Frugal Friday - Frugal Flowers

I got this pretty hydrangea last week at Produce Junction. This is a chain that sells fruit and vegetables (sometimes in large-ish quantities) and flowers and plants. It's hard to beat their prices on cut flowers and plants. Be sure to check for quality. This beautiful plant with five big blossoms was just $4. After it is done its job as my dining room table centerpiece I will plant it in the backyard to enjoy in the future. I think it's a great deal.

If only I had a pretty pot for it! I've used all my pots to force bulbs.

These sprouting bulbs will soon be pretty blue grape hyacinths ... and something else, I don't remember what! I got the bulbs very inexpensively, on clearance at Aldi. I believe it was $8.99 for 100 bulbs of various types. It was too late to plant them in the ground, hence the discount. I decided to force them inside this winter and plant them in the ground next fall. They have been doing very well. I have daffodils and tulips coming up too.

Forcing bulbs is fun and easy. Just plant in a pot, water some, and sit in a sunny location. Before long, you'll have flowers. I really abused these bulbs - I left them sitting around for almost 2 months before planting. By the time I planted them, some were already sprouting. They have been just fine.

This would be a fun project to do with children. As far as gardening projects go, the results are pretty quick.

Check out more frugal ideas at Frugal Friday.

An Article Worth Reading...

It's a quick one. Head over to Get Rich Slowly. The title: The Key to Wealth is Being Satisfied with What You Already Have. So true.

We all have goals we're striving for as well as little things we'd like to enjoy along the way. Reading articles like this helps me stay focused on the big stuff.

Unavoidable Debt Reduction

I was reading this article at Think Your Way To Wealth, a personal finance blog. It addresses extreme strategies for debt reduction, including how to get back on track and stay on track with your debt reduction plan.

One of the ideas on this list is one I have become particularly fond of - in that article listed under Burn Your Bridges. As per the Dave Ramsey system, we do an all-inclusive monthly budget. We get two paychecks a month, so I assign each expense to one paycheck or the other. I know exactly how much is left after expenses.

With this information, I also know how much I can pay off with each paycheck. (To be honest, I usually leave a little room for change, especially since our last few months have been tricky in terms of my health.) The rest goes immediately to the student loans. I can't change my mind and spend it, it's already gone.

The best part about this is that we look forward to payday even more because we know we'll get to reduce our debt further. It really is fun once you see the results build up.

I highly recommend this strategy. It reduces the temptation to blow off your plan. I suggest turning each step ahead into a little celebration too. Debt reduction is a very positive thing!

Recession preparation?

At several personal finance sites I have visited recently, there has been talk of what to do if a recession is on the way. They have a lot of good ideas, but there's something else we need to keep in mind.

There is little use in fretting over whether or not a recession is coming. Financial experts are never unanimous about anything, but certainly not something like this. Pick your expert opinion - yes, no, maybe so. I don't think you can reliably judge what will happen - the economy is incredibly complex.

The good news is that it doesn't matter. If something is a good idea in a time of recession, it's probably always a good thing to consider. Here are some ideas - saving extra money for a bigger emergency fund, stocking your pantry, considering alternative sources of goods (thrift stores, etc.) and more carefully planning your spending. These things would clearly help in a recession, and are among the common recommendations.

But why wait for trouble? Whether or not a large scale recession comes along, it's always wise to be prepared for the trouble that may hit your own personal economy.

So, if you choose to read about whether or not a recession is coming, do take it all with a grain of salt. Why not also decide today to be more mindful about some area of your household finances? It can only help - regardless of what the future holds.

Making Your Home a Haven Monday - A Precious Discovery

Well, I know it's Tuesday, but I just got to this challenge today. Crystal challenged us to just take 15 minutes and clean out a drawer. Easy enough.

I breezed through my nightstand drawer, sock drawer and another dresser drawer. I decided to tackle the little drawer in my jewelry box next. All kinds of junk was in there, I knew, and I was avoiding it - a sure sign of something that needs decluttering.

