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Frugal Tips & Tricks for Getting Your Backyard Ready for Summer Fun!

June 11, 2013 by 6 Comments

backyard-ready-for-summer-fun

Frugal Tips & Tricks for Getting Your Backyard Ready for Summer Fun!

Summer is just about here which means is your backyard ready for summer fun? Just as we spring clean inside the house, we can often neglect the outside especially our backyard. That picture is of my brother’s yard and his wife does a wonderful job of maintaining it. It’s absolutely gorgeous with all the landscaping and her pool. She also uses many frugal tips to help get her yard and pool ready each summer for outdoor entertaining!

I was extremely fortunate to interview Sarah Saucedo from Thrifty Decor Chick Blog! She has amazing tips and I also have embedded a video of our phone interview below! She is such a sweetheart and she also has a gorgeous house with many of the projects that she did herself including her own backyard!

Sprucing up your outdoor space doesn’t have to break the bank. I have done very small things like nice outdoor planters with plants that need very little maintenance. Also, learn which plants are right for your area and if you have a certain amount of sun or shade. The front of my house gets lots of shade so I planted cast iron plants, holly ferns, and for color caladiums. Very easy to grow and they multiply. It’s pretty but I’m not out in the hot sun slaving away in my yard. I only have to do some pruning and dividing (cast iron plants will multiply) about twice a year.

Simple things can make a HUGE difference like spray paint or just cleaning! Watch this amazing video to learn more of her great tips!

Some of Sarah’s tips will include:

  • Maintain what you already have – find out how to keep your existing outdoor furniture looking fresh and new all season long, how to remove clutter effectively and maintain your area
  • Set the mood – décor doesn’t have to be expensive. Sarah will teach you how to use lighting and cheap table settings to up the festivity level
  • Let outdoor items perform double duty – use planters as food stations, buckets at fire places, and other creative fixes to maximize space and function
  • And much, much more!

Filed Under: cleaning, family life, Frugal Living Tips, saving money Tagged With: , , ,

A DIY TV Cabinet Makeover & Saved Over $100!

May 4, 2013 by Leave a Comment

cabinet-makeover

We bought new living room furniture and decided to do a DIY makeover to our current TV Cabinet stand. This is solid wood and a nice piece of furniture. I didn’t want to get rid of it as it has been around for over 14 years and still has lots of life left to give. I easily saved over $100 by redoing it myself.

We bought the one step step stain that has the polyurethane already mixed in so 2 coats and you are done. I went with a Bombay shade as I wanted a dark rich look when it was finished. I spent $10 on nickel plated hardware and got rid of the wood knob and brass hardware.

Hubby used a lint-free piece of cloth to clean it. Then he used a sand block so the stain would penetrate the wood. Then the cloth again to clean up any excess dust. Then stain it and let dry. Once dry use a piece of fine steel wool and again a cloth to wipe off excess dust. Apply the second and let dry and done! Voila!

Super easy and less than a couple of hours of work. The long part is allowing to dry during coats and after. Total cost with tax was $25.67! Not too shabby and it looks like a whole new piece of furniture. What do you think?

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tips, saving money Tagged With: ,

TMR Frugal Living Tip #100- Cut Facial Wipes in Half!

April 2, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Today’s frugal living tip is to cut your facial wipes in half! I know I definitely do not need to use a whole facial wipe when removing makeup. I mostly use them to remove eye makeup as I find it’s gentler on my eyes and removes more than eye makeup remover. I use both sides to get the maximum benefit. My mom cuts hers into quarters extending it even further. I find I do need at least half for myself.

It’s really easy to do though I would advise washing your scissors before hand to make it more sanitary. Cutting them in half will double your savings and one pack will last twice as long. It’s also less wasteful.

You can also apply this tip to fabric sheets and even to cotton square pads. I prefer to use cotton balls and stock up when on sale with a coupon. I normally buy the store brand as I can get better deals such as CVS or Target.

Do you use this tip already?

