b5 has been nice enough to trust me with another blog.  You can also find me at Keeping the Castle where we can discuss tips, resources, and give advice for housekeeping and homemaking.  See you there!

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Happy Frugal Friday!  I have hundreds of tips for you today!   

Sometimes at Thrifty Mommy we give you tips on sales and other things that are only relevant to that week.  But then there are times that we have lists of ways to save time and money that can be beneficial for years to come.

I decided to surf around the archives and pull together some of our helpful articles.  Most of these articles are relevant to men and women, whether or not you’re married with children. 

I hope you will enjoy these articles.  Let us know which ones are your favorite or if there are some other Thrifty Mommy articles that should have been included.

Happy browsing! 

Housekeeping

15 Summer Cooking Tips

25 Ways to Clean with Vinegar

60+ Frugal Ways to Use Baking Soda

10 Tips for Spring Cleaning Success

4 Thrifty Stain Removers

More Help with Common Stains

10 Tips for Saving Money While Doing Laundry

10 Ways to Clean with Baking Soda

Quick Cleaning Tips

10 Organizing and Decluttering Tips

A Frugal and Time Saving Dishwasher Detergent

25 Tips for Freezing Food

Cooking Tips

Top 10 Green Household Cleaners 

Recipes

Easy Cubed Steak

Tomato Casserole Recipe

Cheesy Chicken Croissants

Oriental Ramen Noodle Salad

My Favorite Slow Cook Recipes

Easy Scalloped Potatoes

Thrifty Tex Mex Taco Recipe

Mexican Casserole Recipe

Low Fat Strawberry Crunch Recipe

Decadent Peanut Butter Pie

Easy Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

Easy Cream Cheese Icing

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Frito Pie

Crock Pot Macaroni & Cheese

Thrifty Cheese Potato Soup

Easy Shepherd’s Pie

No Pasta Lasagna

35 Holiday Recipes

Automotive

10 Ways to Save Gas

How to Never Have a Car Loan

Get Educated and Save on Car Repairs

10 Ways to Reduce Your Car Insurance Rates

10 Ways to Keep Your Car Clean

Is a Hybrid Worth the Money?

10 Ways to Stay Awake While Driving

5 Ways to Keep from Buying a Flooded Car

Shopping and Saving Money

50 Ways to Save Money on Your Grocery Bill

How to Play The Grocery Game

10 Tips for Using Coupons

Saving Time at the Grocery Store

Time is Money and Money is Time

50+ Ways to Keep Us from Wasting Food

Get Those Rainchecks!

Get Green Points with Reusable Bags

10 Ways to Save on Your Summer Electric Bill

Top 10 Best Frugal Tips

10 Ways to Save Money When Eating Out

How to Reduce Your Winter Heating Bill

75 Ways to Save Money

Use Your Dishwasher

Save Money by using Rechargeable Batteries

25 Ways to Reduce Your Water Bill

Utilizing Craft Store Coupons

Find a Local Discount Grocery Store

20 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding

Sources to Help with Wedding Planning

How to Save Money at Christmas

Cheapest Days to Go Shopping

10 Time Saving Shopping Tips

Hot Cocoa for the Thrifty

Finances and Debt

10 Things I’ve Learned About Giving

Top 10 Ways I Have Cut My Expenses

Are You a Member of a Credit Union?

Protect Your Money with Direct Deposit

Deciding Which Financial Records to Keep

10 Tips for Handling Credit Card Debt

How to Pay Cash for College

20 Ways to Pay Off Debt Faster

6 Baby Steps to Financial Freedom

30 Tips to Get Out of Debt

Beware of Loan Mark Ups

Identity Theft Prevention 101

Are You Content?