As I went through I made a wonderful discovery. I found a white gold and amethyst ring from my grandmother that I had thought I had lost for several years. I am so happy to have found it. I couldn't imagine where it had gone - I'm generally very careful with things like that. The ring had been hers growing up, and somewhere in my teens she got it adjusted to fit me. Both of our initials are engraved inside. We have a very close relationship, and I was so sad to be without it.

So, thank you Crystal for suggesting this. It made my week!

Works for Me Wednesday - Using the Time When You are Stuck on Hold...

In the last couple weeks I have spent AT LEAST three hours on the phone trying to figure out if my health insurance plan covers tests my doctor ordered in the vain search for a miscarriage cause before I go and get them. (It's unlikely to be any of the remaining things, I've been tested so much.) I've spent a bunch of time waiting on hold, along with the frustrating conversations with customer service.

As I spent yet another hour this way this morning, it occurred to me that my husband certainly doesn't use this sort of time the way I do, so maybe my method would make a good tip. Anything to decrease the frustration is helpful, I think.

Before I make a call where I am likely to sit on hold for a while, I think about what I could do while I'm waiting. Is there something I want to read online? A book I'm reading? Maybe some dusting to do? Basic neatening that I can do with one hand? I always want to be doing something in that time.

There are two benefits to this - the obvious is that something gets done in that time which might otherwise be wasted. This is very helpful, especially if you have a long wait. But perhaps more important, especially when dealing with already frustrating situations, like I currently am, you will be less irate when you finally talk to someone. If I had to sit and do nothing for all that time, I'd be unhappy before I even started talking to the (often unhelpful) person on the other end of the line.

So if you don't already do this, give it a try next time. It certainly made my day better today!

Frgual Friday: Decluttering the Wardrobe

My sweater drawer is full. My closet has a lot in it too. However, each time I look for a sweater to wear, I find little I actually really like and think will look good. Time for some decluttering!

Emma over at Charming the Birds from the Trees is doing a great series - Frumpy to Fabulous in Three weeks. Her latest post is on the wardrobe. She has some great links to guidelines for building and maintaining a good wardrobe. As I declutter, I'm keep these things in mind.


Does it fit well? Is the color right? Is it worn out? (This is a big one for me - I haven't been working on replacing stuff much recently, and I need to.) Does it make me feel good when I wear it?

I love shopping the used market for clothes - thrift stores, consignment, etc. There is a danger, though, in buying inexpensive clothes, that we will settle for something less than the best. I've compromised too many times on fit especially, just because I like the style or color of an item and it's the only one there is.

I've gotten some amazingly wonderful stuff this way too, so I wouldn't want to abandon this way of shopping. But, as I work on building up a collection of things I really love to wear, I'm going to try to be a little more careful.

Like all things, it's not a good deal if it's not an item you really need. When it comes to clothes, this means that it should really be a good item for you. Being free or cheap is not enough!

This is mostly a reminder to myself, but I hope it helps you too.

For more frugal ideas, head over to Biblical Womanhood.

Homemaking Tool: Silpat

I'm sure we've all heard Martha Stewart mention using Silpat liners for baking pans. I thought about getting one periodically for years, but they aren't cheap, and I never quite got around to it. A few weeks ago I made delicious coconut and dried apricot macaroons, which stuck to the pan terribly, even though I greased it. At the same time, I had a Martha DVD out of the library and had just been reminded of the Silpat. So, finally, I got one.

It turns out, like many things Martha recommends, it really does work wonders. I made the same cookies this week and they came off the Silpat with no effort at all. Cleanup was a breeze. I made salmon this week, with mayo and ketchup and other things on top, and forgot to use the Silpat. I certainly did regret it! Once I get used to having this tool, I think it will save me a lot of time and frustration.

