are a fun craft idea for a lazy afternoon or even a snowday project for older kids.

What you need-

• an old towel
• 10 plastic grocery bags (regular size)
• 1 spool of thread
• needle

optional additions would include-

• yarn and a heavy yarn gauge needle for accent stitching
• ribbon
• silk flowers
• buttons
• beads
• or anything else cute to decorate your slippers

I used an old pair of store bought slippers as a pattern. cut out 4 pieces of towel to be the bottoms of your slippers. be sure to leave a quarter inch seam allowance on all sides. If you cut 4 of the same shape you can just flip 2 over to be the other foot. I find that a thinner older towel is easier to sew than a newer fluffier towel.

Next cut 4 slightly curved rectangles for the upper part of your slipper. The two short sides should be straight, the long sides should both curve the same direction, towards the toe. Use an old pair of slippers for a pattern. Again, cut 4, flip 2.

Now match up your slipper parts. Each slipper needs 2 layers for the bottom and two for the top. Make sure you have a right and a left. I made the mistake of sewing 2 lefts!

Now flatten out your grocery bags and stack them neatly on top of each other. Cut off the handles as they make a lumpy spot and fold the stack of 4 bags in thirds so you have a long rectangle. Lay your bottom over it and neatly trim around it so you have a layer of plastic bag the same size and shape as you slipper bottom. Do the same for the other side. Now do the same thing for the tops.

To assemble the slippers start with one set of bottoms. I used thread but yarn would work just as well and be a little cuter and more durable. I used a whip stitch to sew all the layers together. Make your stack with both towel layers on the bottom and the sack layers on top. star at the heel and sew around until you get to the other side of the heel. leave yourself at least a 3 inch gap to turn with.

Now comes the tricky part! Slide your finger between the 2 layers of towel and carefully turn it inside out so that the plastic bag in incased in towel. Poke out the corners and stitch down the remaining section. Do the same procedure for the other bottom and both tops. Now using the same whip stitch sew a top onto a bottom starting at the toe and working your way out to the edges. Then turn the whole thing inside out to give it a smooth finish and add any decorations.

You should end up with a comfy pair of terry cloth slippers that are slightly rustly from the bags. the bags make them very insulative, lend firmness to the otherwise floppy towel, and provide a bit of cushioning for your feet. you could do the same thing using quilt batting but I didn’t have any on hand so instead used some of my huge sack of grocery bags instead. the towel I used was an old one that had lost a lot of its nap and so was not very absorbent. i was about to make dish rags out of it when I noticed that my slippers were also looking a little threadbare and decided to try making my own. at $12 a pair for the cheap kind it is as expensive to buy a pair of slippers as it is to buy a new pair of cheap sneakers here. The ones I made had the added benefit of being the perfect size too.

If you google “make your own slippers” you can find a lot of different directions for making your own, some even have printable patterns. I still find that the bast ones are made off of a pair of old slippers that fit really good. That way you know they are going to be the right size. Just remember your seam allowances when making your pattern

Good Evening,

I hope everyone is celebrating a wonderful Christmas season! For our family, it just started! The traditional Christmas season is between Christmas Eve and the Epiphany, January 7th. We use the “12 Days of Christmas” to celebrate – putting our tree up on Christmas Eve, listening to holiday music, watching the recorded Christmas specials, etc. We buy all the things we need to celebrate on clearance because most everyone else is finished! We find gingerbread house kits, cookie sprinkles, holiday CDs and DVDs, etc. for more than 1/2 off the original prices!

So just wait a little longer than our American culture tells us to wait! Our children love it because they don’t have to wait very long between decorating the tree and opening gifts! And, they have a clear idea of when the holiday starts and ends!

Merry Christmas!
Take care,
Cynthia

Love the money saving tips here! In my area, a huge can (institutional size) of tomato paste or tomato sauce is a lot cheaper per ounce than buying small cans. I usually make several batches of spaghetti sauce (with and without meat) on the days that I open those huge cans. Then I fill small containers with the remainder, label and pop all of it in the freezer. I use a cool, low tech labeling system: masking tape and a permanent marker.

Some years ago, I saw a pattern on TV on how to make a sock. At that time, I didn’t have double pointed knitting needles and didn’t have the funds to purchase a set of them (when I looked, few stores carried them and they were all way toO much for a set of 4).

Well, while visiting my sister’s house I’d seen a small stack of chop sticks that she kept on hand for my niece who preferred using them (and still does). She let me borrow 3 pairs (6 sticks plus she was nice enough to let me have some sanding paper). I went home and got to work. Smoothed down the tips and smoothed out any roughness and made myself 6 double pointed needles out of bamboo chopsticks.

I still have 4 of them, 2 got eaten by my dog. Did not hurt my feelings at all, I got another set of chopsticks and replaced it soon enough. The great thing about them is just that – if I lose one or break one or just need another, I make it. Since then, whenever we’d go to an Asian restaurant or order Asian food, we’d make sure to get chopsticks.

Now I have too many.

I measured the chopsticks (many many chopsticks later) and they tend to run around a size u.s.8 which is around 5 m.m.
I’ve found I like the wooden ones because they weight less and unlike steel they don’t get cold in my hands. I’ve also heard that wooden needles are easier for artheritic hands.
I’ve used furniture polish to make them shiny and slicker, which does not hurt the yarn at all, just make sure to take a cloth and wipe any extra off. Though they do tend bow a little I’ve noticed but I think that happened after I’ve used them so often or that was the way they came, I just think it gives them character.
Also I have several sets, some I sanded a point at both ends and others I’ve left the end flat. They work fine.
Right now I’m making a steering wheel cover for my sister and myself and though the yarn calls for a size u.s.9 or 5.5 m.m. , I like the weave the chopsticks have made – I don’t think it’s too tight or too loose. I’ve just got to do the ties and attach them to the covers and they will be done.