Sell Your Stuff

Children

10 Ways to Teach Your Children About Money

10 Ways to Keep the Kids Busy While You’re Working

25 Ways to Save Money with a Baby

How to Get Beechnut Baby Food Coupons

Sign Up for Free Baby Products

How to Buy Diapers on a Budget

Springtime Craft Idea

The Diaper Champ Wins My Vote

10 Ways to Get Chores Done While Hanging Out with Your Kids

Top 10 Potty Training Tips

10 Free Events for Your Kids

Health

Thrifty Remedy for Sinus Infections

Top 10 Thrifty Tips for Dealing with Eczema

10 Ways to Exercise for Free

10 Thrifty Sunburn Remedies

15 Thrifty Tips for Staying Cool

Other

Top 25 Thrifty Ways to Go Green

Top 15 Frugal Gardening Tips

10 Uses for Grocery Bags

10 Thrifty Ways to Honor Teachers

10 Thrifty Ways to Deal with Mosquitoes

Thrifty Entertainment in Western North Carolina

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

In the Kitchen:

1. Make a paste with water to clean up your sink that isn’t very abrasive.
2. Stick a box in your fridge to keep the smell gone.
3. Mix 3 tsp with hot water to soak and remove tea and coffee stains from thermos’ and tea cups.
4. Use it on your counters to get rid of Kool-Aid stains off.
5. Rinse your fruits and veggies with baking sod. Make sure you rinse well.
6. Did you know it will tenderize meats?
7. If you like fish but hate the smell, soak your fish in water and baking soda for an hour in the fridge.
8. A pinch of baking soda added to tomato recipes can help cut down the acid in the recipe.
9. When you make baked beans, add a pinch of baking soda to the beans to help rid them of their gas producing ability.
10. 1/2 tsp of baking soda added to 3 eggs makes a light and fluffy omelet.
11. Baking soda is just as good as lemon juice for getting rid of foul smells on your hands.
12. I boil my baby bottles with baking soda to get them clean.
13. Just as with your laundry detergent, adding baking soda to your dishwashing detergent is a great idea.
14. Boil a little water and baking soda to get burned on food off your pots and pans.
15. Use it to clean your oven as well.
16. Make your own baking powder.
17. Keep an extra box near your stove in case of a fire.
18. Pour 1 cup of baking soda down your drain and chase it with 1c hot vinegar. 5 minutes later, chase it with 1 quart boiling water.
19. For the naturalist in you, when you are taking the feathers off the chicken, add 1 tsp baking soda to the boiling water.
20. Remove melted plastic bread wrappers from the toaster by using baking soda as a mild abrasive.
21. Use it as a mild abrasive to clean those stubborn stains in your Tupperware.

In the Bathroom:

1. Clear out slow drains.
2. Baking soda and water rubbed on rough elbows, heels, etc will help smooth and soften. Follow up with your favorite moisturizer.
3. 1/4 c baking soda and 2 cups warm water will work just as good as a clarifying shampoo.
4. Use it as a tooth whitener.
5. Put a box in the worst of the bathrooms (you know, the ones that the boys get hold of) to get rid of odors.
6. Mix 1 part baking soda with 2 parts oatmeal as a facial scrub.
7. Soak in the bath with baking soda will heal anything form poison ivy, sumac, sunburns, etc…
8. Soak your hairbrushes with warm water and baking soda to get the oil off of them.

In the Laundry Room:

1. Stretch your laundry detergent further.
2. Get the smell out of your clothes.
3. Soak cloth diapers with baking soda to get the smell and anything else that is there out.
4. Soak oil or grease stains with baking soda and water before washing the clothes.
5. You can also use it as a fabric softener in the rinse cycle if you use cold water.

General Cleaning:

1. Use it with water to polish your silver.
2. Mix it with Borax to make a great scouring powder.
3. Put it on a wet sponge to clean crayon off a chalk board.
4. Sprinkle it on your carpet or cloth covered furniture before you go to bed and them vacuum in the morning. Be careful not to let your kids crawl around before you vacuum.
5. If you have pets, sprinkle baking soda where they lay and let it set for 30 minutes. Vacuum it back up.
6. A bonus to vacuuming up baking soda is that it will help you keep your vacuum smelling better.
7. Use it for general cleaning by adding 4 tbs to 1 q of water in a spray bottle. Shake well and wipe clean.
8. Mix it with salt as a great soap scum cleaner.
9. Freshen up stuffed animals by rubbing them with Baking soda and then let them sit for a while. Shake them off and you are good to go!
10. Mix it with a little water as a great chrome cleaner.
11. Wash your garbage cans with baking soda.
12. Clean grease off the garage floor.
13. To maintain good drains, pour 4 tbs baking soda down each drain each week and chase it with hot water.
14. Soak your shower curtains with a baking soda/water solution to keep mildew away.
15. Take a soft brush and baking soda to canvas bags to clean them.
16. Take those stubborn black streaks off your RV or car with a little baking soda and a damp cloth.
17. Baking soda works well to clean your fish tank.  Just make sure you rinse it really well.