So, a twenty dollar tool that does something you can kind of accomplish with a little elbow grease - is it a good deal? I guess it is a luxury. I can see that it will make me more inclined to do the home cooking that can save us lots of money. I suspect it will be a little while before it pays for itself in that way, but I'm still happy to have it.

Dave Ramsey Deals

I am signed up for email offers from Dave Ramsey, and just got a good one:

Get $10 off any order $30 or more

www.daveramsey.com/shop

Use the coupon code: DDFEB$10

Dave is full of great advice. I often listen to his podcast while doing housework. It is very motivational. If you haven't checked out his website or books, I highly recommend it.

Super Savings Saturday: Saving on Decorator Fabric

I love decorating. I love looking at beautiful books and magazines, going to historic houses, museums, anything that gives me inspiration for my home.

In all of these sources, you will notice that fabric often makes a huge difference in how the room looks. Even a little higher end fabric can make a huge difference in a room.

The best source for good fabric around here is Calico Corners - there may be other sources where you lives. Prices generally range from $15 - $100 a yard there, so it's definitely a bit more expensive than the other good alternative in my area, Joann Fabric and Crafts. However, the selection of decorating fabrics is much broader and many of them are nicer than what you can get there. (If you really want to shell out the big bucks, you can have custom furniture made there too, with the fabric of your choice.)

As you can imagine, some pretty great things can be found in the clearance section of this store. This week I got two excellent fabrics for my home.

The first is a yellow and blue fabric, which I'll use to recover the seats on the freecycled chairs I got a few weeks ago. My rental house has yellow sink and counters, so that color is a given. I love blue and that works together nicely. I got 1.5 yards of it for $9.38 - 75% off the original price.

The second is a lovely floral fabric I'll use as an accent in my living room. My living room has colors of red and green (but not at all Christmas-y!), taken from this print. This fabric, which looks almost embroidered in its detail, will complement it nicely. It was $10.99 for about 2 yards, also at least 75% off. It was the end of the roll, as many of these discounted fabrics are. If you only need a little, this works out wonderfully.

I may head back next week to get some fabric for the bedroom. I was a little less certain about what I wanted, and after seeing what they have, I want to think about it more. There was a large quantity of a very pretty floral fabric for 75% off which would work with our colors. Since I'll need more of that, I saved my 15% coupon, which I recently got in the mail, for that.

Lastly, I'm not remotely brilliant at sewing. I generally feel the machine is in charge, not me. I'm learning. However, I can make simple curtains and simple pillow covers. With a staple gun, I can easily recover chair seats and hopefully make a decent headboard. So don't be intimidated by fabric. It can be a relatively cheap way to enrich your decor.

For more great finds, check out Money Saving Mom.

Recipe: Banana Bread

As I made the previously mentioned banana bread yesterday, I realized I have been using a recipe I printed off the internet years ago, which I always change. The changes are only in my head, not on the paper. I got the recipe when we were generally eating vegan style, and now we've loosened up a bit. I also reduced the sugar amount because we found it too sweet. I figured it was time to write down what I actually do.

Banana Bread

3 large bananas (about 1 cup mashed)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 T oil
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt

Mash bananas and sugar together. Add egg and oil and mix again.

In another bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet. Don't overmix.

Bake in a greased and lined loaf pan for about an hour at 325 F.

I'll print this out and put it in my recipe binder. I changed four of the eight ingredients and simplified the directions. Now, if anyone else wants to use my recipe, they'll have some idea what to do!

Works for Me Wednesday: Substituting Whole Wheat Flour

We try to eat healthy food, but we do still love our treats. One easy way to make baked goods healthier is to substitute whole wheat flour, either the pastry variety or heavier traditional variety, for part of the white flour in recipes you enjoy.

Whole wheat pastry flour is lighter and has a finer texture. You can use it in almost anything, and it is often undetectable. For delicate items, like cakes, this can be tricky, but with some experimentation it sometimes works. Sweet breads, like banana bread, are a great choice for this. Cookies often work well with this kind of flour.

