For many, money is tight this year.  That doesn’t mean that you can’t have a great Valentine’s Day.  Dismiss your expectations about what Valentine’s Day should be.  This is a day to make your mate feel special and to spend time one another. 

1)  Make a romantic dinner at home.  I don’t know about you, but in the past few years, I have given up on going out on Valentine’s Day.  It is not fun to go to your favorite restaurant and wait an hour or more to be seated.  It’s not romantic at all!  Instead, make a special meal at home.

2)  Create a romantic ambiance. Dim the lights, light some candles, and play soft music.  You probably already have the candles in your home.  If not, you can pick up some for just a few dollars.  If you don’t have the music, set up a free playlist at youtube or borrow some music from your friends.

3)  Make your own Valentine’s cards.  A store bought card that says, “Love you” isn’t very special.  What makes a card special is that someone took the time to write something meaningful inside the card.  A handmade card also shows sincerity.  There are websites out there with free clip art or you could make a card and put a picture of the two of you on the cover. 

4)  Swap babysitting with a friend.  Offer to watch her kids on February 14 if she’ll watch your kids on February 15.  Remember, you don’t want to go out on the 14th anyway.  You could also wait until the kids are in bed to celebrate.

5)  Enjoy a movie at home. Last year, my hubby and I did not have a sitter, so I made a special dinner and after the kids were in bed, we enjoyed the silence in our home and watched a movie together.  I bought some sparkling grape juice for just a few dollars and some strawberries.  It was fun just to spend time together.

6)  Make your own decorations.  The internet is full of crafts, garland, and the sweetest decorating ideas.  Many of them aren’t time consuming.  For a fun activity, get the kids involved.

7)  Make your own fabulous desserts.  Enjoy a special treat together such as the famous frozen hot chocolate.  No Fuss Fabulous has a recipe that sounds pretty simple and they show you how to make it as a gift for friends.  Or use your left over candy canes to makes the cutest heart lollipops and cupcakes or make heart shaped cheesecakes from Skip to My Lou.

8)  Forget the store bought gift and give your spouse something special from you.  You know your spouse and you know what he/she likes (or at least you should!).  If your husband is always begging you to go to the car show with him, then tell him you’re taking him to the car show.  If you husband’s love language is touch, then give him a 30 minute massage.  If your husband’s love language is words of affirmation, then make individual hearts for him with special sayings on them or things you appreciate about him and place them in random places throughout the house, or you could tape them to the door for a heart collage.

9)  If you want to buy something for your special someone, begin shopping ahead of time and looking for something that doesn’t cost a lot.  If your honey likes cars, then maybe you could buy a magazine subscription.  If your significant other likes coffee or chocolates, then you could make them a basket of homemade treats with a few favorite store bought items.  Get creative and stay within your budget.

10)  Let the kids be thrifty too.  My kids love to make things.  Get the kids involved by letting them make their own valentines this year.  Family Fun has some really cute Valentine card ideas.  Of course, you can search the web for printable Valentines too.

11)  I know I said 10 ways. Consider this a bonus.  :)   Try not to send flowers this year.  The mark up at Valentine’s Day is insane.  If you do want to give flowers, consider buying them from your local grocery store or supermarket.  They actually have some nice fresh flowers and arrangements for a fraction of the cost.

Also consider checking out 50 Thrifty Links for Valentine’s Day.

What ways can you save this Valentine’s Day?

images used with permission of SkipToMyLou

School has only been in session for a few weeks and my little kindergartener has already come home with TWO fundraisers!!! 

I’ll admit, one of the fundraisers was decent.  There were some things that I would not mind buying.   The other fundraiser was asking us to put the names and addresses of family and friends onto postcards so that they could ask for money for computers or something like that.  My little girl came home telling me that I needed to fill out her paperwork and send it back the next day so that she could get a t-shirt.  I thought it was a form to purchase a school t-shirt.  The form said that if two of the people on her list responded, then she would get a t-shirt.  Imagine me trying to explain to my 5-year-old child that she wasn’t going to get a t-shirt the next day and that it was a sales tactic.  Thankfully, she’s well beyond her years and she understood, but still she was heartbroken.