General Household:

1. Fill a pair of old socks with baking soda and place it in odorous shoes or your kid’s closet.
2. Put a sock in your car for when your sweaty football players come home.
3. Wipe water stains off your wooden furniture with baking soda and toothpaste.
4. I put baking soda in my diaper pail to help with odors.
5. Karen puts baking soda in the bottom of her litter box.
6. Clean corroded battery terminals with baking soda and water.
7. Put out small fires out by smothering it with baking soda.
8. Fill in nail holes in drywall with toothpaste and baking soda. Let it dry completely.
9. Mix slat and baking soda equally and sprinkle it where you see ants coming in to keep them from liking your home.
10. Need to determine if your soil is acidic for planting? Mix 1.4 c baking soda and 2 c water. Place 1 c soil. If the mixture foams, your soil is acidic.
11. Play Clay recipe: 1 1/4c water, 2 c baking soda, 1 c cornstarch.
12. Repel water from your windshield by heavily coating a damp cloth and wipe the windows inside and out.
13. Clean your jewelry with a baking soda paste and toothbrush. Silver does best but gold will work well too. Be careful with the gems themselves as some are soft and a toothbrush will scratch it.

General Health Ideas:

1. Mix baking soda and a glass of water for an antacid.
2. Gargle baking soda water to help with ulcers.
3. Put it on insect bites to take the sting out.
4. Use 1/2 tsp in a half glass of water as a mouthwash.
5. Make a thick paste of baking soda and water to take care of zits.
6. Remove splinters by putting moistened baking soda on the band-aid over night.  The splinter should be easily removed in the morning.
7. A thick baking soda/water paste poured on a burn and wrapped in gauze will help the healing process and prevent scarring.

Hope you liked the list.  I have learned a lot.  I’m sure there was a surprise or two in there for you too.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

I decided to surf around the archives and pull together some of our helpful articles.  Most of these articles are relevant to men and women, whether or not you’re married with children. 

I hope you will enjoy these articles.  Let us know which ones are your favorite or if there are some other Thrifty Mommy articles that should have been included.

Happy browsing! 

Housekeeping

25 Ways to Clean with Vinegar

4 Thrifty Stain Removers

More Help with Common Stains

10 Tips for Saving Money While Doing Laundry

Quick Cleaning Tips

10 Organizing and Decluttering Tips

A Frugal and Time Saving Dishwasher Detergent

25 Tips for Freezing Food

Recipes

Easy Cubed Steak

Tomato Casserole Recipe

My Favorite Slow Cook Recipes

Easy Scalloped Potatoes

You will need to click on “Read More” to see the rest of this article.

Mexican Casserole Recipe

Low Fat Strawberry Crunch Recipe

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Frito Pie

Automotive

10 Ways to Save Gas

How to Never Have a Car Loan

Get Educated and Save on Car Repairs

10 Ways to Reduce Your Car Insurance Rates

Is a Hybrid Worth the Money?

Shopping and Saving Money

50 Ways to Save Money on Your Grocery Bill

How to Play The Grocery Game

10 Tips for Using Coupons

Top 10 Best Frugal Tips

10 Ways to Save Money When Eating Out

How to Reduce Your Winter Heating Bill

75 Ways to Save Money

Use Your Dishwasher

Save Money by using Rechargeable Batteries

25 Ways to Reduce Your Water Bill

Utilizing Craft Store Coupons

Finances and Debt

Protect Your Money with Direct Deposit

Deciding Which Financial Records to Keep

How to Pay Cash for College

20 Ways to Pay Off Debt Faster

6 Baby Steps to Financial Freedom

30 Tips to Get Out of Debt

Children

10 Ways to Keep the Kids Busy While You’re Working

25 Ways to Save Money with a Baby

How to Buy Diapers on a Budget

Springtime Craft Idea

The Diaper Champ Wins My Vote

Health

Thrifty Remedy for Sinus Infections

Top 10 Thrifty Tips for Dealing with Eczema

10 Ways to Exercise for Free

10 Thrifty Sunburn Remedies

Other

10 Uses for Grocery Bags

10 Thrifty Ways to Honor Teachers

10 Thrifty Ways to Deal with Mosquitoes

Added later:  I cannot believe that I forgot to add 50+ Ideas to Keep Us from Wasting Food.  Sorry.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

