Here are two apple crates that we’re using as bookcases.  My hubby and I found these in a yard sale many years ago as we were traveling up the mountain to Virginia.  I think we paid $10 for both of them.  We have been using these for about six years and have really enjoyed them.

If you have any old dresser drawers, you could use them as potting boxes.  I saw this recently at a pumpkin patch and thought it was so cute.  If you use these on a railing (as shown here), don’t forget to attach them so that they don’t fall.

This old chair is a favorite in our home.  My husband found it a few years ago at a yard sale for about $5.  He cleaned it up and now Emma sits proudly on it in our dining room.  We really like the rustic look of the chair. 

These are a few ideas of how you can take some old junk and make it into a special treasure.  What ways have you repurposed your old things?

images (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

The Consumerist warns us about the risk we take when we sign up for coffee subscriptions.  There is no possible way I could drink that much coffee.

I have used plastic on my windows before to help keep my heating costs down.  I never thought of using bubble wrap.  This is a pretty neat idea as it is easier to install and uses something that you probably have at home.

My husband makes great eggrolls, but I am thinking about trying this recipe which claims to be the world’s best egg roll recipe.  Since this recipe makes so many eggrolls, you could easily make these and freeze them for future meals.  This would definitely be a time and money saver.

If you’re looking to give the gift of time this Christmas, you might consider making a personalized coupon.  These work well for services such as babysitting, foot massages, or coffee together and also for future plans for a concert or event.

Have you found any interesting links lately?

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Directions:

• Unwrap your peppermint lifesavers and set aside.
• Precut your ribbon and set aside. (You can use your craft store coupons to save money on ribbon.)  The ribbon should be about four inches long. 
• Melt the chocolate.  Put a little dab of melted chocolate in the center of some of the peppermints.  You should do this on the back side of the peppermint so that the words Life Savers does not show up on top of the pacifier. 
• Place a mini jelly bean on top of melted chocolate in center.  Set down on flat service to dry and harden. 
• While the pacifier tops are drying, attach the ribbon to the other peppermints (pacifier handles).
• Using melted chocolate, attach pacifier bottoms to pacifier tops.  Let them dry/harden.

These can be arranged on a table as a decoration, set out as refreshments, or placed into favor boxes for your guests.

image (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

My hubby and I dropped by the local antique/furniture/junk store this week.  We just never know what we’ll find.  I have been dropping in there frequently lately because I was looking for something for my tv to sit on.  I found a beautiful big dresser but it was $350.  Ouch.  I even considered it.  After all, it would be a lifelong beautiful piece.  Thankfully, we went back a few days later and found this entertainment center.  We paid only $45 for it!  I’m so excited!

The cabinet also has room underneath for our dvds and such.  We plan to keep that television for only another year or two, so it’s best that we didn’t pay much for a tv cabinet.  After we get a flatscreen for the wall, we can move this entertainment center to our bedroom to use as an armoire (since it has doors) or to one of the kid’s rooms.

What deals have you found lately?

image (c) Karen Weideman

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1)  Shop at day old bread stores and close out stores. Sometimes you can find great deals at Merita stores, Big Lots, and Dollar Tree has even had some Nature’s Own bread.

2)  Look for coupons.  Just last week I was at Food Lion and found a great coupon.  It was to get a free bag of Sara Lee bagels with the purchase of a loaf of bread.  The bread was only $1.99 and the bagels were $3.69.  I got two free bags of bagels. 

3)  Look for promotional offers.  Sometimes Sara Lee and Ball Park will offer a promotion in which you get free hotdog buns with the purchase of the hotdogs.  If the hotdogs are buy 1 get 1 free or if you have a coupon, you can really get a deal.

4)  Use your reward points.  Stores such as Lowe’s Foods offer points to their customers for each dollar they spend.  You can use your points to get free bread.

5)  Make your own.  Some specialty breads can be really expensive, but making your own can save quite a bit of money.

6)  Don’t let it go to waste.  If you have some bread that’s going to waste, try to find a use for it.  I’m thinking french toast, cinnamon toast, cheese toast, grilled cheese sandwiches, peanut butter toast, croutons.  There’s a lot of different items that can be made with bread.

