Search Results for: frugal home see also home blog frugal cleaning

Think Positively and Save Money

Thinking positively can help you save money. When you focus on the blessings in your life rather than on the things you don’t feel that you can afford, you will naturally be happier and require less of the material things. Also, thinking positively may help you figure out creative solutions the next time you feel as though you need to acquire something expensive. We do our best thinking when we are in a positive emotional state. Here are some ways that you can think positively about being frugal and consequently save money. Have goals and imagine how your life will … Continue reading →

How to Reduce the Cost of Paper Towels

While paper towels can certainly be convenient in a home, they do cost money. Assuming that you don’t have an extreme couponing stockpile of paper towels to keep you for the next 50 years, you may want to spend less money on paper towels. Here are some ways that you can reduce that cost and save the extra in your budget. Use Substitutes Instead of pricy paper towel, opt for some reusable substitutes instead. In out kitchen I have dish towels for drying dishes plus wiping up larger spills. A small drawer holds clean, thin wash clothes that can be … Continue reading →

Four Things I Cut in Half to Save Money

There are many things in our home that we cut in half in order to save money. When we make those cuts, we never notice a difference. Using the recommended amount or the size something comes in isn’t necessarily the best idea, especially when something will work the same way, or sometimes works even better when it is cut in half. Your products will last twice as long! Laundry detergent I always use about half of what is recommended on those cap fill lines or the powder scoops. Why? I find that with a good detergent, the clothes get just … Continue reading →

More Toxins to Boot

If you are like me, sometimes you just take things for granted. I’ve been using air fresheners for years without ever really stopping to think about what chemicals – chemicals that may be harming my family – are in them. I mindlessly put on makeup without checking the label and have used non-stick cookware for years. But, as I get older, I get wiser and start looking more closely at things. I ditched the non-stick cookware and started reading labels more clearly. Here are some more household items with toxins that you may want to reconsider using: Things that are … Continue reading →

Build a List of Service People to Save

When your pipe breaks, do you reach for the first local plumber that you can find? If so, you may be paying more for your services, a lot more. To prevent having to pay top dollar for the services you need, you can build a list of reputable and reasonable service people now, before you need them. This works for service for your home and for your health. First, determine where you would like to keep your list, electronically or in a home binder. Next, figure out the service people that you may need. If you have someone for the … Continue reading →

Get Those Windows Sparkling

Nothing says spring cleaning like cleaning windows. It’s a big job and that’s why we only do it once a year but it does benefit you and your home. Clean windows make the whole house appear cleaner, they let in more sunlight and are a joy to look through. Also if you leave that grime on your windows they can become permanently etched and hazy. The ideal day to clean your windows is warm but a little overcast, if it’s too sunny your windows will dry to quickly and this can lead to streaking. Make sure you have everything you … Continue reading →

Lemon Fresh

I’m always looking for all natural ways to clean my house. The fact that those natural products are usually cheaper than anything store bought is an added bonus. Most everyone knows about baking soda and vinegar, they seem to be the staples of the green cleaning movement. What about lemons? Lemons are all natural, cheap and they smell good too! There are lots of things lemons can be used to clean like the bottom of your copper pots and pans. When we first get those pans they are so shiny and pretty but before too long they turn black and … Continue reading →

New Uses For Everyday Items

I’m always looking for ways to make cleaning easier and less of a hassle and I love when I find unusual ways to clean ordinary things. Here are some of my most recent finds: *Baby oil to polish chrome. You can use this on everything from hubcaps to faucets, pretty nifty. You can also use it to shine a stainless steel sink after you clean it. It might be my imagination but it seems to keep it cleaner longer as well. *Broom to dust. You know those out of reach cobwebs and light fixtures? Just wrap your broom with an … Continue reading →

Cleaning up at the Dollar Store

Keeping your house clean can get expensive. Every time I go to the grocery store I’m amazed at how expensive cleaners can be. Everything from window cleaner to laundry detergent just seems to keep getting more and more expensive. In this economy who can afford to spend money on something they are going to wash down the drain? I prefer to use natural things to clean my home. I don’t want all of those chemicals in the air and on the surfaces my family touches. However, not everyone is a fan of using vinegar and baking soda. Commercials have done … Continue reading →

Taking Inventory Of The Freezer

This weekend I cleaned out the refrigerator, nothing earth shattering about that except that it was way over due. Once I was finished with the fridge I moved on to the freezer. There was a lot of unidentifiable stuff in there that I had to throw out. As I was cleaning out the freezer I thought about all the money I’m throwing away because I never know what I have. I go to the grocery store, fill the fridge and the freezer, the overflow goes into the freezer in the basement where I promptly forget about it. I find myself … Continue reading →