Category: House and Home

Do you like the story your front yard is telling?

Is it a fairy tale lawn or more like a horror story mess of weeds? Growing up, people tell you not to judge a book by its cover. Yet, that’s what human brains are hard-wired to do.

Studies show 90% of the information our brain processes comes from what we see. Every day we decide what we like and dislike, desire or disdain, based on our sight.

When you think about it, your lawn is the first thing people see about you, it’s a reflection of who you are. If you want to make a great first impression, you’ll need your lawn care to be up to date.

If you’re like many people though, high costs and lack of time can make keeping up on yard care overwhelming. Don’t worry though, we have the best tips to help you have a lush green yard, without breaking the bank.

Read on to find out the top 5 tips to take care of your lawn on a budget.

1. Dare to Negotiate Lawn Care Costs

Are you going to be hiring someone to assist with your lawn care? If your budget has room to hire help, that doesn’t mean you have to take the first offer that comes your way. Dare to negotiate with your local yard care companies.

We recommend you never take the first bid that’s offered to you. Instead, kindly and politely decline. Let the company know you’d like to work with them but your budget won’t allow for such high costs.

One trick is to find out if you can pay for your lawn services a year in advance. Oftentimes, a company will offer a discounted rate if you’re willing to pay in one lump sum.

It’s reasonable to expect to save anywhere from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars by paying in advance. The exact numbers will depend on what type of services you’re looking for and the average lawn service rates in your area.

Remember, the worst thing that can happen is they tell you, “no”. While the best thing that can happen is you cut your expenses down and who doesn’t love saving money?

2. Create a Compost

What’s the last thing you threw away? There’s a good chance that it was some type of left-overs from a meal. According to the EPA, 30% of our garbage comes from leftover food and yard scraps.

Throwing away leftover food and yard waste might not seem like a big deal. Yet, what if we told you there was a way you could use this garbage to help grow plants in your backyard?

Instead of pitching old food and yard waste, a lot of it can go towards making a compost.

What exactly is compost? Compost is a completely organic material. You can add it to the soil to help promote plant growth. Here are some of the benefits of having a compost can bring:

• Moisture-rich soil
• Natural fertilizer
• Prevent plant disease

Having a compost will help you save money on fertilizer and grow heartier plants that are less prone to disease.

3. Get a Mulching Mower

What if we told you that you never had to rake again? Save money on buying rakes, or removing grass clippings by getting a mulching mower. To understand mowers better, check out these riding mower reviews. 

A mulching mower will work very similarly to a regular mower. Yet, instead of cutting the grass like normal, the mulching mower will use special blades. 

Then, the special blades will cut the grass clippings over and over. Along with the grass clippings, any leaves will be chopped up into itty bitty pieces. The finely cut clippings will then shrivel away throughout the day until they completely disappear.

4. Learn Your Soil PH

Buying new plants can be expensive. Avoid wasting your money by making sure you’re putting your plants in the right type of soil. To fully understand the type of soil you’ll need, you first have to understand how soil works.

The soil has minerals, water, gases, microorganisms, and organic matter. Similar to other living things, soil can have different pH levels. The lower the pH level, the more acidic the soil is.

Different types of plants prefer different pH levels to be present in the soil. Not only do plants have preferences, but they also have specific pH needs. For any nutrients to be available to the plants, the pH level has to be just right.

Unfortunately, changing your soil’s pH can be hard, time-consuming, and sometimes impossible. Yet, the good news is that just knowing what pH level you have can help.

Instead of blindly purchasing plants and hoping they’ll survive, get a kit to test your soil. Find out exactly what type of pH levels you’re dealing with in your front and back yard. If you find you have highly acidic soil consider planting azaleas or rhododendrons.

5. Choose Perrenials

If you want to get the most bang for your buck, go ahead and steer clear of planting annuals. Instead, invest your money in long-lasting perennials that won’t break the bank.

Unlike annuals, perennials won’t require any replanting. Once you have them firmly planted, all you need to do is properly care for them.

