Simply Thrifty

July 30th, 2008

Make the most of your dollar store trip

Back in the day; Deb did a a cool post about 38 Things You Can Find at a Dollar Store. I agree with some of her advice, and think some things, like frames for example can be a good deal at a dollar store. However, since I’m personally not being a big fan of shopping, I find the dollar store a little obnoxious. It’s always crowded, many things are junky, and often I see people buy to buy at a dollar store; because why not? Stuff is only a dollar. Still, it makes me cringe when folks buy to buy, instead of buy with a purpose.

That said; here are some tips for the your next dollar store trip…

Always go off-season OR before season: A problem with most dollar stores is lack of space. They stock for holidays mega early. I went in early October to find Halloween stuff last year, and they were almost sold out, and the winter holiday goods were already stocked. (um, what happened to Thanksgiving?) If you go early, you can find deals. Sometimes, if you go off season you can find items not exactly meant for a specific holiday, but items that will do, such as candle sticks, festive wrap, or holiday cards. if you wait until a holiday to shop at the dollar store you’ll get frustrated, tired, and be more wiling to spend more at a normal store - not good.

A dollar is not always so cheap: You can find lots of items for less than a dollar at normal stores. Items like small plastic bins, small packs of crayons, thread, and more. Plus, what about garage sales! Since it’s possible to find items for less, don’t always assume a dollar is a good deal.

A dollar is not always so cheap (part two): A dollar is also not a good deal if the item you buy is going to break in a few days. It’s better to pay $10 in my opinion, for something you need, than a dollar for something that ends up in a landfill at the end of a week. Break-easy buys are bad on your wallet and the earth.

If you can, go sans kids: My normally peaceful child turns a little nuts at the dollar store. In some ways I like to take him, because he knows about dollars, and how to add them up, so it’s a great money-learning experience. However, if you’re going to be doing some serious dollar store shopping, kids can be one thing that may ruin your clear thinking groove.

Do not - I repeat - do not enter the dollar store without a list: Stuff for a dollar is way too tempting, unless you’re steadfast and hate shopping. Trust me, even I can be lured by the occasional $ deal I don’t need. If you need stuff, you may as well see if the dollar store has it for cheap, but don’t go in without a plan.

Do you have a dollar store plan when you go; or do you just go? 

[image via stock.xchng]

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By Jennifer -- 1 comment

July 25th, 2008

Throw a great picnic or potluck with these handy tips

This month, Lifestyles decided to have a little fun with one of summer’s favorite pastimes - picnics & potlucks. Here are all the tips from around the channel, there’s recipes, tips and a few laughs thrown in for free.

Just because you choose to live thrifty doesn’t mean you have to throw a thrifty picnic. Here at Simply Thrifty we looked at tips for an elegant and inexpensive potluck

At Declutter It you can read five tips to help you organize your summer BBQ. 

Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch by Robust Cooking

Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade at All Holiday Cafe

Rice Krispie Treats at Keeping the Castle

Homemade Oreo Ice Cream at Chocolate Bytes

Cool Summer Snacking at Inside Motherhood

Pasta Salad at Thrifty Mommy

Baking Delights is bringing enough chocolate for everyone to catch a chocobuzz with her favorite brownies

Nothing like sweet tea on a hot, summer day…Wait..I taste lime..mint…is that a non-alcoholic Mojito? Kettle and Cup has the answer.

Blogfabulous is serving up a super easy, keep your butt out of the hot kitchen solution to Hors’ devours.

Weary Parent is serving Chocolate Puppy Chow, a snack that’s bound to be popular with the kids

Offbeat Homes is sharing details on how to hold an offbeat picnic in four easy steps.

Tree Hugging Family shares 10 tips for an easy green picnic or green potluck

10 Summer party ideas and themes for your next backyard barbecue, or potluck.

Add some backyard Olympic games to your next barbecue, in honor of the Summer Olympics

And speaking of games, Marriage Actually is bringing a fun game for the grownups. Life Stories - a fun way to find out more about your spouse, friends and extended family.

Cyndi won’t go anyplace to picnic unless she can grill, but she doesn’t want to spend all day doing it. Try her tips for Grilling Chicken Fast, and get a jumpstart on your next picnic!