For the most part though, I feel that these fundraisers are inappropriate.  Here are some of the reasons why I don’t like school fundraisers.

1.  The stuff is overpriced.

2.  It’s usually crap that I can’t use. 

3.  Kids are made to feel left out or unaccepted if they don’t participate or do well.

4.  I don’t like being stalked at church, outside Wal-Mart or anywhere else by children trying to raise money.

5.  You get little bang for the buck.  I mean, really, $8 for 25 square feet of wrapping paper?  Are they serious?

6.  There’s little to nothing you can do if the item doesn’t work.  Well, you could take it back to the school and demand a refund, but that would just make you look like a cheapskate that doesn’t care about children.

7.  I feel guilty if I don’t participate.

8.  I don’t feel right asking others to buy overpriced stuff.

9.  I get frustrated and annoyed every time I see the product that I paid too much money for.

10.  Many times the parents are the ones that do the selling which causes them to sell these things at work.

Before you start casting stones, please understand that I am an educator.  I know the importance of these fundraisers.  Honestly though, I think there’s a better way.  I’ve seen some pretty creative fundraising tactics at some of the schools I’ve worked at.  One school did a Coca-Cola sale.  The soda was just as inexpensive as if I had bought it at Wal-Mart, but they received a lot of proceeds from it.  What about a spaghetti dinner?  My daughter’s preschool did several fundraisers where the kids could bring in $1 and earn a special privilege such as wearing a hat to school.  Schools could even ask parents to send in a tax deductible donation at the beginning of the school year and then decide how much more money they should try to raise after the donations were brought in.  Some people would rather just give money anyway.

I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels this way.  How do you feel about school fundraisers?  Please leave your comments below and participate in our poll in the sidebar.  Thanks!

image: Discovery Education

I have always wanted to loose weight and get into shape but I refuse to pay for a gym membership.  So I started looking around my home to see what we could use to exercise with and found some really easy ideas to exercise for free.

1. Arms and shoulders- I play “superbaby” with my son and lift him above my head with repetitions.
2. Shoulders - Shake out your shirts and pants several times before you put them in your dryer while they are still wet (for extra weight).
3. Forearms - Fill an empty milk jug with water and hold it out straight to strengthen your forearm and wrists.
4. Abs - Play horse with your kids by placing them on your legs and lift them while pulling your stomach in.
5. Abs - Have your kids sit on your feet and play peak-a-boo as you do a sit up and hide from them when you go down and BOO them when you come up.
6. Butt - Peak - a -Boo is a great game here too as you can do squats behind the couch or counter to play with them.
7. Thighs - Walk up your stairs several times while carrying your kids.
8. Calves - Have your kids ride on your shoulders as you lift up on your toes.
9. Legs and Butt - Do lunges around a corner to surprise your kids and hear them laugh.  Little Man loves this game.
10. Walk/Bike ride - Just get out and play with your kids.  They will remember the time, not that you were exercising.

We as a society need to be more active and including our kids in this is how to teach them without them realizing you are exercising.  And I love the free part.

I love honey.  It is an all natural food that is pure and can be eaten straight out of the comb.  I will add not to give it to your infants less than 1 year due to the pollens in the honey.  But did you know there are tons of healthy benefits from honey?  And it’s cheap!  Here are a few that I found are great.

1. Hot Totties for a cold and cough - 1/3 lemon juice, 1/3 whiskey, and 1/3 honey; heat it and drink a shot every 6 hours
2. Cough - 1 tsp when needed
3. Laxative - Put some in your drink to cleanse your colon
4. Protectant - Bug bites and small cuts can be protected by putting honey directly on the wound to keep dirt and germs out until you can treat it.
5. Calcium - Some studies have shown that honey can help you retain calcium.
6. Sedative -Ok this is a stretch but put some honey in a cup of warm milk helps you sleep.
7. Hangover Helper - Put a few tablespoons on bread to help speed up the metabolism of alcohol.
8. Eczema - Use honey soap to reduce eczema
9. Fights bacteria - Honey evidently inhibits bacterial growth
10. Healthy - Great source of Antioxidants

So enjoy eating honey every day, multiple times a day with no worries.  Use it instead of sugar to sweeten your drinks.  It has fewer calories and more benefits than sugar.  AND it’s cheaper.