For heavier items, like banana bread again, you can even substitute the heavier traditional whole wheat flour for part of the flour portion. Today I made a banana bread with 2/3 whole wheat flour and 1/3 white flour. It came out very well.

In general, this will make home baking MORE expensive. However, I consider more nutrition in my diet to be a priority, so for me, it is a good value. Most of us place a high value on health, so it's worth thinking about.

So give it a try, and enjoy experimenting. I think experimenting and improvising is half the fun in cooking.

Check out more useful ideas at Rocks In My Dryer.

Book Review: Half Price Living

There are some good ideas in this book. It is aimed at women who aren't sure they can afford to live on just their husband's income, but who would like to. She walks you through figuring out how much it is costing you to work, which can show you that you really aren't as far from living on your husband's pay as you may think. Then she offers many suggestions for how to live on less.

I like the way she considers savings as a substitute for earnings. I think it really helps to look at it that way - you take saving more seriously and are more inclined to celebrate your accomplishments. There are a lot of practical tips. The book is a very fast read.

For me, this book was a bit lightweight. I've been working on this for a while, and there is no question that living on one income works for us - we are very lucky. I didn't get any new information from it, but it did remind me of some skills I've been meaning to work on, like couponing.

I would definitely recommend this book if you are wondering whether you can make it on one income. If you are new to frugal living, it could be a good, accessible read. Those of you who have been working on your saving skills longer may want to pass on it.

I got this book because I had read so many glowing reviews of her earlier book, Shop, Save, and Share. I had hoped this would be an updated version of that. If any of you have read this earlier book, let me know - is it worth my time? Thanks!

Continuing Education - Books Reviews

One thing I haven't mentioned on my blog yet is that I am a librarian. Well, I'm not working as one, but still, the research skills are often useful. I spent several years in adult reference, followed by some time as a children's librarian. I also love reading and searching out new, potentially useful books and videorecordings.

I consider reading about taking care of my home, finances and family to be like the continuing education many of us must undertake in the work world. Most of us have books with lots of stuff it would be great to know in our home right now, and just need to pick them up. (I'm working my way through Home Comforts, which I've had since 1999.) But it's great fun to find new sources too.

Reading for new skills is also a great thing to do when you are dealing with protracted illness - something I know too much about lately! Morning sickness followed by surgery is tough. If you can't do what you want to, at least you can prepare yourself to do it better when you are well.

Book and video reviews will be a regular part of the blog going forward. I hope you find something you enjoy in them. Remember, check your local library first!

Money-Making Monday: Free Money for Charitable Giving

Many of us give a portion of our income away, but often wish we could give more. Here is an extremely easy way to give a little more, without any cost other than your time. It's like a little income boost, a job that lasts just a few seconds a day from which you give all income to charity.

Go to The Hunger Site. Here you can give money for food to people in need, just by clicking on a link. There are links across the top of this page to their other charitable causes, and you can visit all of these too: Breast Cancer, Child Health, Literacy, Rainforest and Animal Rescue. Some tell you exactly what you click produces (1.1 cups of food, for example), others a more general statement.

Sounds too good to be true? It is legit, as far as I can tell, and it has been around for many years. It makes sense too - the advertisers are paying for your donation. Just remember - if you buy the stuff, it's not free anymore! On the other hand, if you see something you really do want to buy, many of these companies offer a further donation to the relevant cause.

I have set this site up to be my IE homepage, so I start each day with a few clicks. It's a good reminder to be giving in other ways too.

Check out more great ideas over at Money Saving Mom.

Super Savings Saturday: Freecycle Finds

As I previously mentioned, we recently had our third miscarriage. We had been given a 95% chance of keeping this one, so we got bold and started picking up baby furniture for free as it was available. I would have thought this stuff would be driving me nuts now, without the baby, but we've found it comforting in a way. We WILL have a child to share it with, we just don't know when.