Who says picnics have to be complicated affairs? Keep it simple with cheeses, meats and homemade bread. Brewha-ha.com has a few suggestions - including a recipe for Polish beer rye bread

Whether you’re having a picnic, a barbecue or just looking for a fun activity to do with your kids outside, Susan at PlayLibrary offers a list of 50 outdoor toys and games that are perfect for summer.

This time of year there are bugs everywhere, don’t forget to bring the bug repellent along with your favorite dish to your next cookout.

Christine at Mad Cropper not only shares her favourite winter or summer recipe but also shares that you can turn recipes into creative works of arts. Find out how!

And while you’re out having all the fun and good food you can handle, don’t forget your pets - they enjoy special summer treats too!

At Quilting and Patchwork enjoy an array of potluck foods and memories from the Food Bloggers.

You never know what medical emergency could happen while your are picnicking…Marye at Simply Home Remedies is bringing the antidote for nearly ANYTHING!

Eliza at Babylune provides a checklist of tips to consider when taking baby picnicking.

Finally, when it’s all said and done - perhaps you can kick back with a nice frozen beverage. MomGadget prefers the Dominican Coco Loco

[image via stock.xchng]

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By Jennifer -- 0 comments

July 23rd, 2008

How to worry less about money

If you find yourself staring at the ceiling worrying about money, instead of sleeping at night, you need to stop it. It’s not healthy. Easier said then done though, right?

Most people worry about money at some point. If you’re a gambler, a crazy spender, or have defaulted on every credit card you own, you have bigger issues than this post can solve. However, if you have enough to pay your bills, don’t over-shop, know how to balance a checkbook, and yet you still worry about money, these tips may help.

In the know: Know what you spend and how you spend it. Even for thrifty folks, money worries pop up. If you keep track of your spending habits, to the penny, you’ll know exactly where your money is, feel in control, and that worry will go away

Save some money: Everyone feels a little better knowing they have rainy day money set aside. If you can’t afford much, set aside what you can, because it will add up. I suggest opening a rainy day savings account, one not attached to your normal banking accounts. Out of sight, out of mind.

Cut three expenses: Choose three basic expenses. Cut them in some way. Saving money is a sure fire way to stopping money worries. If you usually spend $300 on groceries, see if you can cut that to $250 or $275. If you buy all your clothing new, try a thrift store for jeans only. Three expenses is easy. You don’t have to re-haul your entire budget to feel better. If you can save a little on three expenses, it will add up; you can add that money to your rainy day fund.

Make a list of your worries: If you’re already budgeting in a decent manner, and are worrying about money, than making a list can help to stop the worry. Maybe there’s something your missing, and writing down your money issues can help. In your head, worries tend to swirl about, mix up, and it’s tough to sort them out. Worries on paper are much more manageable. Maybe deep down you’re worried about what might happen if you get sick, or if your child can’t get financial aid for college. You can make plans to solve both of these situations, but not if you can’t pinpoint them. Writing stuff down, also allows you to stop thinking about it, because you know that the list isn’t going anywhere.

Do you worry about money a lot? Why do you think that is?

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By Jennifer -- 1 comment

July 23rd, 2008

Tips for an elegant & still inexpensive potluck

Today the Lifestyles Channel is holding a potluck / picnic of sorts. Each of the channel blogs will be somehow discussing potlucks and picnics today - a favorite recipe, or maybe some planning tips. Here at Simply Thrifty, we’ll look at how to dress up your event on the cheap.

Potlucks are known as a thrifty alternative to other dinner parties, but rarely do the terms elegant (or cool), and potluck go together. Here are some inexpensive ways to liven up the typical potluck event.

Have a theme. Same old potluck = dull. Create a theme; like an around the world potluck, a fiesta, a Hawaiian potluck, or a nature based organic potluck. You’ll still only be called upon for a dish or two, but a theme will bring something creative to the table.

Have a nibbler potluck: Have people bring their best appetizers, deserts, and cocktail fixings. This is a more adult gathering than your typical casserole potluck event.