It doesn’t take long for pet owners to figure out just how expensive animals can be.  Sometimes it’s like owning a child.  Some of the expenses you may incur are shots, neutering or spaying, an invisible fence, litter box, cat litter, food, leashes, toys, chew toys, cage or home, travel carrier, and more.  Although these things can be expensive, there are some ways to help you save.

1)  Sign up for a freecycle account.  Just last week I gave away a 3-tier cage.  There are others giving away pet accessories and some freecycle groups will allow pet listings.

2)  Consider adopting an animal from a rescue organization.  A few years ago, we adopted a cat for $80.  She was spayed, declawed, and had all of her shots.  The $80 adoption fee was much less expensive than paying the vet bills for a kitten.

3)  Find an older veterinarian.  When I was growing up, my family always took our animals to an older veterinarian because he was less expensive.  He had been out of school for years and he did not have the expenses that younger vets have so he was able to offer cheaper rates.  I was fortunate to find an older veterinarian where we live now which is good because we adopted a kitten last year.  The vet that we use does not charge for office visits.  He only charges for the cost of his supplies.  I was able to save over $60 on my kitten’s first round of shots.  (Some people may not agree with going to older veterinarians.  I am trying to save money.  It is not my goal to put someone else through college.)

4)  Consider using a veterinary school for care.  Some veterinary schools offer services to the public.  Of course, you’re not seeing someone with experience, but these students are supervised by their instructor.  If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, you may just consider using their services for basic needs such as vaccinations.

5) Groom your pet at home.  Trim their nails, wash them, give them flea treatments, and cut their hair.  All of these expenses can really add up quickly. 

6)  Keep your dog in a fenced-in yard and keep your cat inside.  When animals leave your yard, they are more susceptible to parasites, injury, and other dangers.

7) Research, research, research.  If you’re thinking about getting a new pet, then I strongly urge you to research price of the pet and the needs that they have.  Because of our research, we have kept ourselves from purchasing a chinchilla, a hedgehog, and I’m sure some other critters as well.  We simply found that these pets were not for us.

8)  Research the different brands of food.  Most expensive doesn’t always mean best.  For a while, we were able to buy an equivalent generic of the brand we wanted to use. 

9) If you are brand loyal to the pet food you purchase, then visit the company’s website. Sign up for their newsletter and special promotions.  Many companies will email you coupons and special offers. 

10) Check your local veterinarian’s bulletin board.  I can’t tell you the number of animal postings I’ve seen on vet’s bulletin boards.  I guess if you have an animal that needs a home, a vet’s office would be the place to post the ad because those people are likely to care about animals.  Many people will give their animals away if they know they’re going to a good home.

Well, that’s my list of 10 ways to save money with pets and animals.  I can think of a few more ways, but I want to hear from you too.  Can you add something to this list?

image by Karen

I confess.  Within the past few years, I have become a coffee snob.  Honestly, it wasn’t intentional.  I promise.  I wish that my palette craved regular coffee because it’s a lot cheaper.  Unfortunately, that is not the case so I have learned to be frugal and save some money along the way.

1)  Brew your own coffee.  Uh huh.  Cut out the expensive $5 trips to Starbucks. 

2)  Look online for recipes.  You may think that you can’t make coffee like the pros, but you can.  It’s really not that hard.  You just need the right ingredients.  Thrifty Mommy has some coffee recipes from Dunkin’ Donuts.

3)  Splurge on the more expensive syrups.  If you buy the cheap, nasty tasting syrups, then you’re not going to be motivated to make your own.  Some coffee shops sell the same syrups that they use.