Annuals, on the other hand, require that you replant them annually. Of course, that also means going through the seedling process, and purchasing additional soil.

Reward Yourself With a Freebie

Now you know more about how to have the best lawn care on a budget. Make sure you’re also taking the time to reward yourself for your hard work!

Thrifty Momma Ramblings is proud to help our readers live fabulous lives while still being frugal. Treat yourself and check out our deals section.

In our deals section, you’ll find freebies, giveaways, coupons, and more! You deserve a little something special, and with our help, you won’t have to pay for it!

For many, moving is one of the most exciting but also most stressful life events. It needs detailed organizing and a hefty budget, but luckily, it doesn’t have to be a dreaded day, nor does it have to take a toll on your wallet.

With a little planning and the right moving company, you can settle into your new home hassle-free and happy.

Start by doing thorough research on the companies you’d like to hire. Ask family and friends for recommendations, and don’t go for the cheapest option.

Keep reading to discover 5 ways to lower the cost of hiring movers and find the most affordable moving company.

1. Do Proper Research

Moving on a budget doesn’t have to be low-quality or stressful. In fact, with proper research, you can find a great affordable moving company. Start by looking for local companies online and look through their websites and social media channels.

There’s a lot to discover about a company through their online presence and the way they talk to their customers. Read customer reviews thoroughly, and contact potential companies to see how they communicate.

2. Ask for Recommendations

The safest way to find a reliable moving company is to ask for recommendations from family and friends. Write down every detail you learn about the companies, write down contact information, and anything that might be useful for you.

When you narrow down your choice, make a list of the companies and contact each one individually to get an estimate. You’ll get the most accurate quote if you can get an in-house estimate from the movers.

3. Compare Movers

Once you have a list of cheap moving companies, take some time to compare them. Compare prices, online reviews, availability, and offers/packages.

This will give you a better feel of value for money, and what you’ll need to do yourself, and what to delegate to the movers.

4. Reduce the Amount of Stuff

During moving, you’ll realize just how much stuff you’ve accumulated. The best way to start fresh and save money is to reduce the load. As you pack each room, set aside all the things you don’t use anymore, and that are broken, old, or outdated.

This will help you snag a great deal with the moving company because the less stuff you have, the lower the price.

5. Choosing the Right Time to Move

The time of year you choose to move can affect hiring movers cost, with peak season being between May and September. During the off-season, moving companies typically lower their prices, and if you move in the middle of the month, you’ll save even more money.

Make sure to book the movers well in advance so you can prepare better and have everything ready on moving day.

Get the Best Cost of Hiring Movers With These Tips!

Whether you’re moving across town or to a new city or state, moving is rarely easy and hassle-free.

These tips will help you lower the cost of hiring movers and reduce the stress of moving day.

Need more thrifty tips? Check out some of the other money-saving and frugal living articles we’ve written.

Americans spent roughly $340 billion dollars on home remodeling in 2018, a number expected to grow by more than seven percent in 2019. If you’re planning to join the ranks of the fixer-uppers, it pays to know what you’re getting into.

Renovations can be expensive. In fact, the average price for a kitchen reno is $23,307. A bathroom remodel costs, on average,$10,301. We’ve put together our top home renovation tips and 13 ways to save money on your next project.

1. Set Your Budget

The easiest way to keep your costs from spiraling out of control is to decide up front how much money you can spend. Then when you’re looking for appliances, fixtures or flooring, you’ll know right away if you can afford to do everything you want to.

Here’s a kitchen remodeling budget you can use as a guide for creating your own. 

Tip: pay cash for everything to avoid interest charges on your credit cards. You’ll also be much less likely to impulse buy an expensive light fixture if you have to hand over the cash.

2. Do Your Research

Once you have your budget set, start window shopping for the items you’ll need. Get a sense of the prices by looking both on line and in stores. A lot of people underestimate the price of kitchen cabinets or counter tops. Hint: granite can be expensive! 

Research the prices of the items you really, really want and then see if you can find something nearly identical for less. You might be surprised how many look-a-like faucets there are.

