So with that said, what to do when you lose a manual? If your appliance or other product breaks and you don’t have the manual you may not be able to figure out if an easy (and cheap) fix is needed. That sucks and you could end up paying a lot to get your item fixed or even shell out cash for a new one. Instead head to Diplodocs first and try an easy search to see if you can find your manual. Diplodocs carries manuals or users guides for about 1,870,000 products and 5,600 brands.You can search for manuals by product name, manufacturer, or even do an advanced search. Manuals are available in tons of languages and all are free to download.

If you happen to have a sought after manual that’s not already available at the site you can help improve the site by uploading it to Diplodocs. You can even browse to see which manuals people are actively looking for.

Visit Diplodocs and learn more about this free service today.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Check for leaks: Although you hear horror stories about leaks, unless they’re insane leaks, they don’t cost you that much in cash. However, wasting water is never cool, not from a green-minded or budget minded standpoint so checking for leaks is smart. A major reason to look for leaks is because one little leak may be part of a larger, more costly issue.

To check for toilet leaks…

Quiet leaks are tricky. Unlike a running toilet, which you can hear and does waste a ton of water, a quiet or silent leak won’t make an obvious sound. Flush your toilet and as the reservoir is filling, add 2 or 3 drops of food coloring to the water. Have a cup of tea, then head back to your bowl. If the water in the bowl changes color, the flapper valve should be replaced.

If you get a leak or another sketchy toilet issue, you can try to fix it yourself (ONLY if you’re sure you won’t make it worse). Toiletology 101 offers many excellent tips and tricks for all sorts of toilet problems. Or you can consult your own handy fix-it book, which, if you own a home is really a super smart investment. The Official Rent-A-Husband Guide to a Safe, Problem-Free Home: Quick, Easy, and Effective Solutions for Do-It-Yourselfer Improvements and Repairs – this book has a stupid name (um, yeah, only men can fix things – lame), but is actually pretty good for simple home fixes. Another more in-depth  book is Black & Decker Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair: with 350 Projects and 2000 Photos.

To save more money…

Take a picture. Toilets have some seriously weird components at times. If you’re not sure what a part is, or if you should mess with it, take a photo then head to the local hardware store. The folks there should be able to tell you what you need to fix it.

Make sure people are using the toilet correctly – for example, you may think your toilet is acting up, but really people just aren’t flushing right. With many low-flows you really do need to hold that handle down for a count of five. Also instruct family not to put things in the toilet that could damage it in the long term. Most toilets can’t handle small toys, tampons, and other stuff.

Don’t wait too long to call a professional. Seriously, water damage to your home is WAY more costly than any toilet repair – heck, you could put in a brand new toilet for less than what water damage will cost, so don’t under budget for a repair that you really should hire help for.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Following are some great ideas for DIY kids furniture that’s also totally low-cost.

1. DIY Inexpensive Kiddie Table & Chairs!- I LOVE this set, it’s one of my fave DIY kids projects.
2. DIY Kid’s Chalkboard Table – so much fun, and great for indoor and outdoor play.
3. HOW TO: Eco-Refinish Children’s Wooden Furniture – grab any old dresser or bookcase and make it look amazing with a few easy steps.
4. Eco-friendly & affordable DIY play kitchen – many amazing ideas; trust me you will LOVE them all.
5. DIY kids cardboard furniture – really cool.
6. Perfect kids storage container with lots of extras.
7. Make a cool train table – for train and rail obsessed kids.
8. How to Build an Easel – a little tricky but doable.
9. Easy homemade bean bags – great for lounging around.
10. Build a deluxe playhouse – this last one is a little more in depth, and not so much furniture, but fun and really if you have tools and minimal skills you can do it. It’s also cheaper than they say (200-500) if you can locate free or salvaged wood (check Craigslist).

For more inspiration see 10 Fab DIY Playspaces.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Black Knight Costume

Pocahontas

Parents has some cute costume ideas.  You probably have many of the items needed already at home.

• Scuba Diver – uses 2 liter soda bottles, tubing, and goggles
• Beauty Queen
• Basketball Player
• Artist
• Mad Scientist
• Rock Star
• Magician
• Doctor
• Chef
• Zoo Keeper
• Construction Worker

Handmade Costumes – Most of these costume ideas are for smaller children.