7)  Look for buy 1 get 1 free sales.  Sometimes it’s easy to grab the same bread each time.  If you’re not name brand loyal, you can save 50% on your bread.  I have seen several buy 1 get 1 free offers lately.  It also provides a good opportunity to try something different.

How do you save on your bread purchases?

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They say opposites attract and I guess that can be true of friendships as well.  I have had three close friendships.  I’m talking tight, share all secrets with girlfriends.  All three of these ladies had issues with spending.  After being friends with them for a while, I noticed that all of them began to tone down their spending, their impulsive shopping, their wild credit card spending, and they began to look for bargains on the things they purchased. 

Of course when you are close friends with someone, you talk about life.  You talk about the things you buy, the reasons you buy them, what your long term goals are, what you’re saving for, and if money is tight you talk about that too.  Here are some things I have mentioned to my friends that I feel has caused them to be more aware of their spending:

• My objection to car payments – Try to save for a vehicle, pay cash if possible, finance as little as possible, don’t go for a high dollar car, and also the crazy depreciation rates.
• Don’t charge it – Basically, if you can’t afford to pay cash for it, you don’t need it.
• Impulse shopping – Avoid making impulse purchases. Think about it.  Plan for it.  Decide if you can afford it.
• Comparison shop – Look around for the best bargain.  Shop the sales.
• Use coupons – Try to use coupons on groceries, dining out, and entertainment.
• Plan for the future – Leave within your means and save for the future.  Save for a rainy day so that you don’t have to use credit for emergencies.

Have your finances affected your friends?

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With only one grocery store in town, I was left with the option of shopping there or driving 30 minutes each way.  My grocery bill had jumped 30% and something needed to be done.  It took me a few months to develop a system for saving money, but I think I’ve adjusted pretty well.

Here are some tips for saving money in a small town.

1)  Talk to friends and neighbors.  Let them know that you’re trying to find the best deals.  They may have suggestions for certain grocery stores or they may know of some discount grocery stores in the area.  Now that my friends know that I’m looking for deals, they sometimes email me to let me know of good sales.

2)  Stock up on deals when they have them.  I’ve mentioned the stockpiling/buying ahead principle before.  If something that you use is at a rock bottom price, stockpile that item while you can.  My husband doesn’t understand why I bought 15 cans of tuna last month.  It was 3/$1.  We won’t be needing tuna for a while and now it won’t cost me $1/can.

3)  Comparison price online.  Subscribe to grocery store weekly sales that are within 30 minutes of your home. 

4)  Shop in the city on occasion.  After comparison shopping online, plan to take part of your day to shop in the city.  Plan your route with your sale information to save money and time.

5)  Check your town’s website.  Some towns have their own website which includes information about free events, coupons to businesses, and promotions in the area.

Do you have any tips for saving money in a small town?

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5 Harris Teeter 1 lb bacon, buy 2 get 3 free
$3.79 reg each
$7.58 for 5 = $1.52 each final

3 Harris Teeter dozen large eggs
$1.29 reg each
$.88 sale each (limit 3)

2 packs boneless skinless chicken breast, bogo or $2.50/lb
(More than my target price, but I needed chicken.)

