thequeenofthecastle's commentsComments On: EverythingArticles Blogs Journals Photos created by: Everyonethequeenofthecastle How to Shop Smart - Blog Entry18 Jun 2009 04:14 PM I went to buy a noise machine for my children's room and a friend told me that if you buy them in the children/baby section they cost twice as much as if you find them in the section of the pharmacy that caters to the elderly with things like walkers and first aide supplies. I guess the elderly don't fall for markup as easily as us young parents. :) How to Have a Frugal Garden - Blog Entry18 Jun 2009 10:39 AM I have young children and keeping up with a garden can become a little daunting, then if I kill the stuff I've spent money buying, planting, fertalizing, ect... I end up losing money on a garden. But, there is one thing I have planted every year and every year it's thrived and I've been SO grateful, and that is HERBS. Having fresh herbs on hand can dress up even the simplest and frugal meal. I grow mint, cilantro, basil and my sister in law grows lavendar and thyme. We always have fresh herbs on hand and it really makes meals pop. I also have discovered by having a community of friends who garden too we can swap what we have so when I have 40 tomatos one week in July I can trade some of them for squash with my friend who has squash coming out her ears. How to Find Pantry Storage Space - Blog Entry18 Jun 2009 08:57 AM My dad discovered that sturdy plastic flower pots turned upsdie down work well (and much cheaper) for bed risers. This raises your bed up a bit giving you more space underneath it for storage. add a nice long bedskirt to hid everything being stored... a couple roller tupperwares... and you have a TON of extra storage. The higher bed also looks really cool and dramatic... Frugal Picnic Night - Blog Entry17 Jun 2009 04:42 PM We love pitas with hummus, leftover chicken... just about anything you have on hand. I also love to make some pudding and throw on some frozen berries on top and put them in little dixie cups. The berries are perfect amount of frozen/defrosted by the time you're ready for them at the park and then just toss the cups. I usually cover the tops with a bit of saran wrap and a rubber band. How to Reduce Your Air Conditioning Cost - Blog Entry17 Jun 2009 04:36 PM We live in Texas and our AC went out last week. Within one hour of the AC being out the house was 83 degrees! That is in JUNE... our hottest month is usually in August. So, AC is a must down here, but we also use budget pay and it really helps us spread out these shockingly high summer bills. Our company also offers scholarships for low income families to help them pay their bills. If you are really struggling to pay your bill you might want to inquire if there is something like this in your area. Fashion Frugalista - Blog Entry27 May 2009 02:38 PM I just got back from an awesome trip to goodwill and came home with a ton of name brand really trendy beautiful clothing and shoes. I think a lot of success at goodwill and other thrift stores revolves around timing. Season changes are a good time for thrift store shopping because people tend to take vacations around this time and use the time off to clean house and get rid of stuff. For us, we live in a college town, so right after school lets out there are a lot of things students who are moving on to other places and graduating, get rid of. I think that was why I ended up with so many great finds today. Happy Thrifting!! How to Cut Items from Your Grocery Bill - Blog Entry02 May 2009 11:35 AM Seasoning mixes are one area I realized I was over spending. They are mostly salt with a few added spices. It's much cheaper to buy the spices that go into these mixes. For example: Taco seasoning is just chili powder, comino, garlic powder, onion powder, and HUGE amounts of salt. You'll find the same to be true for those packets of "gravy mix, chili mix, ect.." The other advantage of mixing these yourself is you can add a lot more flavor by upping the spices and cut down a lot on the salt. Warning to Kitchen Sink Fashion Victims - Blog Entry22 Apr 2009 08:00 AM I'm with you on this. It is brilliant marketing to make something so expensive and practical in your home.. faddish. By doing this you end up replacing your perfectly working appliances, sinks, floors, ect.. way too often. These are things that should last for decades.. and companies want you not to use them that long, because they are missing out on sales if you use your appliances and things until they actually REALLY need replacing. Laminate Countertops - Blog Entry22 Apr 2009 07:57 AM We have laminate that looks really pretty and came with our house when we bought it new only 4 years ago. I was wondering if you have any tips for extending it's life and keeping it well maintained? Inexpensive Kitchen Makeovers - Blog Entry22 Apr 2009 07:54 AM I haven't used them myself, but the glass frosting kits are supposedly very DIY friendly and would make a nice way to hide stuff in a glass cabinet as well. If you put down contact stencils you can also do a pattern.. |
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