So though it's been a few weeks now, I'm still picking stuff up as I see it. We have an extra bedroom for a nursery, so the stuff is not at all in the way.

So here are our finds for the past 6 weeks, just from Freecycle:

• Graco stroller


• Graco car seat with extra base (I've been advised to reconsider using a used car seat - may get a new one anyway)


• Exersaucer


• Baby playmat


• Several other baby toys


• Baby bathtub


• Graco high chair - in the exact pattern I wanted!

This is probably at least $500 worth of stuff. The people that gave it away were delighted to get rid of it. It was such a great thing all around.

It's been comforting to keep working on this project in this difficult time. I'm running out of things I need (having also been given a changing table, rocking chair and crib, all matching, yet from different sources), but I'll keep looking. It's fun.

For more savings success stories, head over to Money Saving Mom.

Frugal Friday: Freecycle

We have been fortunate to receive several great items recently through freecycle. Many of my friends don't seem to be familiar with this, so I thought I should share!

Freecycle groups vary by location, but the basic idea is a group of folks giving and receiving stuff totally for free. Ours is run through a yahoo group, so it's easy to see what is available and to post your stuff. Look for your local group at http://www.freecycle.org/. This is a great resource when you are decluttering. Just post as you find stuff you want to get rid of, and someone will likely claim it before long.

If you do offer stuff or pick up anything, take reasonable precautions. Always let someone know where you are going if you go to pick up. Try to have someone with you if you are giving items away. Better yet, package them so they can be left outside and the person can pick them up without entering your home. I haven't had any problems, but it's good to be cautious.

I've scored some amazing stuff in the last few weeks. I'll post about that tomorrow for Super Savings Saturday.



For now check out more great ideas at Frugal Friday.

Works for Me Wednesday - Breakfast Preparation

My morning starts at 6:30 and my husband is on the road by 7:30. I like to have a good breakfast for us to enjoy together, but it sure can be hard to drag myself out of bed and prepare. However, my day is always better if I make the effort. So I've been trying to make it easier. Here's what I've tried:

• Get up, don't just fall back to sleep!
• Set the table the night before.
• Set up any cooking tools needed the night before.
• Do any pre-mixing possible the night before.
• Set out clothes the night before.

If I do these things, the morning is much less daunting. I get so much done if I just get up, but those first 30 minutes are tough. If I make them easy, I can get through them and be so pleased with what I've already accomplished.

Do you have any other hints?

Check out more great ideas Don't Try This At Home.

Valentine's Day Ideas

Crystal over at Money Saving Mom is requesting frugal Valentine's Day ideas. Mine are extremely simple, but they have worked for us for over ten years:

• Don't go out to restaurants on Valentine's Day. It's so busy it's not even fun. If we want to go out, we'll go around the day but not on it.
• Don't buy flowers in this week, period. I generally keep at least one vase of fresh flowers in my house to perk it up (a post on doing that cheaply will appear sometime soon). However, all flowers sources hike prices up a lot during this week, so it's better to avoid them.
• Buy small, actually wanted presents, if any at all. My husband is notoriously hard to shop for, but he also doesn't get as excited about presents as I do. I've learned that he really is fine with him getting me a present and not the other way around, so we have often done that. This year, though, I've purchased several things I know he wants. We never buy the junk marketed as Valentine's Day gifts.
• Similarly, we tend to write our own cards to each other. I find a lot of pre-made greeting cards pretty cheesy - though you do occasionally find a good one. So I often make him a card from scratch, and he'll often write in a pretty blank card for me.
• A romantic dinner at home will likely be the best gift we can give each other. It's fun and it doesn't have to be expensive.

I hope you find some inspiration in these ideas, and that you have a lovely Valentine's Day!

Money-Making Monday: Selling Books on Half.com

Crystal's post today is the beginning of a series on writing e-books - very interesting!