4)  Use coupons to purchase coffee beans and grounds.  Some coffee manufacturer’s put coupons in the Sunday paper.  Otherwise, check online at their website and sign up for their promotions and newsletters.  When all else fails, call the company and ask for the coupons.

5)  Look at the warehouse clubs for discounted rates on beans. 

6)  Check local papers, freecycle, and the internet for equipment. Coffee equipment can be very expensive.  Check around and compare prices, equipment quality, look for sales, etc.  I am thankful that we found a display model espresso machine for $20!  It brews coffee and espresso and has a frother.

7)  Store coffee properly.  Only buy what you can use within a short amount of time.  Some people say to only buy what you can use in a week.  I can keep mine for several more weeks just by storing it in an airtight container.  You might even consider vacuum sealing the beans.

8)  Buy beans instead of grounds.  Grounds lose their flavor quicker than beans.  This year I purchased a coffee grinder and started buying beans.  The flavor is so much better.

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You don’t have to spend a lot of money on dates for them to be fun.  Fortunately, there are some entertainment options that don’t have to break your budget.

1)  Bowling - You don’t have to be a good bowler to go bowling.  Being silly and laughing at yourself are part of the fun.

2)  Parks -  It’s ok to swing on the swings and slide when there’s no kids around.  Plus, it’s dark and you don’t have to worry about looking foolish.

3)  Natural attractions - Just a few weeks ago our family visited my parents.  My husband and I always know we’ll get a date night there.  We went out to eat and then we drove to the water front.  We walked around the pier and then went to the park.  Yes, we climbed on the jungle gym since no one could see us. 

4)  Ice cream - Stopping for ice cream is usually inexpensive.  You can get your ice cream and go to the park to sit and talk.  Or just get your ice cream and sit inside the freezing cold building and talk for a while.

5)  Coffee - Provided you don’t go to “FourBucks”, it won’t cost too much.  Even if you do go to expensive coffee shops, the two of you can probably spend less than $10.  I just have to say . . . you can do some good people watching at coffee shops. Right Kelly? 

6)  Baseball - Going out for a night of baseball can be inexpensive.  Some areas have local teams.  You can usually get seats for less than $10. 

7)  Discount theater - If you’re lucky, your area has a theater for movies that have been out a little longer.  Sometimes you can get tickets for $2-3.  I like going to these because it’s less crowded and going to see a movie as soon as it’s released isn’t a big deal to me.

8)  School musicals - You can find some pretty good talent at school musicals for little cost.

9)  Free attractions - Pretty much every area has free attractions.  It could be a festival in the square, free museum day, a local farm.  The internet is great for finding free entertainment.  Google your city and free attractions.  If you still can’t find anything, then give your chamber of commerce a call. 

10)  Stay at home - Put the kids to bed and make the effort to have a special night together.  Sit on the patio and drink coffee, have dinner on a blanket in the backyard, watch the stars, eat cake, or watch a dvd.  Get creative. 

I know you have some ideas for inexpensive dates.  Please share them with us. 

Dawn over at Frugal for Life has a great reminder of why we do what we do - living a frugal life.  So I thought I would leave my 2 cents and tell you my top 10 reasons why I try to be as frugal as I can.

1. The more I save, the more I can stay home with my kids.
2. If I save money elsewhere, I can eat out and not feel guilty.
3. It’s simply a sense of accomplishment to not spend more than $3.50 for a summer outfit and $4.50 for a winter outfit for my kids.
4. I spend way too much money traveling to see family.  I have to find the $ somewhere.
5. I like to challenge myself to spending less than 50% on groceries and watch the cashier gasp with surprise.
6. I love to share with others ways to save $.
7. Saving time allows me to spend it with my kids.
8. I love getting expensive clothes for really cheap.
9. I save money to pay cash for Christmas.
10. I love my high speed Internet.

Each hour today, we are blogging for charity.  Please consider making a donation to The Children’s Hunger Fund. 