You want to make sure to get the rounded chopsticks not the ones that you have to break apart (the ones that are joined all the way down the chopsticks and are square)-they are too much work to sand.
Ialso have come across some that only about 1 inch at the flat end was together. They are fine as long as the main body of the chopstick is round.
My niece brought me a 3 set that has a little ring engraving-like cut out at the non-pointed end and they worked just fine and the little ring gives them a sort of decorative look.
Someone once asked me how I stop the yarn from falling off the flat end of the needle and I’ve never had a problem with it. But it got me to thinking – most of the projects I’ve used them with have been small things: hats, gloves and socks. but if I wanted to make a blanket it might pose a problem.
While watching a knitting show, the hostess wanted to decorate her knitting needles and she used modeling clay to make decorative stoppers for her knitting needles and glued them in place. I have not tried it but I’m pretty sure that beads or anything with a hole large enough that the needle can pass through could be glued to the end as well as modeling clay.

I’ve expanded my search of wooden knitting needles. The little shish kabob skewers or sticks are a size u.s. 3 which is 3.25 m.m.
They don’t require sanding to a point – they require sanding the point to a dull tip and then smoothing out the rest of the stick/skewer. They work well with lacy weight yarns and at around $1 for a bag of them, not too bad.
And, I’m looking at dowels. because they come in more sizes and I have an electric sander to make it easier.

I posted a hint last year about making ordinary popcorn in a brown paper lunch bag, closing the bag, and microwaving it for about three minutes. It works very well but I’ve since read that the paper bag could catch fire, so it’s not recommended. Just a hint. I bought a popcorn microwaveable bowl with lid at Walmart last year and it works very well for popcorn and also frozen vegetables. It’s a big plastic bowl with a vent in the lid and cost $10 at Walmart. About 1/3 cup of ordinary popcorn and it makes 12 cups of popped treats. It may be sprayed with oil and then lightly salted if you wish after it is done. Enjoy!

Frozen veg require a bit of water in the bottom and then put the lid on. It works very well.

I am a long term sufferer of asthma and bronchitis and so have had to take a lot of cold medicine in my day. I hate all of it!
I stumbled on to this remedy and while it is not the tastiest stuff you will ever drink it is a lot better than the commercial stuff and costs approximately 3 cents for a cup full of it. you can’t beat that!

Take 2 cups of water and 2 round teaspoons of ground cloves and about 4 teaspoons of sugar or honey and bring it to a boil.
Let boil at least 2 minutes then cover and let stand until cool enough to drink.
Pour it through a coffee filter to strain out the chunky bits, then drink.

It is strong and bitter but will make your throat instantly feel better and the clove is also an expectorant and an anti-spasmadic so it will quiet the cough and help loosen up the mucus in your chest and sinuses.

For me it worked better than the commercial medicine and with a lot less side effects. It also helped relax the broncial tubes which made my asthma much better and the medicine stays in your system longer than the commercial stuff so you need a lot less of it and a lot less often. Clove is a strong medicinal herb though so don’t over do it and if you have any other health concerns other than the common cold you may need to talk to your doctor before you use it.

Have NOT tried this yet but thought it might be helpful.

www.ehow.com

I like a brand of fabric softener that is a bit more expensive so to make it go farther. I dilute it by half with white vinegar.  It still smells great and I get two bottles for the price of one.

We all know how frustrating it can be when the plastic wrap or Saran wrap always clings together when you tear it off the roll. It is hard to straighten it out. Keep the plastic wrap in the freezer and it will not cling to itself when you tear it from the roll.

I have just started using lime juice for deodorant and I am stunned at it’s effectiveness.

Cut in half and put in a container to last no more than 3-4 days and refridgerate other half for next session.

2-3 limes per week. Tiny limes are just fine if less expensive. I have used the salt crystal all my adult years but a detox changed the efectivness, so I was on a MISSION to stay natural and smell good. No lime smell just no smell and you can delay shower for 3 days and still the same no odor.

Even though there are just the two of us in the house I like to buy my shampoo and conditioner in the large “economy” size containers. As I have aged it has become more difficult to handle those large bottles in the shower. I also have never liked the fact that they are all opaque and I can never see to get the last bit out. Now those empty mustard bottles are just the right size and I can see through them to tell when they need refilling. They do not give too freely either so I can control the amount used better as well.

I have used vinegar for the longest time, but my kids said they missed the awesome smell of clean clothes. SO…I found Suavitel (Walmart carries) fabric softener. The large bottle runs about 8 dollars but I pour half into another bottle and use half of what it calls for. Does the same job with static and makes clothes smell wonderful. So I can get 368 loads out of 8 bucks figures to be .02 cents a load. I like that!

We have a unheated porch that connects to the back of our home. The door has a gap at that lets cold air in so we took a 2×4 that we cut to the width of the door. I then covered it with an old beach towel that was starting to fall apart (rolling the board in towel) I then stapled it to the board. This stopped all the cold air and it did not matter if the towel got dirty. When snow starts to fly to keep it from getting wet I put a kitchen trash bag over it. Then in the spring I removed the staples hosed the towel clean and hung it out to dry. This gave me a use for all the old wore towels I had been saving for rags and the scrap 2×4′s from our projects around the house we are doing.

We live in a beautiful old house that has great architecture. High ceilings, big drop-weighted windows and an exposed brick wall. Sounds gorgeous until November hits and all the little drafts start cropping up!

So I decided to make some draft dodgers. I looked at patterns, then I remembered that I’m hopeless at sewing!