My post is about selling printed books, CDs or DVDs on half.com. Half.com is owned by eBay and allows you to sell for a set price, rather than eBay's auction format. It is very easy to list your items - you enter the ISBN or ISSN and it fills in a picture of the item and coaches you through assessing condition and setting a price. We made hundreds selling our unneeded textbooks along with some regular books and CDs. If only this site had been around when we were in college - I hear all the college kids BUY their books this way to save money (another great idea).

So take a look at your bookshelves and select a few items you don't really love anymore. It's a great thing to clear your clutter AND make some money in the process.

Recipe: Jalapeno Popper Pizza

We made up this recipe in imitation of the Jalapeno Popper pizza at Peace a Pizza. We made it a bit healthier too. Lots of people have loved this, but if you don't like spicy food, it's probably not for you.

Again, a very approximate recipe...I'll work on that. :)

Jalapeno Popper Pizza

1 whole wheat pizza dough crust (we use the recipe that came with our pizza dish)

For the sauce:

Mix together cream cheese and mayonaise until you get an easily spreadable consistency. Add garlic powder and red pepper flakes to taste. If you like, add dried parsley for some color. Spread on dough.

Top with canned jalapeno slices and mozzarella. You can also throw in some cheddar if you have it. Bake as your crust directions dictate, and until the cheese is turning brown.

Serve with salad.

Recipe: Easy Tomato and Lentil Soup

This hardly qualifies to be a recipe - I do not measure anything. However, I often turn to this recipe if I need something very quick and very easy for lunch or dinner. If you have some cooked vegetables you'd like to use up, you could probably throw them in too.

Easy Tomato and Lentil Soup

1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz I think)
1/2 cup lentils (approximately - these can be brown or pink, whatever you like)
Onion powder
Dried parsely
Dried celery seed
Powdered dried sage
Salt and pepper
Instant soup stock if you have some - otherwise add water until you get a good proportion.

Put everything in a pot. Bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer, and cook until the lentils are soft. Serve with bread and butter, or crackers and cheese.

This makes good leftovers too - I'll sometimes make a pot and have it for lunch several days in a row.

Menu Plan Monday - First Menu!

I've enjoyed seeing other people's menu through Menu Plan Monday for quite a while, so I figured I should join in. As I mentioned last week, I'm eating through my pantry. I'll list the few food items I'll be buying this week at the end of this post.

I try to plan at least one meal that can be deferred without letting perishable food go to waste in case we have more leftovers than I anticipate or end up eating someplace else for a meal. (With a lot of family nearby, this happens often.)


I plan dinners only. I have several breakfast menus I rotate through. I eat leftovers or something simple for lunch, and my husband gets catered lunch each day at work. Lucky him! On the other hand, they provide it because they don't want people to leave during what would be the lunch hour. Anyway, on to dinner...


Monday: Salmon (easy recipe from Saving Dinner), whole wheat couscous, brocolli


Tuesday: Tomato and lentil soup (recipe on another post), cheese and crackers


Wednesday: Frozen premade pasta (recovery gift from MIL), salad


Thursday: Beans and rice, guacamole, etc., salad


Friday: Tuna and cheese casserole (using up a variety of stuff - hopefully it will work!), salad


Saturday: Whole wheat jalapeno popper pizza (recipe on another post), salad


Most of these I'm just making up on the fly to use stuff up. I'll post a few recipes next.


We already have a lot of fresh fruit and other healthy snacks.


My shopping list for this week:


(for dinner plan)


Brocolli


Cream cheese


Cheddar cheese (to go with crackers)


Mexican cheese mix


(to restock)


butter


dijon mustard


clotted cream if I can find it


strawberry jam

Check out more menu plans at Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie.

Super Savings Saturday: Thrift Finds

This week I found a few great things - that I actually needed - at thrift stores. The danger for me in thrift stores is to bring home stuff I like but really don't need!



