The articles on debt free home building and home ownership looked like they’d be right up our alley. I also think I’ll check out the article on recycled wool rugs. My great grandma used to make beautiful hooked rag rugs and I have two left that I keep tucked away to remember her by. I’d love to learn to make my own rag rugs.

Photo by VND VND/Stock Exchange

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

I had a nice little digital camera that worked perfectly well for family snapshots, but I decided I needed a new one to take better photos for my blogs and to take photos for a magazine I was publishing. So, I spent around $400 on a new camera for taking business related photos.

Now, while it is really nice to have and I am still using it to take all of my photos for blogs and articles a few years later, it was not a genuine need. It was a want. My little personal camera is still going strong and probably would have lasted through the few hundred extra photos I took for business use.

I’m still glad I bought the new camera for work photos because you just don’t get people to take you as seriously when you whip out a cute little snap shot camera to take photos during an interview for an article. However, I do wish I would have realized it was a want before I bought it. I would have saved up for it instead of buying it right away on my credit card! Of course, I was less frugal then, too.

So, what is the difference between a need, a want and a desire?

A need is something you can’t do without. You need food every day. A want is something that will make your life comfortable. You need food, but you want it to taste good. A desire is something that is usually a bit out of reach. You need food, you want it to taste good and you desire it to be Beluga caviar.

Is it wrong for someone who is trying to be thrifty to want or desire something?

If you never wanted anything, you would never be discontented with your life and your bank balance would probably be bigger. On the other hand, your life might not be very fulfilling. (Breakfast…oooh, gloop. But it was free!! More gloop for lunch…but it was also free!!) However, a thrifty person will save for wants and desires instead of letting him or herself be fooled into whipping out a charge card to pay for desires because of all that advertising about how much he or she deserves the best. I think wanting nice things is fine as long as you are willing to save for them.

Photo by Lucía Pizarro Coma

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Surveys, Reward Programs and More

One way many people who are trying to be thrifty really end up wasting time is with surveys, reward programs, paid to read email programs and similar programs. Some of these programs are wonderful and definitely worthwhile. Others, not so much.

If you have to read a hundred thousand emails to get a $5 gift card or answer a 30 minute survey for a sweepstakes entry, you’re really spending pretty much time on something that will bring in little or no income. A guaranteed $50 honorarium for a survey or a rewards program that offers a decent reward for the time you put in is probably worth your time.

Revenue Sharing Sites

Revenue sharing sites are the new trend for people who write, chat, share photos, etc. online. Some of them can end up paying a mortgage payment. Others won’t buy you a cup of java after a year’s hard work. Be smart with the sites you invest your time in. Look for feedback from other people who are actually using the sites and making cash. Ask about traffic, revenue percentage and payout amounts. (Not all sites are willing to share dollar figures, but most will tell you what percentage of that secret figure they give to writers.)

Reusing Items Around the House

It is great to reuse and recycle items as much as possible, but not if you are losing two or three hours of quality time with your family each day to reclaim those items. How long does it take you to rinse out a sandwich bag, dry it and fold it for re-use? If the answer is too long, think about using a container you can toss in the dishwasher to hold your sandwiches instead.

photo by zbyszek80/Stock Exchange

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

I didn’t want more stuff. I was happy and content with everything I had. Now, I know if I would have gone to Macy’s, I would have wanted a new sheet set, a cute throw rug, those sweet new holiday dishes in pink and green…something I didn’t have.

The other thing that happened? I got creative. I was in the kitchen looking through a bunch of decorating ideas I had collected and came across the cutest bench under a window. I have a window! I want a bench under the window! Now, usually, I’d be checking the thrift store for a bench, but I was home and determined to stay there, so I looked around and…found the perfect bench in storage. I repainted it with that pint of mistinted paint I picked up at the local hardware store a few months ago for $1, put it under the window and…it looks great.

John Munsch

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

The more I focus on wasting less, the more I feel troubled at the waste all around me. That cardboard box from a new appliance the guy up the street just folded into his trash can? A person in a warmer climate would have moved into it. That lunch that a mom threw away after her child took two bites of a hamburger? A whole family in a nation suffering from famine would have shared it and felt incredibly blessed. Obviously, I can’t change the way other people live, but I can look for more ways to reduce waste in my own home and perhaps I can free up some cash while I’m doing it to help someone living in poverty. 

Even if I don’t manage to find extra cash to donate, there are some things I am doing to help fight poverty and I’d like to ask you to join me. Did you know that you can simply click on a link through The Hunger Site every day to help feed someone who is starving? You can find this tip and 87 other ways to fight poverty at the Blog Action Day site.

Photo by Piotr Ciuchta/Stock Exchange

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

I haven’t bought a book in a couple of years now. My whole life I always used the library; getting the bulk of my books there, but that doesn’t mean I never bought books. I used to buy books all the time. My general rule was if I check it out from the library more than once, I should just buy it.

I woke up one day and decided not to buy books anymore. I can’t live without books, and I do like to own them, so not buying them anymore was a big step.  I’m mostly driven not to buy because I hate clutter, and books clutter up fast, but an additional perk of course is that I save money.

We also don’t have cable television (at all). We don’t even have the basic cable that makes your reception come in. Cable is expensive where I live. Personally, I can live without cable, because I don’t watch much TV, but my son almost died – or so he said he might.  He said he felt like he couldn’t live without cable (in so many words); but he’s on the couch right now and appears to be breathing so I guess he was wrong.

Is there something you feel like you can’t live without that you’d be willing to give up to save money? Or have you done this in the past?  If you’ve never thought about it, consider the question this week. Think of something you feel attached to, and then consider the possibility of giving it up.