• Little Lamb – This one is my favorite. It’s so adorable!
• Dalmation Puppy
• Crazy Caterpillar
• Rooster
• Goldfish

From Better Homes & Gardens

• Mac and Cheese Costume
• Chinese Take Out
• Milky Milk Shake
• Sweet Skunk (so cute!)
• Owl/Wise Guy
• Man at Work
• Woodland Sprite/fairy
• Rock Star
• Swatted Fly
• Spooky Spider
• Spooky Spider
• Cute Bat
• Magic Tree
• Silly Clown
• Grandpa Gus

Were there any costumes that you liked?

image from sxc.hu

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Why make homemade beauty and body care products?

• To avoid toxins – Skin Deep reports that many companies who make beauty care and body care products use known human carcinogens or developmental toxins in the products (as many as one third). Homemade products allow you to avoid this completely.
• To save money. All that packaging and fancy advertising will cost you. It’s cheaper to make your own.
• To let your creativity flow. You cannot mess up homemade beauty products or body care in such a terrible way that there’s no going back. You get to be creative, and if you mess up, it’s no big loss because costs are seriously low for most homemade products.
• To be green. It’s greener to make non-toxic products and to reuse containers then it is to buy new stuff over and over again.

I LOVE posting homemade beauty and body care products and do so a lot, it’s just never here (sorry folks) so I thought I’d offer a nice round up of awesome products you can make, on the cheap, at home.

Before you start read: Homemade Beauty Products: Safety 101

HAIR:

• Homemade Milk & Honey Curly Hair Smoothie
• Homemade Organic Herbal Hair Conditioning Spray
• Homemade Healthy Hair Care – Hair Masques

FACE:

• Strawberry Face Mash
• Homemade Organic Facial Toner
• Homemade Organic Cleansing Creams
• Homemade Natural Cranberry Lip Gloss
• Fast Homemade Organic Fresh Kitchen Face Scrubs
• Homemade Organic Honey Beauty

BODY:

• Lemon Bath Cookies
• Homemade Sugar Body Scrub
• Homemade Organic Liquid Handsoap
• Homemade Organic Facial & Body Cream

That should be enough to get you going. Do you ever make homemade beauty and body products? Is it to save money?

[image owned by Jennifer Chait]

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

4.  Repurpose what you have.  Paint that old lamp or picture frame. Change your night stand into a bookshelf.  Recover your old pillows with fabric. Use a sheet for window treatments. 

5.  Get an outside opinion.  It helps to ask someone else’s opinion for ways to help your decorating space.  Many times others will see things you didn’t see and have ideas you had never thought about.  They may suggest moving a piece of furniture or changing a wall hanging.  Those small inexpensive tips can make a big impact.

6.  Borrow furniture.  When I first got married, I didn’t have any living room furniture.  I ended up borrowing some things from my parent’s house.  All you have to do is get the word out to friends and family that you need some items for your home.  Some people have things in their basement that are just sitting around collecting dust.  Some will let you borrow things and others will just let you have the stuff. 

7.  Be patient.  You can’t expect your home to look perfect right away.  It takes moving things around, searching for deals, and tweaking things a bit.  It will all come together eventually.

What tips do you have for decorating on the cheap?

image sxc.hu

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Lou here, Ace’s “Helpful Hardware Man” and today I’m sharing some great budget-friendly tips on adding curb appeal to your home this summer.

The first step to having a home that looks great from the street is a healthy lawn. It is easier and cheaper than you might think. First you’ll want to clear away any leftover debris, including leaves, branches and your kids’ favorite summer toys. If your lawn is loaded with weeds, spray it with Ortho Weed and Feed – just attach to your garden hose and spray away. It costs about $10.00 and will kill the broadleaf weeds and also feed the healthy grass.

In about two weeks you can reseed the bare spots. First, scratch the soil a bit with a rake and sprinkle the seed over the area. Cover with peat moss and then water lightly. The peat moss will keep the seed moist and will prevent birds from eating it. Water just a bit every other day to help the seed take and try to keep the kids and animals off of these areas while the seeds germinate. After two weeks, the grass should be filled in and your lawn will look terrific!

