Oonie's commentsComments On: EverythingArticles Blogs Journals Photos created by: EveryoneOonie When Stockpiling Doesn't Make Sense - Blog Entry24 Feb 2009 04:12 PM Hi Mary Ann, you are speaking my language today! I have been so excited to use coupons again, hit triple-coupon days, etc., after a few years "off" when it was too hard with my kids, that I went down to my pantry to unload my latest...only to realize I was losing my laundry folding space because my pantry supplies are so overloaded! We go through Life cereal at an alarming clip, so when it is on sale, I "invest" heavily. And now I need to fold laundry in the living room instead of the laundry room! It was hard to remind myself to *not* stock up at my favorite grocery store today, but first I need to make space! Hope you are well-- Frugal Easter Basket Ideas - Blog Entry18 Mar 2008 11:19 AM It doesn't sound frugal, but it is...my husband's family puts money in the eggs! Mostly pennies, but some silver coins...the kids are always thrilled, it's something they enjoy (even if it's just for putting in the piggy banks later), it augments the candy, and it doesn't fill the house with plastic stuff. At first I thought it was a little strange, but then I thought about what I would spend even at the dollar store for toys they didn't necessarily want or would play with anyway. The other thing we do with some of our bigger eggs is put matchbox cars in them. They are rarely more than $1 apiece and often cheaper if purchased in a set. The boys especially are thrilled! Preventing Colors from Bleeding - Blog Entry01 Mar 2008 08:23 PM I didn't know that about the salt. I use the "color catchers" when washing new (or new to us) kids' clothes in warm/hot due to some soiled stuff in there. It seems to work pretty well for me. But I'll try the salt trick too! Currently I'm attempting the white vinegar on the urnderarms of undershirts right now.... Frugal Burnout - Blog Entry20 Jan 2008 09:05 PM I do hit frugal burnout but more than that I'm hitting recycling burnout...the amount of paper and cardboard especially just adds up so quickly. But I try to remember--that's exactly WHY I recycle--the fact that my town makes money off of that (and ergo keeps my taxes just a little bit lower) keeps me going. Same thing for the frugal stuff...sometimes I just try to sub one frugal thing for another...If I feel like I can't make dinner at home one more night, I try to either find a gift card someone gave us for a place we can use for take-out, or at least buy scrip from my church so that they make money from my splurge...things like that help some. Your comments about "would your life be better or worse?" are well taken...we've been waiting months for new shelves for our mudroom, because we were "inheriting" them from relatives who were remaking a room in their house and the shelves were still in use. Now that we have them, they were totally worth the wait and I'm even more in love with them because they were free! And I know if I'd broken down and gone to Ikea I wouldn't necessarily have buyer's remorse, but what we got is much nicer and so much easier on the pocketbook. Crouching Chicken, Hidden Leftovers - Blog Entry14 Nov 2007 10:03 AM Laura, we do the same thing with chicken breast in mac&cheese too. And I'm newly obsessed with Robin Miller on the Food Network who is all about "morphing." Making turkey breast? Make two, one with hoisin for dinner tonight, one plain for dinner in two days, chopped up and mixed with eight other things to bear no resemblance to tonight's dinner. Loving her! Three Little Pumpkins - Blog Entry26 Oct 2007 01:38 PM What a beautiful post, Mary Ann. Update us on those seeds next fall! Return Your Clutter for Cash or Goods - Blog Entry01 Aug 2007 07:56 PM Tonight my sister-in-law-to-be was telling me she was cleaning out the garage at my brother-in-law's house and found 7 strips of crown moulding with bar codes still on. She took them back to Famous Household Upgrade Shop near us and asked if they still stocked them and would take them back. The cashier looked at her and asked the reason for return. My SILTB looked her in the eye and said, "I found them in my fiance's garage and he can't remember what project he bought them for." The cashier laughed, said it wasn't the first time that had happened, and gave her enough store credit to pay for half the ceiling fan they really needed. Never in a million years would I have thought to do that. The Frugal Baby: Changing Tables - Blog Entry27 Jun 2007 08:05 PM Mary Ann, it totally was. She was amazing...connected instantly with every being shorter than she was, and all kinds of loopy ideas that seemed strange to every grownup but children understood immediately. My other frugal favorite: she cut the tops off of the cardboard half-gallon milk containers and slid one inside the other. This made some really sturdy and very frugal stacking blocks for me to use to make forts or walls or anything else. I keep meaning to do it for my kids but we have too many plastic containers to get a good stack going. Creamy Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese - Blog Entry26 Jun 2007 01:07 PM I haven't tried this recipe yet but definitely will! My mom used to put cooked chicken breast in her macaroni & cheese to make a more "complete" meal for those who think dinners need to have meat in them (read: my father!). She also never served them without stewed tomatoes so it was pretty much a one-dish meal. Thanks for the good new recipe to try! The Frugal Baby: Changing Tables - Blog Entry26 Jun 2007 01:03 PM My mother created a changing table for me (probably with her dad's help) from an old door put on adjustable legs. (Remember the old metal kind that had an upper piece that slid up and down with a peg to pop out at the right height?) She covered the door with contac paper so it would be easy to wipe off; kept it high when in use as a changing table so I couldn't get to anything and she didn't have to lean over as much; and it was so long, she could keep supplies right there (and this was the cloth diaper time, so there was lots of gear) and she could reach them easily but I couldn't. Then, when I didn't it as a changing table, she slid it down and I had a huge play table for my cars, trains, dolls, whatever. I wish I had the space to use it in my own house! 1 2 |
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