Make your decorations work double time: Create a neat centerpiece that can actually be devoured. Use fresh fruits or edible herbs. You can freeze tiny violets or lilacs in ice cubes for pretty drinks, or even create ice bowls to use for serving. Learn how to make an ice bowl.  Ice bowls are especially nice with fruit salad or sorbet inside. Other decoration ideas can be inexpensive summer paper fans as place markers, flowers from your garden, or a plain white paper tablecloth livened up with stamps.

Shiny drinks: If you have an old tin bucket - or can find some sort of tin bin at a thrift store, cover it in clear glue, and sprinkle on the glitter. Fill with ice, and use for holding cold drinks. This looks better at night, with say, torches shining light on it. If you do it well, it’ll look good during the day as well though.

Lighting: Pull out last year’s holiday lights and hang them up. It’s an inexpensive way to create a nicely lit evening potluck. If you don’t have any left over lights, snag some LED string lights. They’re not always cheap, but one, you can find great deals online, and two, the LED lights conserve energy and will last and last.

Another idea that does double duty - lighting plus keeping bugs away, are these bamboo citronella torches. They’re a great deal for a set of six, and would look really nice either on the beach as shown, or you could place them in sand, in pretty containers or big garden pot.

What other ways can you think of to liven up a potluck; maybe bring in some extra style? 

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By Jennifer -- 2 comments

July 22nd, 2008

StarBucks -vs- StarPennies

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good cup of Pike Place Roast in the morning, as much as the next gal. However, the economy is crappy, gas is pricey and stops for gourmet coffee are not an option. Does that mean that you cannot have your gourmet coffee, at all? Nope! You can have all of the gourmet, right in the comfort of your own home, while saving money.

Buy whole coffee beans. You get more for your money and the taste is a world of difference, compared to already ground coffee. Buy a cheap grinder, if you do not own one. It will pay for itself after a few pots. Grind your beans. Buy the espresso beans. They cost the same and provide a richer flavor. For espresso based drinks, use less water than you would for a regular cup of coffee. Invest in some flavored syrup, found in the coffee aisle of the grocery store. It will last for a month or longer and costs pennies per pump. Buy whipping cream by the quart and use it for espresso drinks.

Brew up the espresso beans. Add a few shots to a mixture of half cream and half milk. Stir in the flavored syrup or make simple syrup (a combination of 2 parts sugar, 1 part water,) to your liking. You can also whip the cream yourself and add some sugar to make whipped cream. It can be kept in a Ziploc baggies for later use and tastes heavenly,

Making your own cup of gourmet coffee is a lot easier than you may think and saves a few “bucks” every day! Share your favorite coffee recipes in the comment section.

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By Kadi -- 7 comments

July 22nd, 2008

How does your family have fun for free?

There are plenty of ways to have free fun; especially in the summer when the weather is nice.

Here are some ideas for you:

Hiking, walking, getting out: Of course this is an obvious free fun activity. No matter the weather, you can get out. Depending on your location you can find various things to do. In Humboldt we used to go to the beach, the main street boardwalk, check out cool houses in weird places, and hike in the redwood forests. In New Mexico we of course, spent more time in desert settings (not as much fun, but free). Now, in Oregon, there are plenty of free and cool park and recreation areas to visit.

Free days: Check your local museum or zoo for monthly family free days. It’s more crowded to go on these days, but fun.

Make overs!: Ok, my son and I don’t do this, but as a Big Sisters volunteer, my littles and I had plenty of make-over fun - even just doing our hair in a new style was fun and free.

Go visit a train yard: My son likes this one. Although he thinks it’s a little loud, so we don’t go often.

Window shopping: I don’t like to shop, but I like to walk, and walking in a downtown area, full of things for my son to see is fun, free, and keeps him entertained.

Memberships: Zoo and museums memberships are not totally free; true. However, after we’ve paid once our memberships tend to pay for themselves within three visits, which means the rest of the year is pretty much free, so I’m counting this.

Rock collecting: My son is a rock freak. He’s really, really into rocks. He can spend hours looking for rocks outside, and while this does slow down our walks, it’s fun for him and free for me.

When gift times roll around, I ask people to get Cedar rock based gifts. Over the years, he’s gotten a magnifying glass, rock books, and rock holders, so his rock collecting has stayed free (for us) and people can get him something he really enjoys.

