Category: Frugal Living Tips

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

June 11, 2013 cleaning, Family Life, Frugal Living Tips, saving money

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!

Graduation Gift Idea- It’s Better than a Box of Chocolates

May 20, 2013 Crafts, Family Life, Gifts

Graduation Gift Idea- It’s Better than a Box of Chocolates

What a clever and fun way to give the gift of cash but it’s so much better than a card with cash inside!

This is creative and you put thought into it. How fun to see the look on their face to see all the money inside.

Get the instructions from Life as Mom Blog! She had it as a Valentine’s Day gift but this could be great as any gift!

Money-Valentine-4

Missouri Has a Trip for Everyone!

May 17, 2013 Family Life, Travel and Vacations

This post brought to you by Missouri Division of Tourism. All opinions are 100% mine.

Missouri is called the “Show Me State” for a reason, as there is so much to do in each region of the state. From the Mississippi River with St. Louis to the western side and everything in between from hiking trails, caves, water, Route 66, and so much more! I never realized how much there was to do in Missouri. It is such a beautiful state with lots of great historical sites to all the natural settings to explore. Of course Branson with the popular shopping and musical shows.

I always wanted to travel to Missouri and ride in a steamboat on the Mississippi River as I live in South Louisiana where the Mississippi River ends. I always thought it would be fun to be further up the river and of course visit where Mark Twin lived. I would take my family as this is a great way to teach my son more about our wonderful country and explore it together as a family.

Our trip would begin in Hannibal, MO. Our first destination would be to visit the site of Mark Twain. I would spend a full day visiting the attraction and explore the cave.

Then our next day would be filled with the Tom Sawyer fun park for my son the rest of the day.

Our third day would be to explore the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Musuem and then take a lunch cruise on the steamboat to see the Mississippi River. That evening we could hit the ice cream parlor after we did some shopping at the antique stores and end with a nice supper at Lula Belle’s Restaurant.

Our last day would be spent driving down the state to get more of the Missouri feel and stop in at some local shops and diners along the way home. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my vacation than by sightseeing and also just driving and enjoying the view and meeting locals. I am a small town girl, and I really enjoy the quaintness of small towns and it’s more leisurely for me.


What would you do in Missouri? Are you looking for adventure on land or water? Maybe you want both. Are you a city person and want the night life of Kansas City or St. Louis. You can take in a baseball game as well. Are perhaps you want to do more shopping and take in a show at Bransen or visit the natural beauty of the Ozarks? Missouri has lots to offer and a different trip for everyone. Make sure to visit them and like VisitMO on Facebook and also to follow VisitMO on Twitter so you won’t miss any of the fun!

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A DIY TV Cabinet Makeover & Saved Over $100!

May 4, 2013 Frugal Living Tips, saving money

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?