I wanted something that wouldn’t be embarrassing to have guests see, would be affordable and would be festive for any season- and cheap too!

So I came up with no-sew draft dodgers. You’ll need ziploc bags (2 for each dodger), a decorative towel (1 for each dodger) and some sort of filler (we use cheap kitty litter). You will also need pretty ribbon or yarn.

Take a ziploc baggie and fill with litter to a depth of about an inch or so. If you add too much it will be hard to roll later, so experiment. Fill a second baggie and then set them aside.

Take your decorative towel and lay it out, pretty side down with the long edge facing you. Lay the bags of litter flat (get out all the air you can) along the near seam of the towel’s long side. Create a small tab of fabric over the edge of the baggies and then roll up the edge of the towel and continue on until you have a little ‘draft log’.

Take a section of ribbon and tie a bow/knot tightly on the end- about an inch in so it looks like a piece of hard candy wrapped in paper. Repeat this on the other side of the ‘draft log’.

These are short, if using hand towels, for longer towels use more baggies for the ‘draft log’.

They are so cute around the house. I even put a few on the window sashes and they look perfect for the holiday season. The towels can be changed out if they get dirty or it’s time for a season/decoration change.

Since I can’t take my standard-size bottle of my favorite perfume in my carry on luggage (and I never check a bag anymore!), I just spritz my clothing while packing. For short trips, this works very well. I know perfume should be applied to the skin and I certainly would advise people not to spray perfume on some fabrics, but this is the next best thing for short business trips, et cetera, if you’re not going to invest in small bottles that don’t last very long.

I love a good cologne but buying matching bath powder is too pricey. I just put corn starch in a nice container and spritz with my cologne or sprinkle a few drops of cologne or perfume into the container and stir, cover and let set overnight.Presto…beautifully scented bath powder to match your cologne!

my 25 yr old daughter loves the mac ‘n cheese from aldi. for 35 cents and a bit of milk and butter, she has a meal in a few minutes.

she’ll often add diced spam, hotdogs, crumbles from her last burger, etc.

i prefer to add different cheese. what i’ve found turns out fantastic is 1/4 cup of feta and/or 1/4 cup of cheddar grated into the prepared cheese sauce. it’s fantastic! makes it so special.

we also throw in leftover veggies, especially 1/2 cup frozen mixed veggies we’ve nuked a bit. so easy and inexpensive – a one dish meal made special with the addition of a few cents worth of ‘good’ cheese.

I work anywhere from 35 hours to 70 hours a week outside the home and my husband is out of state 10 days out of every 15. We have 4 sons at home and still manage to homeschool our 14 & 12 year olds (the other 2 are adult). My time is at a premium and cash is just about as dear. However, I don’t want to sacrifice homemade goodness but time-saving mixes are oh-so-expensive.

Here is one of my solutions:
My Homemade Automatic Bread Machine (ABM) Mixes

I make 10 at a time so all one of the boys has to do is heat the kefir (or buttermilk) and butter, dump it in the bread pan along with the baggie of mix and press start. Wallah! Homemade bread.

Directions
Prepare 10 quart zipper bags by labeling them (I use freezer type for durability since I reuse them over and over). I use a Sharpy pen & I write “add 1 1/2 c. warmed kefir and 2 Tbls. butter” — use the measurements for the wet ingredients for your favorite ABM recipe.

Now, open all the zipper bags (I cuff the top to hold them open) and line them up for your assembly line. Measure in all the dry ingredients starting with the smaller measurements, adding flour last. Don’t worry about the salt touching the yeast, in the 10 years I have been doing this, it has never made a difference.

Once all the dry ingredients have been measured into the bags, press out as much air as reasonable and seal the bags. Store. I flatten mine and stack in a large Tupperware and store in the pantry.

To use the bread kits
Add the warmed wet ingredients to your bread pan (if your ABM suggest wet first), dump in contents of zipper baggie and start your machine. Fold up and seal your baggie and return to your storage container so you can reuse it for your next set of bread kits.

Enjoy your own favorite recipe of hot bread with about 3 minutes hands-on time!

Pure cotton baby socks make great tampons I have read. The key is to wash the socks six times without detergent before using.

Take advantage of “marked down” bell peppers at grocery store. They may not look pretty or firm, but once you dice them, you can freeze them for handy use in recipes calling for chopped or diced peppers. Tip for freezing: lay the chopped peppers on a cookie sheet & freeze before putting them into your freezer bag/container. It keeps them from clumping together.

I have often been outraged at the amount of money required to manage my menses every month! So I have been using rolled up baby socks for over a year and have not had any leakage, no infections, average amount of mess (like when applicatorless tampons are used) and have been very happy with the result. I am a college student and when I need to change one during the day and I am away from home I just put it in a leakproof plastic baggie, take home and wash. I soak them in 2 tablespoons of bleach to 1 pint water and wash when my cycle is over. I wash in hot water, regular detergent and bleach. I do not have a dryer so I line dry everything. To prevent embarassment I soak the socks in a non see thru bucket with a lid in the bathroom. To begin with I bought 6 dozen socks for newborns and have not worn out one yet. And I bought them used. Hope this saves someone money.

After scrubbing potatoes for cooking, save the peelings. Pat dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel. Use a heavy skillet with about 1/4 inch of oil. Heat oil to at least 350 degrees and fry up the peelings in batches. Great homemade potato chips plus extra fiber and vitamins from the skins, Add salt after removing from skillet.