3. Hire a Professional 

This seems counter-intuitive to your goal of saving money, but a contractor can save you money in the long run, especially if this is your first major renovation. Contractors will know what permits you’ll need from your local government, for example. They’ll also be able to tell you if that wall you want to knock down is load-bearing and therefore, an extremely expensive project.

Get bids from three reputable contractors and check their license.

Tip: Hire a contractor and do the work during the off-season. If you live in an area that gets a lot of ice and snow during the winter, contractors don’t get as much work. You might be able to negotiate a lower price, if you hire a contractor during the slow months.

4. Reuse and Recycle

You save a lot of money if you’re willing to re-purpose cabinetry. If you’re renovating your kitchen and bathroom, see if you can use the old kitchen cabinets in the bathroom. They may just need a coat of paint and some new hardware.

Even if you have to cut them down to fit, it will still be much less expensive than buying a whole new set.

If you’re only remodeling your kitchen, you might just need to refinish or repaint the existing cabinets. Fresh paint and new handles can make old cabinets look brand new.  You might also remove some of the old cabinets and replace them with open shelving.

Tip: Cut the center out of an old cabinet door and replace it with a glass pane for an upgrade that only looks expensive.

5. Don’t Pay Full Price

You can save a pile of money by shopping at salvage warehouses, auctions and at resale stores. Habitat For Humanity ReStores are filled with new or nearly new building materials, light fixtures and appliances. Many of the items are donated by builders who simply ordered too many sinks or bathtubs.

Check on those buy/sell/trade websites. It’s not unusual to find a set of bathroom cabinets or a box of hardware listed for a fraction of the cost to buy new.

If you’re looking for specific building materials, ask your contractor exactly what he needs. Then, shop around for the best price and order it yourself. You’ll avoid paying the contractor to shop, along with any additional costs he may add to the product.

6. Pick up Your Supplies

You can save a small fortune by picking everything up, rather than having them delivered. Unless you can negotiate free delivery, you’re going to save money by lugging everything home yourself. Most of the big box stores rent trucks by the hour, which will be much less expensive then paying the store to deliver your items.

7. Don’t Move Plumbing

Moving a sink from one side of the room to another or relocating the bathtub can add thousands of dollars to your project. If possible, preserve the original footprint of the room and avoid having to re-pipe the whole thing.

8. Plan for Standard Sizes

If you’re replacing doors and windows, use stock or standard sizes whenever possible. You’re going to save money if you can simply pop in a new door, rather than have to cut it down or order one custom built.

9. DIY 

The more you can do yourself, the more money you’ll save. It really depends on your experience. Painting is relatively easy to do, even if you’ve never repainted a room before. Wiring and plumbing, however, require a specific skill set and in many cases, a professional license. 

For basic projects, you can find a ton of information and how-to videos on line. If you’ve never replaced a bathroom faucet, you can watch a video that will walk you through it step-by-step.

We even have some great tutorials on our blog. Here’s one that’ll walk you through concrete stamping, if you’re looking to spruce up the outside of your home. 

10. Sell What You’re Getting Rid Of

If you’re replacing light fixtures or cabinets, don’t toss them. Take a few pictures and try to sell them on sites like OfferUp or even Facebook Marketplace. You won’t get full value for them, but you might make enough money to pay for upgraded faucets for your newly remodeled bathroom.

If you don’t want the hassle of selling, donate your old items. Habitat’s ReStores accept donations of materials that are still in working order. You’ll even get a tax deduction for donating to a nonprofit.

11. Do the Prep Work Yourself

The biggest cost in a home remodel is often labor, so why not save some money and do a lot of the prep work yourself? If you’re having your living room repainted, you can prep the walls yourself.

Wipe them down with a lint-free cloth and fill in any nail holes or scratches with a little spackling putty. Then, sand the area where you filled in the holes and wipe it down again to remove the dust. It may take several hours to prep the walls, so you could save hundreds of dollars doing it yourself. 