1. If you have a toddler but can never seem to get the dishwasher unloaded without a chase or 2, then ask them to help you unload the dishwasher with you.  It has really helped to ask my toddler to unload the Tupperware while I unload the silverware.
2. Bath time can be so much fun!  But you can also clean the bathroom as long as you run the exhaust fan to keep fumes down while your little one is playing with the bath toys.
3. Stirring and cooking can be a job for 2.  Invite your kids to help you cook dinner so that you don’t have to worry about what they are destroying when you aren’t supervising.
4. Bad Parenting skill but huge time saver!!!  Pop in a video at the same time each day or let them watch a certain show each day and you get a load of laundry done.  Tell them that they can’t get off the couch until Dora is done.  That way you have 20 minutes to get a chore done without worrying about them.
5. Have teenagers around from church?  See if they want to have a play date each week.  I have a wonderful young lady that loves to play with my daughter each week.  I offer to pay her but she won’t take any money because she is just playing.  I get a TON done during those short minutes.
6. Do you work on your computer a lot but can’t find the time?  My daughter will only nap well when she is in the car or on my lap, so I get most of my computer work done when she is napping in her car seat.  I just pull up to the door and use my wireless access to work in the car.  You can also pull up to a café that has free wireless and work in the parking lot.
7. Teach your kids to clean their toys early.  This will keep you from having to do it before bedtime.  I am currently working on this one.  The toys should be put up about 30 minutes before bedtime. That way, the kids aren’t too tired to help and you don’t have to fight them.
8. Books.  Do your kids like to read?  When you are trying to clean up the kids rooms, make them sit and read a book.  That way, you aren’t putting toy A up while they are getting out toys B and C.
9. Go outside.  This might sound silly and easy but it is the only toy that is always free and easy to clean up.  It takes the energy out of a rambunctious child and you get to be the hero for playing with them.  It can be a couple of hours of playtime with no clean up time.  As long as you don’t count the extra laundry.
10. Share responsibility.  I loved it last night when my wonderful husband put her to bed.  That way I could get a relaxing shower and have a little me time.  Don’t forget to have a little me time.  Every other kind of time just goes smoother when you have me time.

So there are some helpful tips to take care of 2 things at once and feel like you are getting a lot done without twice the effort.  Hope this helps you get inspired to have fun with your kids while getting chores done.  Which one will be your hardest to do?  Which one do you already do?

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

At the school where I teach there is a closet where the teachers keep their art & craft supplies.  That closet has been a major irritation to me since I started working there.  Thankfully, that is no longer the case.  Last weekend my parents were visiting us so I took my dad to work with me.  We spent about 3 hours organizing the closet.  Now each item is organized neatly into a box that is clearly label.  It is nice to walk into the closet now and see signs for wiggle eyes, chenille stems, pony beads, feathers, and so forth.

Also this month I have tackled the pile station in my house – the kitchen counter.  I know, I told you about this one the other day.  Thankfully I spent several hours shredding, filing, and recycling papers.  The counter is not completely cleaned off now, but it looks so much better now.I like Maricar’s take on the matter of organization.  I agree with her.  We cannot do everything and be a good mom to our kids.  Sometimes things cannot always be the way we want them to be.  I cannot live my life being stressed out all the time because of the way my house looks.  I just have to deal with as much as I can and teach my kids some responsibility along the way.