First find - shades for the lights of my dining room chandelier. These were in perfect condition, and there were five of them, exactly what I needed. They were fifty cents each. At Home Depot or Lowe's they are in the four to six dollar range.



I rediscovered a thrift store I loved years ago, which I thought had closed. Instead, it had moved to a new location. They didn't have much I needed, but they did have a great price on greeting cards - 10 cents each. I picked up ten for anticipated needs - birthdays, get well soon, etc.



At yet another store, I found a denim skirt, which I've been hoping to find for months. It fit perfectly, so it was well worth the $4 I paid for it. I got a Valentine's gift for my husband too, but I'd better not post it!



On my way to that last stop, I spotted signs for a thrift store I was not familiar with. I stopped in to check it out. It was not great on the whole, but I did find a few plant pots, which I will use for forcing bulbs.



This is obviously a lot of shopping! I also hit Michael's crafts store for great clearance items, CVS and Rite Aid for free stuff, Home Depot for potting soil, and Aldi. Usually I shop much less. I spent last week recuperating from a miscarriage and surgery (sadly this is my third time through this - more on that another day). I feel better and I'm happy to be able to be out and doing stuff. I carefully plan my trips out so that they follow the most efficient route in order to save on gas.

For more of Super Savings Saturday, check out Money Saving Mom.

Frugal Friday: Shopping in the Pantry

Something I've been working on for the last few weeks is eating through the food in my pantry. My husband loves to stock up on stuff and sometimes buy unusual things (I'm guilty of this too), so we have quite a stockpile. Some of it has been around for quite a while. So, for the last few weeks, I've been consulting my pantry first for menu planning.

To start, I made an inventory of everything in my refridgerator, freezer and pantry. I noted anything that needed to be used up especially soon. This sounds like it will take a while, but I don't think it took me more than 20 minutes.

I planned out the first week's menu immediately, trying to use up the things that needed immediate attention. From there, I realized I could actually plan a whole additional week's menu - with just a few fresh additions - with what I had in the house! A very nice surprise.

I'm now on the third week of this effort, and still have plenty to use up. I purchased fresh vegetables and fruit, but otherwise have been working through what we have. In another week or two, I'll start thinking about stocking up again - waiting for good sales to replenish our supplies.

If I can't think of anything good to make with what I have, I consult my cookbooks or the internet for recipes. Allrecipes.com and marthastewart.com both have ingredient searches, which can be a big help.

There are so many benefits to this - saving money by not letting things go to waste, cleaning up and organizing your home and saving time by reducing your shopping needs. I have been recovering from surgery, so this has been a big help for me.

So, go take a look at what you have in your pantry. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised.

The Best Book for Frugal Living

Quite a statement, I know. But, for me anyway, this really is the best. Yes, some of the information is a bit out of date, since the book is from the nineties. However, I don't know any book that is better for providing inspiration and motivation for being frugal and positive. Ideas like creative deprivation, "cost-per-wow" and the snowball principle of savings have become a part of the way we run our lives around here - yes, I even got my husband to read it (and he even liked it!). I have read it more times than I can count.



What are your favorites?

CVS: Triple Extra Bucks

CVS fans - check your email for a coupon that will allow you to get triple your Extra Bucks reward. This applies to the reward you get quarterly based on your total spending. You give them the coupon once, and this tripling will apply to all of your spending for the stated period - in this case through March 15. Since we tend to spend little real money at CVS, this is never a huge reward coupon for us, but every little bit counts!

Welcome!

Thanks for joining me on my new blog, the Joy of Frugal Living! I'm a 20-something SAHW, living in the mid-Atlantic region of the US. I've been working on learning frugality for quite a while, and I hope some of the ideas I share here will be a blessing to you.

While I'm pretty good at saving money, I'm new to blogging. I've been so inspired by great blogs like Money Saving Mom and Like Merchant Ships. I don't expect to contribute anywhere near that level, but it should be fun to add my two cents.

Have a wonderful day!