The library: Always fun, and if you get your books in on time, free. You can even watch for events like meet the author, story time, or art shows.

Art centers and more: Most cities have something like art night once a month, and even if your city doesn’t, you likely have college art centers, art galleries, and more available to go look at. Some people think those art nights are adult based, but I think kids should be exposed to art early on, so I’ll take Cedar to them.

Grow stuff: Gardening can cost money; but not if you’ve been saving seeds, or can save seeds. Using leftover seeds is free, and kids love to grow almost anything. We’ve been reusing seeds from many of our flowers for years now.

What do you do that’s free and fun?

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By Jennifer -- 4 comments

July 21st, 2008

Thrifty Party Planning

I hope you can all forgive my recent lack of posting. I have been blessed with the job of planning a charity event to benefit two very special little boys. This has added a whole new dimension to my efforts at being thrifty. Everyday kind of thrifty is hard enough, but meeting others’ expectations,  impressing party guests and staying within budget is quite a task. Here are a few things that I have learned so far. Perhaps it will help you in your own party planning endeavors.

I’ve learned to use connections to get things done at more reasonable rates. There is no shame in asking friends and family members to lend their talents to your cause. As long as you make them feel appreciated, they are usually glad to help. My bother in law, who is a gifted musician, is going to lend his talents at my charity. The usual base fee for a band is 100-200 dollars per hour. I will be able to get away with a small gift card, as payment.

Make a list of priorities. Decide what the most important elements of the event are. Then it will be easier to allocate funds. The least important items on the list can discarded if money runs out. The venue and food are always most important. Decorations are always easy to pare down or omit. Extravagant party favors are not a necessity either. A warm word of thanks to your guests will usually suffice in satisfying their need for a token of your gratitude.

Whatever you can do yourself, do it. Enlist friends to make favors, decorations or appetizers. Host a potluck party if you are having a crowd that is easy going. Make it a “Death by chocolate” theme or a “B.Y.Favorite” night. People love to share their specialty dishes. Make your invitations, when feasible. Use your talents to cut down on costs.

When choosing a venue, entertainer or other service, interview several people and get quotes. A lot of businesses are willing to meet or beat a quote. Talking with business owners and being honest about your budget, can be of great benefit to you. People are usually willing to work with you if there is a personal connection involved. Phone calls are too impersonal.

Make one big trip for several purposes. It saves on travel time and gas. Plan out your day to accommodate several meetings and interviews.  I try to accomplish several tasks while my husband is home to watch the kids. It saves on babysitting and I can relax, knowing that they are in good hands.

Seek out donations. I know that some people have a problem in asking for freebies, but the worst you can get is a “no.” Some wine suppliers will come and do a pouring for free and give a discounted price on the wine. New catering businesses will usually provide the food at a discount, just to get their name out there. Offering to pass out their business cards to your guests may prompt the caterer to give a discount. Small businesses are hurting right now. Many owners will gladly donate to your event in exchange for advertising. I know this does not work for every event, but it works wonders for fundraisers and company events.

Keep in mind that guests will not remember every detail about the event. The thing that they will remember most is the fun. If you keep the mood festive and encourage socialization by playing party games or sparking conversations, people will always have a good time. Always be gracious, outgoing and thank your guests for coming as they leave. Your party is sure to be a frugal hit if you plan carefully and keep the focus where it needs to be, on the fun!

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By Kadi -- 0 comments

July 21st, 2008

Pay bills with your child sitting right next to you

I pay most of my bills online. It’s easier, and saves paper waste. However, if you pay bills online it’s easy to accidentally hit a button that you don’t mean to, or forget to log the bill in your checkbook. Especially if your seven year old comes over every three seconds saying, “Hey mama, hey, did you hear about the one where… hey um, mama… LOOK AT ME.”

Sometimes I pay bills at 3am to avoid this. Other times, I know I won’t be up at 3am, and the bills still need paying. What I do is…
One, I pay all my bills all at once and balance my checkbook then as well. At most I’ll pay bills twice a month, but I never pay them as they’re emailed. I usually pay most of them at the start of the month, and a few at the end.