So here are the top 10 posts for Thrifty Mommy so far this year:

1.  Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams Marry
2. 10 Ways to Teach Your Children About Money
3. 50 Ways to Save Money on Your Grocery Bill
4. 25 Ways to Use Vinegar
5. 50 Helpful Thrifty Mommy Articles
6. Frugal Friday - 7 Laundry Tips
7. 10 Ways to Save Money When Eating Out
8. The Carnival of Credit Card
9. 50 Ideas to Keep From Wasting Food
10. Top 15 Ways Restaurants are Sneaking In Cost Savings

Enjoy,

Each hour today, we are blogging for charity.  Please consider making a donation to The Children’s Hunger Fund. 

Recently, we did some work to our yard and I saw just how quickly money can be spent. We spent a few hundred dollars and all we got was a little dirt, mulch, and five small bushes.

If you’re willing to be patient, there are some ways that you can save a lot of money while gardening.

1) Post an ad on freecycle or Craig’s list. Many gardeners are willing to share their excess plants. I am a member of freecycle and I have seen several ads lately for gardening supplies.

2) Buy perennials instead of annuals. Perennials come back each year and they usually need to be divided every 3-5 years. When you divide them, you’ll have more plants to put some place else.

3) Swap bulbs with neighbors and friends. One year we dug up our flower bed and found hundreds of daffodil bulbs. Needless the say, the previous owner hadn’t separated them in many years. It’s nice to give away extra bulbs to friends, family, and neighbors. If people know that you’re interested in gardening, many times they will offer you their extra bulbs or cuttings from their plants.

4) Use seeds instead of buying plants. You can get a lot of plants from an inexpensive package of seeds, where as plants can costs a few dollars each. Plant the seeds indoors a few months before you need them. An egg carton, dirt, and pan are all you need to get started.

5) Be on the look out for volunteers. One year we dug up the volunteer bushes in my parents’ yard and planted them in our flower beds. We saved a lot of money and the bushes did very well. Sometimes you can even find plants in your yard that are offsprings of your neighbor’s plants. You can dig those up and put them in places where you need plants.

6) Purchase low maintenance plants. One year I bought some impatiens and they needed to be watered every day. If I didn’t water them every day, then they would start to shrivel up. Forget going on vacation. Some plants require special fertilizer and pesticides. Buy something that isn’t going to cost you a lot of money to maintain.

7) Get creative with planters. You could spend hundreds of dollars just on planters and pots. Search around your house for items you could use as planters. Some people use old boots, wooden boxes, wheel barrows, tea pots, tea cups, wagons, baskets, and baskets.

Get reference information from the library or internet. There’s no sense in buying expensive books and “how-to” guides when you have free references at your tips. There is a wealth of information that can be gotten without having to spend money. There are also online gardening forums where you can ask others questions. Gardeners are usually helpful people.

9) Get seeds from flowers and foods you already have. I have a lemon tree in my house that came from lemon seeds. Save your apple, plum, watermelon, and flower seeds.

10) Check out clearance sales. Sometimes you can find some deals on plants that haven’t received proper care. Sometimes all they need is a little TLC. Also, at the end of the season is when you can find potting supplies, edging, hoses, tools, etc on clearance. Target is good for putting those items on clearance quickly.

11) Save old coffee and tea grounds for fertilizer. Sometimes Starbucks will have free bags of used coffee by the entrance of their store. I’ve put coffee grounds on my new shrubs twice this week.

12) Water your plants at night. This will allow the plants to get the water before it evaporates.

13) Collect your rain water to water your plants. You can also save your bath water or install a rain barrel. This is especially helpful if there are water restrictions.

14) Make a compost pile. Fill it with yard and kitchen waste. The compost will condition and fertilize your plants.

15) Join a gardening club or plant swap. You’ll probably learn tips for plants which grow well in your area and you can swap seeds, bulbs, volunteers, and clippings.

What thrifty tips can you add to this list?

image: Me