Filed Under: beauty tips, Frugal Living Tips, saving money Tagged With: , ,

EXTREME SAVINGS 101 is Check for Clearance

June 17, 2012 by 4 Comments

EXTREME SAVINGS 101 is CHECK FOR CLEARANCE

I wanted to start a series of how to save a lot of money without having to clip and sort through hundreds of coupons weekly. Many of us do not have that sort of time and want to buy hundreds of items on sale. The majority of people just want to save money for their own family and maybe help out others when they can.

If you want to learn how to get Extreme Savings without the extreme use of coupons, then this article is for you! I hope I can turn this into a weekly series to help you save the most money you can without spending countless hours sorting, clipping, and shopping. The key to saving a lot of money without lots of time is to become very organized. Otherwise you will waste time flipping through your coupons, trying to remember all the deals, and drive all over town wasting gas and money as well as time. You also have to be flexible and willing to check the clearance racks.

The FIRST RULE of Extreme Savings is to ALWAYS check for Clearance!
It does not matter which store you are in, you must always check clearance racks or aisles. The mall, outlet, grocery, drug, hardware, or box store. I have found AMAZING clearance sales when I least expected it. Many times there isn’t anything worth buying and that’s fine. Those few times you hit a gold mine of savings, you will literally feel like you hit a jackpot!

The picture above is from my recent Walgreens trip. I went in for the Nivea (of course they were out since it was a FREE after coupon item), but then I found this wonderful end cap packed full of clearance goodies. I was thrilled! I spent $7.xx out of pocket (spent most of my money on the toothbrush deal on sale) and almost everything I bought I had a coupon. My son was the one who found many of the great goodies. I have trained him well. :D

I found Colgate 360 toothbrush marked down to $1.15 and had a $1 off coupon so 15 cents for a toothbrush! Gum Star Wars toothbrush was marked down to 88 cents and had the 75 cent from All You so 13 cents for a TWIN PACK!!! Cortaid was $2.13 and had a $2 off coupon so 13 cents! GE CFL lightbulbs 2pk was marked $2.24 and used the $2/1 coupon so 24 cents for a 2pk!!! Those back scratchers were 4/$1 and I find them at Pier One for a buck! I give those in gift bags I make.

You honestly NEVER know when you will find a great clearance sale. I also use this strategy with department stores. I am on the mailing lists to get the coupons from stores I shop regularly. I have found many great clearance sales that were unadvertised. I don’t go to department stores daily, but many times the stores will advertise a great sale so I check. There are times I’m just shopping for something else, and I just check to see and I luck out! I did that at Walmart last month. They had the boys winter clothes marked $1-$3 on a rack, and the majority was the next size up my son would need for this coming school year and winter. I bought tops for $1 each! I also bought him sweatpants for $1.50! I spent about $20 but I saved over 80% off full price including several pairs of jeans! Even Levis brand (I know it’s a cheaper quality) but for $3 I could care less. He is super hard on his clothes especially his jeans.

We went to Academy for my hubby looking for work boots and came across another great clearance where everything was 90% off or more! I spent about $15 on him and walked out with 3 sweathshirts, and 2 jackets (marked $3 each!!!) and a shirt for $15.24 with tax! He actually uses sweatshirts and jackets at his job year round since he works on a refrigerated dock (he receives trucks a food wholesale company). We used to get amazing deals on old stock awhile back, but not since it merged with another company. Oh well.

You can still save a lot of money without coupons, but the use of coupons make many items FREE or ALMOST FREE! Anyone can do this honestly. Even if you refuse to coupon, then at the very least always check the clearance sections of your stores. Many times I have bought something (that was FREE after coupons) and gave it someone who I knew could or donated it to a shelter or food bank. It’s another way I can help give back on a budget.

I can help more people with $20 and coupons than if I just gave an organization $20. The picture above doesn’t even have everything I bought. I forgot to put in about 3 more items that I got FREE after coupons. The next tip will be soon!

Let me know. Do you check for clearance when you shop?

Filed Under: coupons, Extreme Savings, Frugal Living Tips, saving money, shopping sales Tagged With: , ,

Things You Should Never Buy at Goodwill Stores

May 26, 2012 by 1 Comment

I came across this crazy article about the Things You Should Never Buy at Goodwill stores! I am not sure who wrote this article as I have to disagree with the majority. I never buy undergarments as that is something I prefer to buy new in package. I guess bras aren’t in packages, I just feel better buying them new on clearance or sale.

I am curious as to what you guys think? I love buying at my thrift store. I help support the community, keep stuff out of landfills, and get great bargains!

Do you agree with this article? I would love to read your comments on this subject.

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tips Tagged With:

Great Tips for Saving Money at the Grocery Store!

May 25, 2012 by 1 Comment

I just came across this great article on Tips for Saving Money at the Grocery so I wanted to share. Many of these ideas are great and none about using coupons. I realize many people do not use coupons (I know shocking), but there are still great tips to save money.

I like the last one about avoiding all those temptations at the check out register. Those are the worst. You can read the article here!

What do you think of the money tips? Agree or not. Would you add your own?

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tips, saving money, Shopping Tagged With: , , ,

TMR Frugal Living Tip #99- Stockpile Donations

May 23, 2012 by 4 Comments

Today’s thrifty living tip is to make donations from your stockpile. I end up with a lot of personal care items that I can’t use from sales and coupons and lots of free samples. I like to give away items from my stockpile. There are so many great organizations that are hurting for donations. This is an inexpensive way to help others without breaking your wallet. Many organizations would prefer the items instead of cash. The local women’s shelter in my area specifically asks for donations of personal care items, clothes, games and toys, and cleaning supplies.

You can send items overseas to the soldiers who would be very appreciative of care packages. Many female soldiers need tampons, panty liners, and maxi-pads as well as lotions and shower gels. Cheap flip flop’s they can use in the showers. There are several great websites to find the specific details with shipping information. Make sure to mark these boxes FEMININE if you send female razors and other feminine items they need.

Anysoldier.com great organization for sending care packages to our soldiers.

Here are a few other ideas to give non-perishable food and toiletries as well as cleaning supplies.

  • Women’s Shelters
  • Local Churches
  • Local Food Banks
  • Schools
  • Shelters
  • Neighbors or Friends or even Family members

Do you donate from your stockpile to help others? Please comment as I would love to read your stories.

Filed Under: family life, Frugal Living Tips Tagged With: ,

TMR Frugal Living Tip #98- Raise Insurance Deductibles

May 2, 2012 by 1 Comment

Today’s thrifty living tip is to raise your insurance deductibles. This one can save you as much as $200 a year depending on your rates. I know I saved us about $220 yearly by raising our auto insurance from $500 to $1000 each. Our auto insurance rates are pretty high living in Louisiana compared to many other states and ditto on house insurance. We can thank the hurricanes for that one. I also raised our home deductibles which also saved us another $300 a year. That is an extra $50 a month.

I do get a small discount for paying the house insurance premium annually instead of monthly. I also switched our automobile insurance to Allstate and saved us over $70/month! That is a huge savings! I am now sticking that money into savings to help boost our emergency fund. We already have our deductibles covered in savings.

Your savings will vary and it might not be worth it for you. It never hurts to investigate just to see are you getting the best rates you can. Wouldn’t an extra $25 or more a month be nice in your wallet instead of theirs? I know I am glad I switched our insurance and much rather have that extra $70 in my pocket monthly.

Filed Under: budgeting, financial advice, Frugal Living Tips, insurance, saving money Tagged With: , , ,

TMR Frugal Living Tip #97 – Rain Checks

April 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Get Rain Checks

Today’s thrifty living tip is to get rain checks on sale items. The best part is most rainchecks will NEVER expire! So you can hold onto them until another hot coupon comes out.

Another tip is to clip out the sale price from the sales flyer and keep it with your rain check. This way you have more proof of the sale price and shows a picture of the item which makes it easier when redeeming a raincheck.

*Note: Some sales will put a disclaimer saying NO RAINCHECKS so you have to respect it. I pretty much am always able to get one just by asking even at grocery stores. I have never tried it at Walmart so not sure. If you have gotten one at Walmart, then please share.

Do you ask for rain checks?

Filed Under: CVS, Frugal Living Tips, saving money, Shopping Tagged With: , , ,

TMR Frugal Living Tip #96

April 16, 2012 by 1 Comment

Print Both Sides of PaperToday’s frugal living tip is to use both sides of the paper when printing. I cannot follow this tip for school reports, but I use this often when printing coupons, and other items where it doesn’t matter. It is cost effective and cuts down on the amount of paper used.

My son comes home with an obscene amount of paper from school, and mostly it will just get thrown away. I let him draw and color on the backs of those pages so he isn’t wasting my good print paper. That paper is not cheap. I do recycle all the paper in our house.

Do you print on both sides of the pages or do you also let your kids draw on the backs before discarding?

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tips, Green Living, saving money Tagged With: , ,

TMR Frugal Living Tip #95

April 11, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Today’s thrifty living tip is to always buy generic prescriptions and over-the-counter medications. It will save you a lot of money depending on your insurance copays. For me it is a $40 difference for one prescription! That is a savings of $480 per year if I have to take it monthly. The generic medication is made with the same formula as the name brand. It’s extremely rare for the generic to not be made as well. The only reason you are paying so much for the brand is the name. Usually a brand means quality but not in the world of medications. The only time I buy a brand OTC medication is if I am getting it cheaper than the generic or for free after sales and coupons.

Do you buy generic prescriptions and medications?

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tips, saving money Tagged With: ,

TMR Frugal Living Tip #94

April 3, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Today’s thrifty living tip is to hang your laundry using a clothesline or a laundry line. I have two metal posts outside that I use for my clothesline. Inside the house, I have a thick long chain on hooks which runs the length of my wash room. I do have a long wash room.

I can use the inside line when the weather is too rainy or cold to hang laundry outside. Hanging laundry helps to save electricity or natural gas, and I also find it puts less wear on my dryer. I have had the same dryer since 1997! I do use my dryer, but I hang laundry as much as I can.

Worried about wrinkles or clothes are too stiff, then just throw them in the dryer for a few minutes to help soften them. I prefer my towels to be stiff as I find they absorb the water more after I bathe. I just love how my sheets smell in the fresh air.

Do you hang your laundry?

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: cleaning, Frugal Living Tips, Green Living, saving money Tagged With: , , ,

TMR Frugal Living Tip #93

March 19, 2012 by 3 Comments

Water Down JuiceToday’s thrifty living tip is to water down juice. It stretches out the juice plus it cuts back on the amount of sugar your kid(s) drink. I know that drinking water is the best beverage and many of us do not drink enough water daily. I used to add an extra 1/4 cup of water so it still tasted good to my son. I also use this tip for cranberry juice. I do not like the taste of it, but it tastes more like a cocktail type drink to add a small amount to my water.

Filed Under: family life, Frugal Living Tips, saving money Tagged With: ,

TMR Frugal Living Tip #92

March 11, 2012 by 2 Comments

Banking OnlineToday’s thrifty living tip is to use online banking to pay your bills. I have a couple of my bills automatically drafted, but I use my bank’s online bill pay system for all my other bills for free. At the beginning of each month, I schedule all my bills with the date I want them to be paid. It is much less trouble, and I save money on stamps and checks.

The price of stamps is getting very expensive. I have about 10 bills to pay, so this saves me close to $5 a month in stamps. I realize $60 does not seem like much savings, but that is equivalent to buying a couple more Christmas gifts. It all adds up especially in this economy with the cost of living going up rapidly, and my husband’s salary is not. I write two checks a month so one box lasts for a couple of years. My bank does offer rewards for using its online bill pay service.

Do you use online banking?

*Note: All reputable banks have security locks on their page but just double check for extra reassurance. *Note: I have used online banking for over 12 years safely.

Filed Under: financial advice, Frugal Living Tips, saving money Tagged With:

TMR Frugal Living Tip #92

March 6, 2012 by 2 Comments

Today’s thrifty living tip is to use a bag as a paint tray liner. I don’t have any pictures, but basically use a plastic shopping bag or even a garbage bag as a liner for the paint tray. It’s much cheaper than buying those plastic throw away ones at the store. It is much easier to clean up when you are done. I just put the paint tray inside the bag and tie at the end. It stays in place, and all I have to do is untie and throw the mess away. Try it for your next painting project.

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tips, remodeling Tagged With:
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