I cannot advocate messiness and will always strive for some semblance of order in my house. But I also see the pitfalls of being obsessed with neatness. Mine is a 3-person job. Two little kids in the house, meals to prepare, bathrooms to clean, laundry to wash, and toys to put away every single day. At this point in my life, striving for neatness is causing me some amount of stress, and I never get there anyway. I want a clean house. I want neat closets. But, until the kids are older, I’d probably have to shelve such aspirations.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Author Emilie Barnes admits to being a born organizer. She and her husband, Bob, are the founders of More Hours in My Day time-management seminars.  Emilie has recently published her 70th book,  500 Time-Saving Hints for Every Woman.  Here are some things that she shares:

1.  The 80/20 Rule – Use this rule when determining priorities.  There are not enough hours in the day to accomplish everything you would like to accomplish.  Instead, you should be concerned with accomplishing the top 20 percent.  If you have a list of 10 items, instead of trying to get all 10 things done that day, concentrate on the top 2 most important.  Concentrating on the top 20% percent will get the most results.

2.  “Don’t put it down.  Put it away.” – I think this one is self explanatory.  Sometimes it’s hard to do with little ones at your feet.  Put things in their proper place.  I admit that I am trying to teach this one to my daughter.  As soon as she comes home she needs to put her shoes in the closet.  I’m trying to start while she’s young.

3.  “File it.  Don’t pile it.”  – Wow!  This is a big one with me.  A few weeks ago, I almost took a picture of the piling place in my home.  It’s the kitchen counter.  Instead, I spent several painful hours going through all the papers.  I filed, shredded, tossed, recycled, and so forth.  The pile is gone now.  I am trying really hard to go through the mail and papers each day to avoid this happening again.  The “pile” has been a major sore spot with me.

These are just a few of Emilie’s tips.  Click here for more information about her book, as well as a few more of her tips.

Picture from cbn.com.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Crayon marks – Clean crayon marks off your floors and walls with baking soda and water.

Clean coffee mugs – Mix 3 tsps of baking soda with hot water to clean stains from coffee mugs.

Laundry – Add some to your wash to help clean your clothes.  You can cut the amount of chlorine bleach used in your wash by half when you add 1/4 cup to front loading washers and 1/2 a cup to top loading machines.

Sinks & Counters – Sprinkle some on your kitchen counter or sink.  Perfect to use as a gentle scouring powder.  Helps to remove kool-aid stains from counters.  You can also add some salt and make a baking soda and salt paste.

Pots & pans – Shake some on your pots and pans, add dish detergent and hot water, and let them soak.

Freshen your carpet – Sprinkle some baking soda on your carpet before you go to bed.  Vacuum the carpet when you get up in the morning.

General cleaner – For a general all-purpose cleaner, dissolve 4 tablespoons of baking soda in 1 quart of water.

Soap Scum Remover – Mix baking soda and salt to make a paste that will remove soap scum.  No harsh fumes!

Freshen Stuffed Animals – Give stuffed animals a dry bath in baking soda powder and let it sit for at least 15 minutes.  Brush off excess.  This method is even safe for baby!

Clean Baby Equipment – Sprinkle some baking soda on your wet cleaning rag.  Use it to wipe down the crib, changing table, toys, etc.  Rinse and allow to dry.

Some sources and sites for more baking soda information:  How-To Info, Arm & Hammer, The New Homemaker, Frugal Living.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Click the link below if you are having problems reading the small print.  Enjoy! 

1. Have dinner ready: Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal — on time. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him, and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospects of a good meal are part of the warm welcome needed.

2. Prepare yourself: Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift.

3. Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives, gathering up school books, toys, paper, etc. Then run a dust cloth over the tables. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift, too.

4. Prepare the children: Take a few minutes to wash the children’s hands and faces if they are small, comb their hair, and if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part.

5. Minimize the noise: At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of washer, dryer, dishwasher or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet. Be happy to see him. Greet him with a warm smile and be glad to see him.

6. Some Don’ts: Don’t greet him with problems or complaints. Don’t complain if he’s late for dinner. Count this as minor compared with what he might have gone through that day.

7. Make him comfortable: Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soft, soothing and pleasant voice. Allow him to relax and unwind.

8. Listen to him: You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first.

9. Make the evening his: Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other places of entertainment; instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure, his need to be home and relax.

10. The goal: Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband can relax.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy