Chipotle is Having a Costume Contest, and $2.00 Food!

What are you going to be for Halloween this year? If you have not decided yet, I have a suggestion. Dress up as a “horrifying processed food”, and wear your costume to a Chipotle restaurant. Show up on Halloween after 6:00 P. M. and you will get a burrito, bowl, salad, or an order of tacos for just $2.00. Chipotle is also having a costume contest, where the winner will get $2,500. One of the nice things about Chipotle is that their food is made from fresh ingredients. Nothing is deep fried, and nothing is made from processed foods that … Continue reading

Bulk Food Bargains

Not all bulk food is created equal. If you buy the wrong kind, you may wind up increasing your grocery budget instead of slashing it. Here are several types of food where bulk buying can really help you save. Cereals and Grains Any kind of grain product in its purest or almost purest form is usually a great deal when you buy it in bulk. This is especially true for organic grains. I usually pay $28.48 for a 25 pound bag of organic white flour. That is about $1.14 a pound. In the local store here, a three-pound bag of … Continue reading

Five Ways to Save Money on Prescription Medication

Even with insurance that covers prescriptions, medication can be expensive. Here are some tips to help you save a little money on your prescriptions! Money saving tip number one: Go generic! Many name brand medications are now available in a generic form. Generic medications are tested for safety and ability to treat diseases the same way name brand medications are. They work the same… for a LOT less. For example: my name brand Zoloft used to cost around $90 per month (without insurance). The generic version cost less than half that when I first made the switch. If you do … Continue reading

5 Ways a Crockpot Will Save You Money

The crockpot or slow cooker is a frugal person’s best friend. With this little unassuming device, you can really save money. If you don’t have a crockpot yet, I trongly suggest that you purchase one as soon as you can (Used is fine. My best crockpot was bought at a local thrift store). Then get some good recipes and fire it up to save. Here are five great ways that a crockpot will save you money. 1. It makes it easier to prepare dinner. Throwing a few ingredients into the crockpot in the morning before work, school or family obligations … Continue reading

Five Ways to Reduce Your Packaging

Excess packaging is everywhere, and it has a hug impact. Just for one day, keep track of the amount of packaging you generate. Weekends are probably worse than weekdays. If you can fill a box in a couple of days of regular living, with all of your packaging, I wouldn’t be surprised. Reducing that packaging takes a little forethought, but it isn’t as hard to do as it might first seem to be. 1. Go for non-processed. Non-processed foods generally have little to no packaging. Think about produce, for example. Stay away from “bagged apples” for example and bring your … Continue reading

10 Ways to Go Green at the Office

10. Pull the plug One study showed that low power mode (what your computer goes into when it is turned off) accounts for approximately 10% of all the electricity used in California. To make sure you are completely cutting the power off, unplug items such as computers, monitors televisions, DVD players, and microwave ovens. 9. Try telecommuting Of course, everyone is not lucky enough to have a job that allows telecommuting, but maybe instead of working five 8 hour days, you could work four ten hour days to save on energy. 8. Digitize whenever possible Of course, we all love … Continue reading

How to Share Restaurant Meals to Save Money

As our family grew to include five people, the bill for eating out grew as well. But there is also a benefit to having a larger family. You can take advantage of this fact to strategically share meals. Many times when my family does this together, we actually wind up with more food for less money. Think about it. When you are eating at home, you generally serve everyone the same thing anyway? With a restaurant meal, you will often have a little more flexibility and choice, but the idea is the same. Also, all of the extras that come … Continue reading

Ways to Save on Vacation Lodging

If you have had enough of the staycation and want to actually travel somewhere away from home, then lodging will be an expense that you will have to deal with one way or another. Fortunately, there are a lot of choices and opportunities, if you think a little bit out of the box. Here are some great frugal tips for saving money on your vacation stay. For the large family or group If you have more than four people traveling, then you are in for some issues. As part of a family of five, I know first hand. This is … Continue reading

Five Ways to Save Money on Food

Doing without things is a great way to save money. For example, you can cut out the cable bill, eliminate the cell phone and go without the vacations. But food is one area that is well, impossible to cut out of your life, since you need it to survive. Fortunately, there are many ways to save on food. Try some of the following tips. 1. Eat at home. Ingredients are usually less than prepared meals. The next time you are out and are tempted to stop for dinner on the way home, stop at the grocery store instead. Some inexpensive … Continue reading

5 Ways to Spend Less Eating Out on Vacation

Traveling costs can add up. And one of the biggest expenses after air fare is the cost of food on vacation. Here are five ways that you can be frugal when it comes to the cost of dining out when you are out and about. Cook at “home” Depending on where you are staying, you may be able to get away with cooking at home. Most hotels offer a refrigerator free of charge, and you can use it to store lunch meats, milk and other items to feed you your lunch and breakfast. Bread, peanut butter and jelly can be … Continue reading