Luigi’s Italian Ice, bogo for $1.65 each
$.55 q, $.55 final

Mt Olive dill cubes
$2.29 reg
$.50 q (expires 8/2)
$1.29 final

Mt. Olive hamburger dill slices
$2.59 reg
$.50 q (expires 8/2)
$1.59 final

Hefty plates
$3.19 reg
bogo for $1.69 each
$.50 q
$.69 final

2 Honey Nut Cheerios
$3.75 each reg
$2 each sale
$1 q off 2
$1.50 each final

5 Ocean Spray Craisins, buy 2 get 3 free
$2.79 each reg
5 for $5.58 = $1.12 each final

3 Kleenex tissues
$2.29 each reg
$1.15 each bogo sale
$1 q off 3
$.82 each final

2000 Flushes
$3.49 reg
$1.75 bogo sale
$.55 q
$65 final

2 Peter Pan peanut butter
$2.65 each reg
$1.67 each sale
$1 q off 2
$1.17 each final

2 Swanson canned chicken 4.5 oz
$2.19 each reg
$1.79 each sale
$.75 q off 2
$1.04 each

Uncle Ben’s rice pouch
$2.19 reg
q for free package = FREE

Wacky Mac noodles
$1.49 reg
$1 sale
$.50 q
FREE

4 Bumble Bee tuna pouches
$1.39 each
$1 sale
4 $.55 qs
FREE

Colgate toothpaste
$2.75 reg
$1.38 bogo sale
$.75 q
FREE

Noxzema disposable razors
$5.99 reg
$2.99 bogo sale
$1 q
$1.99 final

Kerala Curry mango chutney Indian condiment
$2.63 reg
$1.36 close out

Kerala Curry Indian vegetable kurma sauce
$2.63 reg
$1.36 close out

Nature’s Pride multi grain bread
$3.69 reg
$1.85 bogo sale

10 Dannon yogurt
$.65 each reg
3/$1 sale
$1 q off 10
$.23 each final

Hefty Cups
$3.30 reg
$1.65 bogo sale
$.75 q
$1.15 final

Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts
$2.39
$.55 q exp 8/2
$1.29 final
(These were not on sale, but I wanted to use my coupon because it was expiring that day.)

I also saved $10 off my purchase because I am an eVIC member.

My pretax amount before sales and coupons was $130.95. After sales and coupons, my pretax total was $38.31. That’s a savings of about 70%! Woohoo! It feels good to save money!

What kinds of deals have you found this week?

image (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Here is a gift basket that I recently helped my mom make for a birthday present. Included in this gift basket is a mug with matching plate, two boxes of tea, a devotional book, $10 Target gift card, and some peppermints.

Even making this gift basket yourself, you could easily spend $50 or more on these items. Here are some tips on spending less:

1)  Look for used baskets that are in good condition.  You can find these at yard sales and thrift stores. 

2)  Shop for clearanced items.  Believe it or not, the coffee mug and plate were purchased at Marshall’s for only a few dollars.

3)  Use coupons to purchase food items.  You can combine a sale with a coupon to get boxes of tea or other items very inexpensively.

4)  Check out the selection at your local close-out or dollar store.  Sometimes theses stores get in close-out items that you can get at a fraction of the normal cost. 

5)  Use your prescription promotion coupons to receive gift cards which can be used in the gift basket or to purchase items to include the basket.  The card shown here was free because of a prescription promotion.

6)  Purchase clearanced ribbon or reuse ribbon from gifts you have received.  The ribbon shown here was purchased for about 75% off and only a small portion of the roll was used for this gift.

7)  Shred your own filler paper or purchase it at a dollar store.  You can shred colorful paper to go inside the bottom of your basket or you can purchase some for $1.  You will only need about half of the bag.

8)  Purchase the gift bag at the dollar store.  The dollar store where I shopped had two gift bags in a package for $1 which was half the price of the discount store.

9)  Use craft store coupons.  Your gift recipient may enjoy craft items, but you can purchase other items at craft stores.  Notepads, picture frames, flowers, and decorations are just a few examples.

10)  Add some baked goodies.  Just about everyone enjoys homemade treats.  Add some to a basket for an inexpensive personal touch.

What ways do you save money on gifts?

images (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

1) My daughter outgrows almost all of her pants in the length. 

2)  It’s hard to find shorts that are long enough.

What is the deal with short shorts anyway????

This year, I decided to take some of her old jeans and try to make shorts out of them.

I cut the jeans right above the spot where she had wore out the knees.  I was just going to roll them up,but decided they might unravel so I had my mom put a stitch in the bottom.

Ta-da. Now we have cute shorts that are long enough and they didn’t cost us any money.   Reusing old pants is a great way to save money on your summer wardrobe. 

You might also like this video on making maternity pants from old jeans.

images (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Thrifty Mommy