Boil 1 cup unsulphered molasses 5 min., add 1/4 cup cider vinegar, boil for 5 more minutes. Add 1/2 of a small RAW diced onion, Stir, remove from heat.
Pour mixture onto large greased cookie sheet or platter. The patient ( victim?) must consume all of this while it’s still warm, brush teeth, go to bed.
This was my grandfather’s cure and it works! I still got colds, but they never lasted more than a few days.

I recently went online to Rubbermaid and got a coupon to save $1.00 on the Produce Saver, I then went to local discount chain store and was able to get a box of 4 produce saver bowls and save a $1.00. I was skeptical but also curious because I wanted to make my fresh produce last longer. A couple weeks later my local grocery store offered a sale on lettuce, 88 cents a head compared to the usual $1.49 a head. So I purchased the lettuce went home cleaned off outer leaves, trim down the stalk and placed it in my large produce saver bowl. The lettuce lasted 4 weeks and was as crisp the final day we used it as it was the first day. I have also had great luck with fresh berries, and fresh onions after peeling them and using part of the onion. So even tho I spent approximately $8.00 for 4 produce saver bowls they have more than paid for themselves over the past couple of months. So far no wasted produce to throw out. I also wrap my celery in foil when I get home from grocery shopping and it makes the celery last twice as long.

I keep a poker chip on my sink to use for a pot scraper. My husband drilled a hole in the center so that it doesn’t obstruct the drain if it happens to fall in the sink. It works well, and I seldom purchase scrubbers, et cetera.

I was wanting to wrap a birthday present on a moment’s notice and didn’t have birthday wrap handy. I did have those helium balloons that had deflated. I cut a slit in it at the top, put the present inside, tied it with a fancy bow, and the present was ready to go.

Pita or Pitta is Middle-Eastern bread flat bread, similar to a tortilla (a little thicker and airy) or naan (less dense).
You can buy it from Middle Eastern and Turkish stores, continental delis and some markets.
I am lucky enough to have a middle-eastern store close by that sells all the Pita really cheaply at the end of the day.
You can also make it; it’s very easy and inexpensive.
Here’s a recipe: http://mideastfood.about.com/od/breadsrice/r/pitabreadrecipe.htm

Just yeast, flour, sugar and water. Those are all ingredients that I always have a lot of.
If you like, you can use whole wheat, for the extra fibre and nutrients.

So what’s so great about Pita? Well, for starters, it can keep about a week in the pantry/bread bin. It freezes really well – up to a month, but I’ve had some longer than before and it’s been fine.

Here are some ways you can use pita.

- As a wrap instead of sandwiches (which can get boring) for school and work lunches or lunch.
- As a base for ‘Pita Pizzas’ – just add a little tomato puree, some chopped vegetables and cheese and pop in the oven until the cheese is melted and golden. Takes about 20 mins including prep and kids love them!
- Eating leftovers. As mentioned on this site, the bad thing about leftovers can be eating the same thing over and over – eating with Pita changes it completely. I eat leftover pasta sauce, leftover casseroles, leftover chilli, (the list is endless) with a pita that’s been in the oven for 5 mins. This is a good way of making sure those little bits and pieces of leftovers get eaten and that they are filling.
- Use in place of tortillas for all sorts of Mexican foods – burritos, quesadillas, fajitas etc
- Brush with a little olive oil, some salt (and finely chopped herbs, if you please) and bake in a moderate oven until crunchy. Cut into triangles and serve as is or with dips for a great snack for entertaining.
- For breakfast. A great alternative for toast, especially on the go. Spread with Jam (or whatever you like), roll up and eat.

As you can see, Pita can be used as an alternative for lots of things. Because of this, you might ask what’s the point?
They are so versatile! And stocking up on one thing – that’s cheap or cheap and easy to make – that can be used in so many ways is, in my opinion, one of the fundamentals of being thrifty.

The original solar energy–line-drying your clothes! I would occasionally line dry clothes and always thought how great they smelled and wished I did it more often. Then our energy rates went way up and I found I was able to see our usage online every day for the previous day-very cool. I was astounded to find that the days I used the dryer, even once, the kilowatts went through the roof. Okay, I’m way to math challenged to figure it out to the penny, but I figure it this way: Our rates went up 10%, and this year my bills are staying the same as last year or are actually slightly lower, so I figure I’m saving at least 10% on my energy bill from (1) line drying my clothes and (2) raising the temperature setting by 1 degree during the day.

You can always save leftover biscuits for something a little sweeter like bread pudding or freeze for another dinner side.

Whenever I take a bath, (if I’m not just terribly dirty) I leave the bath water in the tub. The next day when I do laundry, I use the water to fill my wash machine. It helps save on my water bill.

I routinely stash hotel soaps, shampoo, and shower caps in my luggage. While I have always found obvious uses for the soap and shampoo, it wasn’t until recently that I learned from one of my girlfriends that the shower caps make good bowl storage lids, very like the ones sold by a well-known company. This was news to me; they work well and can be wiped off with a damp cloth; and they now have a useful purpose in my kitchen!

My wife wanted to buy a biscuit cutter that was like $2.90 something for the set. I said why waste the money when we already had one? When we got home I took an empty pineapple can (similar to tuna) that had a ring on the bottom like the top and cut the bottom off with those safety can openers. It’s the size for the biscuit she likes and works like a charm. Cost, about 78 or 90 cents. I also use it for doughnuts. I just use an old film canister to cut out the center hole. Hope someone can use this.

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Since our water bill keeps going up and up and up, I keep finding ways to use less and less. When I empty the dehumidifier, I empty the water into a bucket and then I use the water to water my flowers or my garden outside. When I boil water to cook something, I save the water when I’m done, let it cool, and water plants with that too. – Laura

Great tips, Laura. Here are a few of the things my family and I do.