12. Improve Your Lighting Without Adding Windows

Before you start knocking holes in the walls to let in the light, play around with light fixtures. By adding a few ceiling lights or floor lamps, you can save hundreds of dollars. Even if you need to pay someone to wire your ceiling, it’s still cheaper than having new windows installed.

13. One of Our Best Home Renovation Tips – Focus on Cosmetic Upgrades

If you’re working with a limited budget, you might not have the money for a full renovation. There are plenty of ways to update your space without remodeling it.

Inexpensive lamps can brighten up a bedroom, along with some new curtains and pillows for the bed. While you’re at it, go ahead and replace your bedding. Shop the sales for inexpensive sheets and comforters. Don’t worry if you’re not sure how to buy a mattress or get it home. Most places will deliver the new one and take your old away.

Wrapping It Up

We’ve got some other great home renovation tips on our blog, including a few ways to spruce up the inside of your home using design tips from the experts!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perhaps you’re moving into your first college apartment. Or maybe you’re low on funds and are trying to furnish your new home for as cheap a price as possible. Does that sound like you? If so, you’ll be happy to know that there are plenty of options available. 

Wondering about the best places to find affordable furniture? Read on! We’re going to provide you with the top 8. 

Top Places for Affordable Furniture 

The simple fact of the matter is that, as long as you put in enough effort, you can find cheap furniture everywhere. Here are the absolute cheapest places to buy furniture for your home. 

1. IKEA

Perhaps the best place to buy high-quality cheap furniture is at IKEA. This Swedish furniture megastore has everything anyone could ever need to furnish a home, and all at discounted prices. 

Why is IKEA’s furniture so cheap? Primarily because it requires you to assemble it.

While the company tries to make assembly as easy as possible, assembly doesn’t always end up being as easy as it’s intended to be. However, considering the deals you can get, it’s generally worth the time and effort. 

There are approximately 40 IKEA stores currently located in the United States, all of which exist in major city centers. If you live within a few hours of one, you should consider stopping in. 

2. Overstock.com 

If you want to buy cheap furniture without leaving the comfort of your home, there are a few different websites that you can use. One such website is Overstock.com. 

Overstock sells just about everything in the way of furniture, including couches, chairs, recliners, tables, and much, much more. You’ll be able to find recliners for under $250, kitchen sets for under $300, and a variety of other deals. 

A good many of the furniture pieces on Overstock ship for free. So, at the very least, you should give it a browse. If you don’t find anything, you’ll be out nothing more than a few mouse clicks. 

3. Wayfair.com

Another cheap furniture website is Wayfair.com. This site is very similar to Overstock, possessing a large selection of sofas, recliners, kitchen sets, coffee tables, and more. Regardless of the piece of furniture you need, you can find it on Wayfair for a fairly affordable price. 

As with Overstock, most of Wayfair’s furniture items ship for free. So, if you can find a piece of furniture on sale on Wayfair, you can make off with an incredible deal. 

Looking for Wayfair and Overstock-type of sites in the United Kingdom? If so, this company is what you’re looking for. 

4. Big Lots 

While IKEA is generally regarded as the premier discount furniture store in the United States, Big Lots is a solid store to visit as well. This store sells a bit of everything, all of which is available at a budget price. 

Though their furniture selection isn’t nearly on the level of IKEA’s, it’s, at the very least, respectable. In other words, if you’re looking for furniture under $300, you should be able to find decent pieces at Big Lots. 

There are currently over 1,400 Big Lots stores in the United States. These stores are scattered throughout 47 states, meaning that regardless of where you are in the country you should be in fairly close proximity to one. 

5. Estate Sales  

If you’re looking for used furniture, you have quite a few options available to you. One such option is to check out estate sales. These sales are held after homeowners die or are forced to vacate their property, and typically involve the sale of furniture. 

While not all estate sales are ripe with high-quality, inexpensive furniture, a good many of them are. For this reason, you should check them out. 

Looking for estate sales in your area? You can find them by using estatesales.net. 

6. Garage Sales 

Another option for finding cheap used furniture is to frequent garage sales. While not all garage sales are going to be selling high-quality furniture, you will eventually come across one that is. 

