Skip to My Lou always has such cute crafting ideas.  They now have super easy printable bookplates for teachers.  These would make a great Christmas gift or teacher appreciation gift.  Simply edit the name and print!  Skip to My Lou also has other teacher gift ideas such as fabric notebook covers, fabric luggage tags, bookmarks, and more.

Amy at MomAdvice has some budget friendly gift ideas for guys. 

Cindy at My Recycled Bags likes to crochet useful things out of recycled grocery bags.  This time she has created a pattern for a Christmas plarn stocking.

She Knows Parties is giving away a set of Paula Deen bakeware.  This would make a nice set for yourself or a gift for someone else.

Make your homemade edible gifts look a little better by putting them on a ribbon wreath plate.

Cyndi at Jewelry and Beading has searched through the archives for gift ideas.

Which links were your favorite?

image sxc.hu

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Are cell phones safe?  Before purchasing a new cell phone, you should check out this list of the best and worst phones from the Environmental Working Group. The list shows the amount of radiation emitted from the phones.

Cooking Light has 20 recipes that can be prepared in 20 minutes or less. 

Here’s a way to repurpose your aluminum cans into lanterns.

I’m all for making things easier in the kitchen.  Check out these homemade cinnamon buns – the easy way – from Southern Plate.

Now that Christmas shopping is in full swing, employees will be hitting you up to buy an over priced extended warranty.  Find out what Clark Howard has to say about these extended warranties and a way that you can get coverage on electronic devices.

Rather than throwing out your orange and apple peels, use them to make a simmering potpourri for your home.  Your home will smell delicious!  Check out 13 simmering pot recipes.

Which articles interested you?

image sxc.hu

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Christmas will be here before we know it.  Rather than buying bows for packages, try this idea for making bows from magazine pages.  These bows save money, repurpose your magazines, and avoid more products being throw away.  I think I will have to try these this year.

Times are tough and many of us have had to tighten our budgets.  We all have a service to offer.   This information on how to barter online is helpful. 

Custom made aprons seem to be the new rave.  Rather than paying $45-75 for a handmade apron, consider making one yourself.  Here are 52 free apron patterns to get you on your way.  These would make great Christmas gifts too!

My favorite coffee beverage is a caramel macchiato.  I’ve been wondering how many calories are in the macchiato and I found this coffee calorie guide today.  These calorie amounts are enough to keep you away from your coffee fix.  Thankfully, I’ve learned how to make my own caramel macchiatos at home.  I’ve been using skim milk and Smuckers sugar free caramel syrup.  I’m hoping the next time I make my own vanilla syrup that I can use less sugar and a little Splenda.

In our house, we prefer homemade playdough.  The texture is better, is lasts longer, and it’s really inexpensive to make.  Children sometimes learn easier when several of their senses are stimulated so I was pleased to see a recipe for pumpkin pie scented playdough. 

What interesting articles have you found this week?

image sxc.hu

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?

image sxc.hu

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Get 3x the points in the Pampers Gifts to Grow program with your Pampers wipes purchases.  This offer is good through 11/5/09.

Mommy Snacks has a free Pampers Gifts to Grow code for you to use.  This will give you one point in the Gifts to Grow program.

Save 20% on Christmas cards at Dayspring.  Use the coupon code PREVIEW20 at the checkout.  Also they offer free shipping on orders of $50 or more.  This is the final week to save.

Get a free tote at Avenue stores with a purchase of $60 or more.  Click here for the coupon.  Online shoppers can use the code AV91135.  This offer ends Sunday, 10/24/09.

My son wanted to be a Ninja for Halloween.  I told him I wasn’t spending $20 on a costume.  I was happy to find this easy DIY solution.

Save 70% at Restaurant.com plus get a free gift.  Get $25 gift certificates for only $3.  Use the code PUMPKIN at the checkout and hit “apply”.  This sale ends Sunday, 10/25/09.

Do you have any sales or links to share?

image from sxc.hu

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Thrift Store Tips #1: Converting the retail mind to the Zen of thrift – The Thrifty Chicks break down thrift store shopping with a very cool slant on avoiding impulse buys.

Think you can’t afford home security? CNN Money says, “You sure can – even on a budget!”

Living with long-term unemployment – an NPR special podcast worth a listen.

Getting fit, taking up new hobbies, and other extracurricular activities don’t have to cost a lot, in fact, in some cases you can do all this for near-free or free.

How being lazy can cost you more than you might think.

Last but not least a cool pictorial about 25 ways to save more money each and every week. Yay!

What cool blogs have you been reading lately?

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Homemade Granola Recipe

Free Healthy Eating Cook Books

20 Mule Team Borax – A MomGadget Review

My CD Storage Mistake – Save Yourself Some Trouble

Master Mix for Cookies

What Are You Doing at the Beach This Week?

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Char at Raising a Healthy Family has a tip for getting jobs done around the house.  Check out her chore bowl.  Looks great to me!

Bekah from Motherhood Moment has some frugal lawn care tips.  She discusses fertilizers and weed killer options that are inexpensive and family friendly.

Campus Grotto tells us how to get the most for college textbooks. 

Stop by Simply Thrifty for a chance to win some marigold seeds from Deb’s beautiful plants.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Did you know that you can grow potatoes in a barrel?  This is so interesting.  Learn how to save yourself some backbreaking work.

Check out my other blog, Little Fun; Little Learning.  I have shown an easy and inexpensive way to make your own learning games.  You can even get the kids to help you out.

I found this recipe for Olive Garden’s Pasta E Fagioli.  It sounds healthy and easy to make too.  I look forward to trying it soon.

My friend Jennifer at Declutter It! has some solutions for Lego storage.  We just adopted a new system in our son’s room and it has helped out a lot with those little pieces.  I’ll have to share it some time.

Another b5 pal, Maricar at Keeping the Castle, shows us a thrifty way to make stuffed toys.  Now we have a use for all those fabric scraps.

Cindy at another b5 blog, Busy Family Meals, gives us an easy recipe for baked trout with mushrooms.  I have some fish in the freezer (not trout), but I think this will be a good recipe to try.  I’ve been venturing out and trying a lot of new recipes lately.  Feel free to put links for your favorite recipes in the comments section.   

Enjoy the browsing!

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Top 30 Personal Blogs by Dumblittleman

Shopping Goodwill Online

Questions about your Credit Score

Financial tips to save money

Introduction to the Thrifty Life

Post from: Thrifty Mommy