• Take quick showers instead of baths.
• Use bathwater to water plants (provided you didn’t add anything that could hurt them).
• Turn the water off while you brush your teeth, wash in the shower etc.
• Check for leaky faucets and toilets and fix them.
• Don’t run the washer or dish washer unless it’s full.
• Wash all dishes in one sink full of hot soapy water, starting with the cleanest and ending with the most greasy stuff (like pots and pans).

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For an easy and inexpensive way to pressure clean small areas, I use the hose attachment that comes with water balloons. It focuses the water into a small area and creates a lot of pressure. I cleaned my whole pack porch with one!

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To stretch ground beef, shred a leftover baked potato or two and mix with the ground beef after you have browned it. Season and use for tacos or whatever. My family likes it like this better than just plain ground beef.

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When I was in high school way back in the mid 1950′s My home economics teacher taut us to use oatmeal as a meat loaf expander rather than bread or crackers. This cost very little and increases the nutritional value. I have always made meatloaf this way and it tastes just fine.

To protect my arms from the itchiness and irritation of picking okra and beans, I cut part of the toe of my husband’s old tube socks. Cut one wide width for your fingers and a small one for your thumb, leaving the small strip between. Then I put on a pair of garden gloves and I can pick okra and beans or cucumbers with no rash.I’ve done this for 2 years. Either wash them or throw them away,using old socks is a cheap alternative to the pricey garden gloves.

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Often if you bbq chicken on the weekend and you dispose of any of the raw organs in the trash outside, by trash pick up day you have a terrible stench from the rotting meat sitting in the heat.

You can eliminate this buy wrapping the pieces in a plastic grocery bag and freezing them until trash day.

Just put them in the trash frozen the morning of your trash pick up and you wont have a smelly trash can.

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A Quick Frugal Tip By HBHW Reader Joyful Joy:

I’m single, live alone. A container of milk lasts quite awhile at my house, and I always end up dumping sour milk. My relatives are food snobs, everything must be the most expensive organic brand. When I made ice cream for the family last month, I used milk and cream from Whole Foods Market, a very expensive, high-end, trendy supermarket. But I discovered that the leftover milk & cream stayed fresh MUCH longer than what I typically buy from Winco (TWO WEEKS longer!), so I didn’t have to dump any. So I’ve learned: buy milk & cream from Whole Foods, stick to Winco for other stuff.

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Recently I discovered how to get lipstick out of fabric. Just spray with
hair spray and use a white cloth to clean. Eventually the stain will be gone!

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Trying to keep healthy lunch ideas at hand… I’ve been using any & all left over meat from supper & grinding in my “1 cup” grinder then add mayo & sweet relish (or dill) & a bit of celery seed & you’ve got a healthy lunch w/out any waste…sometimes I’ll boil a chicken breast to make it…my family loves it…You can also add onion & even a few ground up leftover veggies…works great & saves $$$$!

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A friend of mine made a suggestion for getting out greasy stains from clothing. Her daughter works in a pizza shop and these types of stains are common. Anyway, I have tried it, and it works-Dawn dish liquid! Maybe I’m the only one who didn’t know this, but I tried it on one of my husband’s shirts and it took the grease/oily stain right out! I hope this tip helps some others.

Further Reading – Keeping It Clean

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We freeze all kinds of fruits during the summer and also freeze bananas when they reach the over ripe stage. The bananas can be used for banana bread or for this healthy frugal ice cream substitute.

Take a couple of frozen bananas put in blender with just a little milk. Blend. You may need to add just a little milk but you want the consistency to be very thick.

You can add frozen strawberries, frozen cherries (pitted – yes they make a tool for that).

You should not need sugar if bananas were over ripe. You can even add chocolate chips at the very end for a chunky chocolate banana ice cream. Yummy!

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I am the mother of 2 small dogs. I love them to death but my carpets have suffered many an over-excited puppy mess. I tried a couple of the expensive store-bought remedies and they worked some but the stain and some of the odor stayed and attracted the dogs back to the same area.

Not wanting to drop another $12 on yet another “guaranteed” pet stain remover I went online and found one that works much better than any I paid for and costs about 30 cents per 12 ounce portion. Best of all everything is stuff we already have around the house.

In a plastic bowl (no metal can be used with this as it is reactive) mix

• 12 ounces of regular hydrogen peroxide,
• 1/2 a teaspoon of dish soap and
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda.

Stir it up and put it in a plastic bottle. I like trigger bottles since you can force the mixture into the carpet a bit faster than just pouring it on and letting gravity do the work.

Test this on a hidden piece of carpet first. I have both light and dark carpet and niether bled so it is relatively safe. Completely saturate the stain then block it off to keep pets and kids out of it and let it dry on its own.

Note: it bubbles up a lot as it disolves the stain also releasing the smell into the air so this is best done on a day when you wont be in that room for a couple hours. I find it works best if you make a day of it. Open all the windows. Mix up a couple batches of spot remover. Use a black light to find all of your stains and treat them all at once then go grocery shopping.

For smaller emergencies I found up-ending a laundry basket over the stain and weighting down with a phone book to be an effective way to keep people and pets off of that section of floor.

It was also mentioned in the article that it can be used in a steam cleaning machine. I would not want to try it though since My machine makes the water very hot and might foam up to much and damage the seals on the tank.

Hope this helps someone.

Further Reading – Keeping It Clean

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I hate the heaviness of plain fabric softener so I make my own. I use one whole jug of vinegar and I peel the rind off of two huge oranges. I love that smell of citrus. You cut into strips to tuck in jug and then I set it aside for two weeks. This is fantastic stuff. I use it straight in my front loader. Nice and fresh. If you like grapefruit better give it a try. Then eat the oranges as a snack. No waste..

Further Reading – Keeping It Clean

This is a 3 ebook series that will help you spend less time and money on your laundry. Tawra and Jill from Living On A Dime share their best frugal laundry, cleaning and home organization tips.

Grab your copy today at http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/laundry

Just a thought for the reader who has little pantry storage. My grandpa built narrow shelves for canned goods on the wall going down to their cellar above and below the handrail. I’ve seen NYC apartment dwellers put up shelves over doorways or around the perimeter of a room for storage. Then there’s the old faithful underbed thing on wheels intended for shoes, that can be used as a “pantry”. A couple years ago I remember a website or article dedicated to unusual space use, perhaps a search online would pull something up. I believe the guy had drawings of his ideas. Narrow shelving might be a good use for free pallet wood.

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When I buy a 2 liter(more or less), I cut the first few cups I pour with water, it’s plenty sweet. Once about half is gone fromt he bottle, I just fill it back up with water. I’ve gotten about twice the amount that I paid for and the kids enjoy it just the same.

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Mix 1 Tablespoon of Johnson’s Baby Shampoo with 1 quart of water in a bowl. Stir until well mixed. Pour into an old spray bottle. This is the best grease cutter and window cleaner I know. This cleans the top of my greasy stove and polishes it like it’s brand new. No streaks on windows either. Safe for film tinted windows. Works excellent on filthy auto windows. I also clean and polish my chrome fixtures inside as well.

Further Reading – Keeping It Clean

This is a 3 ebook series that will help you spend less time and money on your laundry. Tawra and Jill from Living On A Dime share their best frugal laundry, cleaning and home organization tips.

Grab your copy today at http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/laundry

Here is a low cost way of getting kids excited about nature..do what I do each year.
I am growing a plant called a TickleMe Plant in my classroom. For less then $60
I was able to have 30 students grow and take home a real plant that MOVES when you Tickle It! Every year it is the talk of the school. Have you grown a TickleMe Plant? The leaves fold up like magic and even the branches droop. They gave me coupon code Tickle and they said I could share it. It takes off $2.00 at this site. http://www.ticklemeplant.com See video

i cut soappads into 6 or 8 pieces i then can use 1 or more pieces at a time they stick together can be pitched in trash when job is done

In order to salvage the zip lock freezer bags for future uses, I package meat in the cheap sandwich bags (the fold over kind) then insert into the zip lock bags. With just my husband and me, it makes compact packages and when thawing, I make sure the opening on the inner bag is up so no drips make their way into the outer bag. This might not be useful for larger amounts, but it sure works for small amounts for 2-4 people.

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I found that when I cleaned the fridge before grocery shopping I was throwing away leftovers that I had kept so as not to waste food. To help me remember what was on the bottom all the way in the back I put a small dry erase board on the fridge. Now when I put leftovers in the fridge I write them on the board. Then it is easy to see what I have in there ready to be used up. It’s also great on those days when appointments run longer than expected and you get home at dinner time. Just look on the board and see what you can heat up!

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I saw your blog about melting down soap slivers for reuse. Here is my frugal solution. When you open a new bar of soap, wet the bar and the sliver and mold together. I usually do this while in the shower so both the new bar and the sliver are wet, warm and pliable. I too hate to waste soap slivers.

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In our area there are several salvage grocery stores. These are stores that resell dented and damaged packages of food. Some of it is in date and some is out of date but it is always inexpensive. I buy lots of paper products, some canned and boxed goods. I always watch the sell by dates and do buy some that are recent out of date. Check out this type of store if they are in your area.

I use 2 Tbs baking soda dissolved in about 2 cups of water and pour it over my head and kinda rub it in, then rinse well..for conditioner I use 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar in about 2 cups water …pour over hair, let it on a few minutes then rinse well…burns eyes terribly- be careful!

I haven’t bought shampoo/conditioner for over a year! My hairdresser asked what I’m doing…my scalp and hair are super healthy.

Also works great on my dogs. again, careful with eyes..i don’t use the vinegar part on their heads. It makes the white very white and fur super silky and shiny.

Enjoy!

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For those of us who have quite a bit of decorative jewelry and/or lots of pairs of earrings, I have sorted and paired items in a clear plastic tackle box. You know, the one box with the various plastic dividers and you can purchase these tackle boxes in all sorts of styles and sizes depending on your needs. These boxes also work well for jewelry making, kids crayons and arts and craft supplies, etc. They’re durable, portable, easy to open and stay securely closed. Also easy to pack and/or transport.

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You take a straw and a whole strawberry and push straw up through the bottom of the strawberry and the core pops right out. I then freeze my strawberries whole without having to cut them up!

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When i am able to find rarely a pumpkin on the market i buy it right up. i use it in many tomato sauces. first i just cook it up as for pumpkin pie and then if i had a blender i would blend it. since i don’t i run it through the hand crank vege musher. i then take the blended/mushed pumpkin and put in in small plastic bags and put them in the freezer. when i am making a tomato sauce i just cut off a portion and put it in. it works as a thickener. ie you need less tomatoes and can add more water. (tomato paste and tomatoes are expensive here) you can also use it for pumpkin soup. adding milk, onions,salt and whatever you want. if you have cheap small plastic bags you can just hack off the amount you want with the bag. i do the same thing with tomato paste. i get the big can and separate it into bags and use it as we need it. i don’t have access to good freezer bags so things go in plastic bags around here. (i live in Benin, West Africa)

If you have dropped your cell phone in water and it won’t work right remove the battery and put the rest of the phone in a bowl of dry rice for about 30-60 min. I dropped mine in a sink of water and couldn’t hear anyone on it. After I did this for 30 min it worked fine. I tried a hair dryer before that to no avail.

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I reuse cereal bags for freezing. I cut the tops off and cut down the middle to make a plastic sheet. Then I drop the cookie dough by spoonfuls onto the plastic and freeze. No matter how sticky the dough, it doesn’t stick to the plastic. And I didn’t have to go out and buy it for this one use. Later I put the cookie dough balls into freezer bags for later use. It is also washable.

When I make tea I use 3 large tea bags or 6 small tea bags to a gallon of HOT tap water. *Add 3/4 cups of sugar for sweet tea. I dont have to use gas or electric. Just let it do its own thing like sun tea. Takes a little longer but is worth it – Connie

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When I make my grocery list, I list things needed in the order they appear in the store. I also place my coupons in the order the items appear in the store. If the item is on sale, I place an “S” beside the listed item. That way I can see if the store has the sale item marked appropriately. If I have a coupon for the listed item, I place a “C” beside the item as well. That reminds me that I have a coupon. All these things help me to stay organized & get out of the store sooner!

From The Hillbilly Housewife

That’s an excellent idea. I do the same thing. One of the reasons why I recommend Menu Planning Central’s Meal Planning Service is because they do this as well. It saves so much time not having to run back and forth through the grocery store when you spent a little bit of time organizing your list first.

I make a grocery list with the following heading: Meats, Produce, Dairy, Can Goods, Frozen, & Misc: No Eat.

In doing this I can get in and out of the grocery store without back tracking through the store several times.

I can then save time and money cause it will not put temptation in front of me several times.

Highly Recommended – Penny Pinching Mama

Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.

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I keep leftover vegetables in a gallon bag in the freezer. When the bag is full, it’s simple to add hamburger or other meat and make a great soup or stew since the vegetables are already seasoned and cooked. A great time-saver for busy evenings, and a delicious and frugal alternative to takeout.

Highly Recommended – Penny Pinching Mama

Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.

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For over 30 years, my husband and I have used a Weber Kettle to cook our turkeys. (For those of you who may not know, a Weber Kettle is sort of a round type charcoal grill). We use regular charcoal, put on opposite sides of the grill rack with a drip pan in between. Clean turkey and tie up the wings with a thin wire to keep them close to the body (so not to get burned so much). We baste it about every 30-45 min with butter or margarine spiced with salt, pepper,crushed red pepper, garlic, onion, even some herbs. Just whatever your taste is. It cooks faster usually than in the oven, just follow the directions for the grill, and bring to proper temperature on a meat thermometer, and you will have the juiciest,most flavorful bird you have ever made! We have even cooked the turkey this way when the snow outside was GRILL DEEP-we had to dig it out first. Our neighbors thought we were nuts, until they got a bite of that bird! Oh, and you can make gravy from the drippings for a smokey tasting gravy. Just drain the drippings, and use a small amount (they are VERY rich)and proceed the normal way with your gravy. We have made turkeys all year long this way, no need for a special occasion

mix backing soda with shampoo and work into very wet hair, rinse and repeat, as many times as it takes. Make sure you then condition. I like biolage conditioning balm. yes I’m a hairdresser, have been for 30 years, it works and it want damage your hair, if you condition! Have a great hair day!

Further Reading – Keeping It Clean

This is a 3 ebook series that will help you spend less time and money on your laundry. Tawra and Jill from Living On A Dime share their best frugal laundry, cleaning and home organization tips.

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I’ve started using Febreeze as perfume! It’s much less expensive and some of the scents are great. I always have a can at home and one in the car so it’s easy. I always get compliments.

I save and reuse my bath poufs when they start falling apart. They work great for scrubbing the shower, sinks, and tub.

My husband confiscates ours to scrub the windshield on the car. They are apparently great for scrubbing bugs off – Susanne

Further Reading – Keeping It Clean

This is a 3 ebook series that will help you spend less time and money on your laundry. Tawra and Jill from Living On A Dime share their best frugal laundry, cleaning and home organization tips.

Grab your copy today at http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/laundry

In my community there is a fruit market that sells to the public and to local restaurants. I found that if I buy an entire bushel, or large bag, etc. I can buy produce for close to half the cost per pound as when I buy the produce by the pound. For instance, three-pound bags of onions cost $1.49, or about 50 cents a pound. When I bought the 48 pound bag, I paid $15, or 31 cents a pound. I had to ask if they would sell in large quantities for a discount – they didn’t advertise their bulk pricing. If the produce isn’t the type to store well, then consider freezing or canning it.

PowerHouse Brand Foaming Bathroom Cleaner that comes in a pressurized can works great to clean food, and burnt on food from your glass top stove.
One Dollar per can is a frugal choice!

Further Reading – Keeping It Clean

This is a 3 ebook series that will help you spend less time and money on your laundry. Tawra and Jill from Living On A Dime share their best frugal laundry, cleaning and home organization tips.

Grab your copy today at http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/laundry

If any of your favorite products have a website (most do these days), sign up for their mailing lists or newsletters. They usually send coupons, tips, and sometimes samples of their products to subscribers. If you don’t like putting your information online, you can call the 800 number on package (most things have a number for comments or complaints) and ask to be put on the mailing list.

Some (almost all!) of my favorite holiday treats are chocolate covered: puppy chow, chocolate covered pretzels, haystacks, etc. However, using wax paper to allow them to dry can take up a lot of my money. Instead, I save the plastic bags (inside the box) that cereal comes in, cut them open, wipe them down and use them in place of wax paper. I don’t ever put them in the oven, but it works great for allowing treats to dry and harden while repurposing something that would have been thrown away!

Highly Recommended – Penny Pinching Mama

Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.

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Many grocery retailers plus Target will credit you 5 cents for each bag used for your purchases. This often saves at least 50 cent or more per trip to the store. This adds up over time, and is a great step for the environment.

Highly Recommended – Penny Pinching Mama

Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.

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Soak feet for 20 min in white vinegar and warm water–50/50. Callouses will rub right off using dry bath towel. Especially nice for men. No more expensive foot cream. Leaves feet soft.

Highly Recommended – Penny Pinching Mama

Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.

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instead of not using the heal of the loaf of bread, flip it over and put mayo. or whatever on it for a sandwich and no one can tell the diffrence.

Highly Recommended – Penny Pinching Mama

Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.

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No matter what I cook, I always have a “ring” of leftovers..you know that stuff that gets under the metal rings of your electric stove burners?

After the stove cools, I take my baking soda and sprinkle it over the spill and then just scrub. I don’t add water to the baking soda…it works like a charm!

Further Reading – Keeping It Clean

This is a 3 ebook series that will help you spend less time and money on your laundry. Tawra and Jill from Living On A Dime share their best frugal laundry, cleaning and home organization tips.

Grab your copy today at http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/laundry

Hi
instead of purchasing bench spray I use 1/2 spray bottle of white vinegar
about 4 large lemons squeezed and sieved
then top up bottle with water and shake

Omit lemons if you dont have surplus to use eg. lemon tree! You can use a few drops of frangrance oil. Vinegar smell disappears in a few seconds.

Further Reading – Keeping It Clean

This is a 3 ebook series that will help you spend less time and money on your laundry. Tawra and Jill from Living On A Dime share their best frugal laundry, cleaning and home organization tips.

Grab your copy today at http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/laundry

My friend and I always said to each other if you want to save STAY OUT OF THE STORES. We buy once a month and make do with that. It works if you take a list and buy nothing else unless something you use all the time is on sale. Carolyn Page

Highly Recommended – Penny Pinching Mama

Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.

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www.HillbillyHousewife.com/penny

when I am cooking and need a little something on the frying pan I put some extra lite oil on a small spray bottle and spray just a little and not adding a lot of calories to my food.

Highly Recommended – Penny Pinching Mama

Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.

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Another tip to keep bacon from shrinking is to dredge it in flour before frying – it comes out with a crispy coating and there is less shrinkage!! I have been doing this for years. For variation, I sometimes add black pepper to the flour for an added zing!

Highly Recommended – Penny Pinching Mama

Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.

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My husband and i just determined that we could save about $25-30 per year by purchasing our butter in pound sections at Costco rather than quarters. The difference in price is just under $3 per package of 4 lbs of butter. It may not seem like a lot, but between that and the other little changes, we should see some improvement in our finances rather quickly without actually giving up anything!

Thanks for all your frugal tips!

Highly Recommended – Penny Pinching Mama

Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.

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I love California rolls (but nobody else in the house does) and I always have nearly 1/2 of an avocado left. I recently found that they freeze quite well. Simply mash the ripe avocado in a bowl and add about a teaspoon of lemon juice and freeze. I freeze them in an ice cube tray, so I can pop a cube out later to spread on a sandwich or use several cubes to make a small batch of guacamole. Just thaw at room temperature. If you don’t care about the ‘look’ you can even spread the mashed avocado on your seaweed, lay on the crabmeat and cucumber and make your California roll this way.

Highly Recommended – Penny Pinching Mama

Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.

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Chopped olives added to ground beef when browning give the impression of more meat than there is. Add them to spaghetti sauce when you want to use less meat.

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Always rinse bacon under cold water before frying, it will reduce the amount the bacon shrinks when you cook it.

Highly Recommended – Penny Pinching Mama

Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.

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I wanted to preserve my mother-in-laws handwritten recipes. First started scanning them into my computer. Then, decided to use my digital camera instead. Just lay the recipe card on the table and snap a picture. After downloading the pictures to the computer, you can rename them by the name of the recipe. You can even go further and prepare the dish, take a picture of it and add it to your collection.
I did this and then saved them on CD’s to give to our daughters and daughter-in-law. A nice gift for them, and no hard feelings that they didn’t get grandma’s recipes.

Highly Recommended – Penny Pinching Mama

Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.

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Hi:) I sent you the garbage bag costume idea and I remembered another one! this is for smaller children

You need:
1 cardboard box that is big enough for the child to fit in, small butter dishes, and spray paint

Cut a hole out of the top for their head, and the sides for their arms, as well as leg holes at the bottom.

Glue small butter dishes like the dimples of a lego)

Wait for glue to dry, then spray paint the entire thing either red, blue, yellow, or whatever color you’d like.

There you have it….a walking life sized lego

I have never like the flat taste of ground turkey. But the price was just to tempting.
Tip-when cooking ground turkey I add about 1 teaspoon of beef bouillon, 1/2 Tablespoon dry onions, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon GRANULATED garlic to uncooked ground turkey, then cook as normal.
I have also added spices for breakfast sausage to ground turkey with really good results too.

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Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.

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buy old bananas dice and freeze to use in smoothies. freeze in air tight jars. this delets need for ice cubes. and cuts down on waste. we wont eat them after the first speck appears. we do now! feel free to rephrase so it will sound better ect-melissa

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Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.

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When I’m making a recipe that calls for ground beef (e.g. Sloppy Joes), I use half the amount called for and substitute cooked pinto beans, refried beans, and/or shredded potatoes for the other half.

Highly Recommended – Penny Pinching Mama

Find out how Jill Cooper lived on $500 per month. This e-book is filled with over 500 practical, everyday ideas to help anyone stretch a small income.

Get your copy today at:
www.HillbillyHousewife.com/penny