Make sure to walk the streets on neighborhood garage sale days. If every house in the neighborhood is selling old possessions out of the garage, there is bound to be furniture available in at least one of them. 

Wondering how to find garage sales in your area? Your best bet is to check out garagesalefinder.com. Also, make sure to keep your eyes peeled for physical signs around your neighborhood. 

7. Social Media 

The internet has made everything extremely easy to do. It’s even made it easier for us to find cheap used furniture. This is especially true of social media platforms. 

If you’re not taking advantage of social media platforms during your furniture search, you’re making a huge mistake. Facebook, in particular, is filled with used furniture that individuals are trying to sell. You can view this furniture by simply get into Facebook’s marketplace section. 

Of course, there’s also the option of Craigslist. While Craigslist isn’t technically a social media site, buying furniture from sellers on it is the same process as buying furniture from sellers on Facebook. 

8. Thrift Stores 

If you don’t care much about the look of your furniture, your best bet might be to go to thrift stores. Thrift stores sell used furniture for exceedingly low prices, allowing you to get your hands on everything from couches, to chairs, to tables, and more for under $100 a piece. 

Be aware, however, that thrift stores are not always going to have the pieces of furniture you’re looking for. You’re probably going to have to peruse a few different stores in order to fully furnish your new home or apartment. However, if you’re looking for the cheapest option possible, this is probably it. 

Looking for More Thrifty Tips?

If you’re looking for affordable furniture, you should be able to find it in one of the above-reviewed places. Low-priced, high-quality furniture is floating around everywhere. You just need to search for it. 

Looking for more thrifty tips? If so, you can find them right here at Thrifty Momma Ramblings. 

Check out some more of our thrifty tips now! 

Creating a patio for your home is an excellent way to boost curb appeal and make better use of your outdoor space.

Worried that you can’t afford a fancy patio?

Don’t despair – it’s possible to create a patio on almost any budget, you just need to keep an open mind and be willing to get creative.

Are you ready to create a really unique patio that you’ll love spending time on?

Keep reading for our guide to creating a great patio on a budget.

Use Pallets to Create a Boho Deck

If you’ve ever visited Pinterest, you’ll know that pallets can be used for just about any home improvement project – and patios are no exception.

By arranging pallets into a shape of your choosing and securing to the ground, you have an instant patio. Leave pallets unfinished for a boho look, or paint and seal for a more polished finish.

You could even use an upturned pallet as a cute planter next to your patio.

Experiment With Salvaged Flooring for a Mosaic Look

By salvaging leftover tiles, slabs, and bricks from other construction projects, you’ll have plenty to play with when it comes to creating your own mosaic patio.

Use a cement, like Hymix, to create the base of your patio, then press in your stones, tiles, and other salvaged materials. You could even add decorative accents with colored marbles and glass beads.

Be prepared for tons of questions from impressed visitors.

Lay Your Own Bricks in a Shape of Your Choosing

A plain brick patio is a really nice option if you don’t want to go as far as creating a whole mosaic look.

It’s easy to lay regular bricks in all sorts of beautiful patterns, so take a look at some inspiration online and get laying.

Bricks are inexpensive and easy to find, making this an excellent budget option.

Fill the Space with Low-Maintenance Gravel

If you’re looking for the ultimate low-maintenance patio, it doesn’t get much better than gravel.

Simply mark out an area, purchase enough to gravel, and then spread evenly around your chosen spot. Gravel is available in a wide variety of colors so you’ll still have plenty of creative control.

A gravel patio will look great with metal garden furniture and ceramic ornaments, and you’ll never have to worry about cleaning or maintaining it.

How to Design a Patio on a Budget

Creating a patio on a budget is simple if you opt for cheap or salvaged materials, choose a relatively small area, and set aside time to do most of the work yourself.

If you’re not confident, ask family and friends for help acquiring materials and carrying out the project – most people will be excited to get involved.

Try one of the ideas above and you’ll soon be dining al fresco, enjoying tons of fresh air, and getting much more value out of your backyard.

Want more ideas on how to live frugally? Visit our website today.