Ideas: 

• Cable TV
• Magazine subscriptions
• A second car
• Gym membership
• Pre-packaged foods
• Fast food
• Movie theater flicks
• Shoes more than once a year
• A bigger house
• Makeup
• And so on…

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

At the Gourmet Depot, there’s a handy little tool you can use to find and order spare parts for all sorts of kitchen gadgets. This is great say, if you break a coffee pot, or your blades on your blender get bent out of shape. You can find parts for just about every home appliance there is, and they make it easy by allowing you to look by appliance, manufacturer, or type of part you need.

So, the next time something breaks around the house, see if one spare part might do the trick. This is usually better for your wallet, and always better for the earth then tossing old appliances away.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

If you have some issues with emotional shopping, the best thing to do is to create some hard and fast rules to abide by. You can try the following:

Leave the credit cards at home, at all times. If you emotional shop on the Internet, you can freeze your cards, give them to your partner for the day, or finally, cut them up altogether.

Train your brain to know when you’re feeling like you might do some emotionally charged shopping. If anger makes you want to shop, notice that, and the next time you get mad, try a new habit, like jogging or smashing a punching bag.

Shop with friends; this means friends who don’t emotionally shop. If you only shop with your clear headed pal, chances are you’ll think twice about that skirt you don’t need.

Avoid your favorite haunts unless you have a list and stick to it. You may like one shopping place over another; Target, the mall, the row of cute boutiques downtown. When you’re feeling ready to shop based on emotions it’s best, obviously to stay clear of those specific haunts.

Carry new habits. If you’re out and about, it’s not as easy to avoid that feeling of wanting to shop. In this case it’s best to have a plan B. Carry a coloring book, crossword puzzle book, novel, or an iPod (or other system) with some short games or movies.

It takes some personal hard work, but emotional spenders don’t always have to give in. Do you ever shop based on your emotions only? 

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Just because you choose to live thrifty doesn’t mean you have to throw a thrifty picnic. Here at Simply Thrifty we looked at tips for an elegant and inexpensive potluck

At Declutter It you can read five tips to help you organize your summer BBQ. 

Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch by Robust Cooking

Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade at All Holiday Cafe

Rice Krispie Treats at Keeping the Castle

Homemade Oreo Ice Cream at Chocolate Bytes

Cool Summer Snacking at Inside Motherhood

Pasta Salad at Thrifty Mommy

Baking Delights is bringing enough chocolate for everyone to catch a chocobuzz with her favorite brownies

Nothing like sweet tea on a hot, summer day…Wait..I taste lime..mint…is that a non-alcoholic Mojito? Kettle and Cup has the answer.

Blogfabulous is serving up a super easy, keep your butt out of the hot kitchen solution to Hors’ devours.

Weary Parent is serving Chocolate Puppy Chow, a snack that’s bound to be popular with the kids

Offbeat Homes is sharing details on how to hold an offbeat picnic in four easy steps.

Tree Hugging Family shares 10 tips for an easy green picnic or green potluck

10 Summer party ideas and themes for your next backyard barbecue, or potluck.

Add some backyard Olympic games to your next barbecue, in honor of the Summer Olympics

And speaking of games, Marriage Actually is bringing a fun game for the grownups. Life Stories – a fun way to find out more about your spouse, friends and extended family.

Cyndi won’t go anyplace to picnic unless she can grill, but she doesn’t want to spend all day doing it. Try her tips for Grilling Chicken Fast, and get a jumpstart on your next picnic!

Who says picnics have to be complicated affairs? Keep it simple with cheeses, meats and homemade bread. Brewha-ha.com has a few suggestions – including a recipe for Polish beer rye bread

Whether you’re having a picnic, a barbecue or just looking for a fun activity to do with your kids outside, Susan at PlayLibrary offers a list of 50 outdoor toys and games that are perfect for summer.

This time of year there are bugs everywhere, don’t forget to bring the bug repellent along with your favorite dish to your next cookout.

Christine at Mad Cropper not only shares her favourite winter or summer recipe but also shares that you can turn recipes into creative works of arts. Find out how!

And while you’re out having all the fun and good food you can handle, don’t forget your pets – they enjoy special summer treats too!

At Quilting and Patchwork enjoy an array of potluck foods and memories from the Food Bloggers.

You never know what medical emergency could happen while your are picnicking…Marye at Simply Home Remedies is bringing the antidote for nearly ANYTHING!

Eliza at Babylune provides a checklist of tips to consider when taking baby picnicking.

Finally, when it’s all said and done – perhaps you can kick back with a nice frozen beverage. MomGadget prefers the Dominican Coco Loco

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

I look back on all of the money that we have spent in only ten years and it makes me ill to think of the next forty or more. Our kids are still young. We have not even begun to know what it is to struggle to afford raising our kids. There will be cars, proms, college funds and weddings. Thank God I only have two daughters! We may very well go bankrupt trying to keep up. Thank goodness my husband is a saver and a planner. If it were solely up to me, the one with umpteen pairs of shoes, all of our money would have been squandered away on Manolo Blahniks, long ago. We’d be broke as a joke, but my feet would be the talk of the town!

You see, after ten years of being married to my opposite, I am finally learning to see money in a whole new light. I am acquiring a taste for the thrifty lifestyle. Don’t get me wrong, I my stomach still jumps when I get a Nordstrom catalogue in the mail. However, I have learned to resist the urge to shop and replace it with another thing I take joy in…blogging! Now, instead of spending money on the things I enjoy, I make money. My husband has taught me to fill the void of spending with more constructive things. He has taught me to budget, even though I’m not perfect at it yet. He has taught me to clip coupons and find the best shopping deals. I have learned a great deal about being thrifty, from him. It is one of the many things that I love about him!

Post from: Thrifty Mommy