Another budget-friendly secret to a great lawn is to run a rake across it to thin out any dead grass and promote healthy growth. This will keep your lawn looking thick and neat, and the only cost is a little bit of your time and some elbow grease.

Now that the grass is looking better, how about adding some perennial flowers along the walkway leading up to your home?  While perennials cost a little more, they will come back each year, giving you more bang for your buck. Look for plants that bloom at different heights like Moon Beams, Hostas and even rose bushes. Make sure you give them room to grow to create a beautiful, full border leading up to your door. Most plants will come with a recommended spacing to allow for full growth. I always take two inches off the recommended spacing because I like the thick, bursting look of healthy plants. Each year you can add a few more plants to change up the look and keep the front of your home fresh.

What low cost ways have you used to boost your home’s curb appeal?

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

1.  Shop yard sales and thrift stores.  I’ve been doing this for years.  Just a few months ago I was at a yard sale and found a really nice living room couch and oversized chair.  The person I bought it from had only used it for a year.  She paid $1200 for it and I got it for only $120.  Sometimes you can find some really unique items by shopping this way.

2.  Check Craigslist.  You just never know what you’ll find on Craiglist.  We’re getting ready to move into our house and the home inspector found some issues with the bathtub.  My husband found a brand new tub with jets on Craiglist for 1/5 the price.  It was one a contractor didn’t use.

3.  Think paint.  Paint is one of the least expensive ways to add warmth and color to your home.  It really is amazing how $30 in paint can transform a room.  I am not very fond of white walls and in our last house, all the walls were white.  Once we painted the living room a taupe color, the whole look of the room changed and I could hardly wait to paint the rest of the house. 

Stay tuned for more ideas and tips on inexpensive decorating.  In the meantime, we’d love to hear the ways that you save.

image sxc.hu

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

I have to wonder, with all the reusable sandwich and snack baggies and wraps available now, why are people still washing bags? Some may argue that you have to wash the reusable baggies or wraps too, which yeah does take water. However, have you ever seen reusable cloth baggies (SO small) it would take dozens, maybe hundreds to make up a full load which makes the water issue almost a moot point. And while cloth baggies or wraps cost more at start up, there’s no comparing costs in the long run. Cloth is cheaper. Cloth baggies can last years, while plastic baggies won’t. Cloth baggies save you time (no trips to the store) and they don’t add to your trash bill. Best of all, they’re healthier for the planet.

Here are some places to score good reusable baggies:

Plum Creek Mercantile - reusable, organic, Velcro closure, and last forever (I love mine, and my son has not lost any). About $25 for five bags of varying size.

Eco Sandwich/Snack Bags at Kathi’s Creations – cute designs about $5 a pop.

Kid Konserve – makes nice wraps that work like baggies. A killer deal too at just $25 for a set of five.

Better yet really save some cash and make your own reusable baggies!

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

• College grades
• Weight loss
• Buying a home
• Exercising more
• Eating better
• AND yes, of course saving money and more

For example:

Get support – no matter what you’re doing, having a baby, learning to in-line skate, creating a workable family budget to save up for a car, you can’t (or shouldn’t) do it alone. If your family is not on board with saving it’ll be harder. Just like if you’re trying to eat better and people keep bring ice cream into the house.

Make a list: Clearing your head works wonders for just about any goal. Once you write it down it’s there, it’s real, it’s not keeping you up at night. Making a list is also the perfect way to clarify your goals – i.e. steps to buying a home include… or my study plan for algebra should consist of…

Don’t cheat or take short cuts: You can’t cheat in school and learn anything of value. You can’t reply to some make a million $ scam and expect to get rich quick. You can’t grow a great garden in a week with some crazy ‘miracle’ garden product. Real money saving, real goals, take time and effort.

Be positive: I had an ex who thought life would be perfect ONE DAY if he had enough money in the bank. He was wasting his current life though, while waiting for that some day. The more positive you are the better your goals will go. So what if you only lost 2 lbs this month – it’s SO much better than not trying at all right? Did you ruin your budget by buying shoes? Well, fix it. Don’t splurge again – but coming down on yourself and focusing on the negatives makes you one, less likely to succeed, and two an annoying person to be around. Know that goals take effort, but that you’re doing fine!

What other simple life rules do you follow?

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Thrifty Mommy