Secondly, I taught my son to fill out checks. Not real checks, but I had these left-over checks from two moves ago, so I figured why not teach him to fill them out, give him a list, and let him ‘pay bills’.  Cedar’s bill paying station consists of a pen, old checkbook, and a calculator. I write him a list (easy list) that says things like:

• Rent: $800
• Gas: $20
• Water: $20

And so on. He doesn’t always fill the checks in, or even fill them in correctly, but it keeps him busy. Sometimes he’ll just play with the calculator the whole time. At the very least, it stops him from draining my concentration and I don’t have to worry about making checkbook mistakes, or hitting that button that says, “Pay all insurance for the year today.”

What do you do to keep your kids busy when paying bills?

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By Jennifer -- 1 comment

July 21st, 2008

One of the best cheap kitchen items to own

The basic ice cube tray:

Seriously, it’s like you can’t have too many. Ice cube trays are inexpensive and you can use them for everything. I have some normal sized trays and some of those mini ice cube trays as well.

What can you do with an ice cube tray?

• Make ice - sooooo obvious, but true, and cheaper than store bought ice.
• Freeze berries in non-stick single layers before transferring to bowl for storage - use the mini trays for this.
• Mix paint; especially good for kids to mix water colors. If you have a little one who is not into paint yet, you can fill the cubes with water, add a dash of food coloring to a couple of the trays (use different colors), give your little a brush or medicine dropper and let her mix and match colors.
• Separate and freeze fresh herbs, or make herb ice cubes that you can later use for cooking.
• Create decorative dinner party ice - add flowers or berries to your ice. Cheap, yet adored by all.
• I was hard up one year come seed starting time, so I nailed holes in the bottom of one tray and started seeds in there. I don’t think I really needed to nail holes even though.
• Bead holder.
• Macaroni necklace holder.
• Place crayon shavings in the tray, leave out in the sun all day. Place in freezer for an hour, pop out new square crayons.
• Freeze homemade baby food in single serve sizes. Same with pumped breast milk.
• If you’re working with clay, say making small parts, you can use the tray to hold each small bit of clay as you work.
• Mold appetizer sized foods. I don’t eat meat, but know someone who made these tiny little meatloaf shapes and covered them with some sauce and served them at a party. I suppose you could make other tiny food items too.
• Store buttons, nails, screws, and any other little item that needs a space.
• Use as an inside desk tray - cheaper in most cases than those trays you buy at the office shop.
• Place in flower arrangement to one keep flowers cool at outside summer parties, and two, to liven up the arrangement. If you live you can add food coloring to the ice.

There are tons of other ice cube tray uses - making this one of the best, and least expensive kitchen tools you can own. What can you think of?

[image via stock.xchng]

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By Jennifer -- 2 comments

July 19th, 2008

Recycle mismatched buttons for kid projects

Mismatched, ugly, too big, or just plain oddball buttons are perfect for tons of recycled kid projects that you can make on the fly. You don’t want to toss buttons, because they’ll just sit in that old landfill forever. Yeah one button is small, but many add up, and why not use them if you have them. If you don’t have buttons, thrift stores carry bags of them for super cheap.

Here are some ideas - although I’m sure you can think of more.

Button hair bands: Cut a piece of extra elastic to an average hair band size (imagine if a hair band was cut open). Thread buttons through elastic to create a hair tie for your little one. OR your little one’s dolls.

Use for all sorts of dollhouse furniture and item ideas - pictures on the wall, table tops, garden stones, plates, etc.

Place small bits of magnetic tape on the backs of buttons and use them to create funky letters and numbers on the fridge.

Use them in scrapbooks. Most stores sell scrapbook buttons for insane prices; you can just use the real thing.

Make button beings (requires some extra scraps - but stuff you likely have).

[button beings via Family Fun]

Take an old (but small) glass jar, fill with water, add some buttons, a dash of food coloring, and some glitter. Hand to a happy baby or toddler. Make sure that you hot glue that lid on, and / or don’t leave the room while your little one plays with it. For extra fun pick a sunny spot to play in, because then the glitter really shines.

Of course you can always go super basic too. Make a bracelet, use in old juice containers or oatmeal containers to make a rattle or drum, use if you run out of game board pieces, or do what my son does and glue them on paper to create art.

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By Jennifer -- 2 comments