Guest Blog:  Featuring Midge

Last week Tuesday in my first blog, I shared about attempting to make my husband the perfect Crème Brulee for Valentine’s Day.  After the dessert came out of the oven and my daughter Sarah woke up from her nap, we jumped in the car.  My quest of that Valentine’s afternoon was purchasing a hand held blow torch.  Ever since watching the online video chef sizzle the sugar on top of the dessert, I kept thinking about how much fun it would be to use this kitchen tool.

In order to keep my post short, I will spare you the lengthy details about how many stores we went to in order to find it!  Finally, on our way home, we spotted a specialty kitchen store.  But, as the cashier rang up the blow torch and the refillable butane, my heart stopped and my palms got sweaty.  All of a sudden my cute Valentine’s dessert with the inexpensive ingredients had become quite costly!  The grand total was:  $56.39

And, I got flustered because I kept thinking that my first real attempt at making a fancy dessert was going to be ruined. 

So, I paid the price. 

Ever have one of those moments… when an “impulse buy” leaves you with a headache of regret?

Frugal living doesn’t come easy to me.  Before Sarah was born, I had an expendable cash budget each month.  And after I made this purchase, I sat in the car for awhile letting the heater warm us up and the regret wash over me.  I just spent money that was budgeted for something else, something more important.  And now, what should I do? 

With a great deal of embarrassment, Sarah and I marched back in the store fifteen minutes later with the receipt in my hand and returned it.   When relaying the story to my proud husband that night over Valentine’s Dinner, I realized something.  If I had kept my purchase and used the tool, our conversation that night would have been filled with tension and remorse.  Returning the item felt much more victorious than justifying the non-existent wisdom of the purchase. 

And are you wondering about the Crème Brulee??  It tasted wonderful even without the toasty sugar on top.  

 Midge’s New Financial Phrase for 2012:

Save for what I want, find the best deal I can and choose to not use credit.   

This site was recently recommended by a friend as a good place to get cash back on a variety of purchases.  Anyone ever try it?  www.ebates.com

More info on kitchen blow torches:http://www.kitchen-blowtorch.com/

As I get ready to do some decluttering around my house, I wonder if you are all aware of Freecycle?

Freecycle is a non-profit movement of over 5,000 local groups.  They work under the premise of one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.  You join your local group and post for FREE any items you want to discard.  You can also “shop,”  for FREE, things your fellow group members’ are discarding.  Whether you call it a swap or a free online yard sale, the purpose is to keep items out of landfills.

I’ve seen tools, tvs, boats, clothes, and beds.  It is definitely a wonderful resource for people who are trying to save money.  You can find your local Freecycle group at their main website.

Guest post by Vanessa Miller

When it comes to being frugal and eco-friendly, many people may not realize the amount of laundry that they do can have a significant impact on their expenses and their energy-consumption. The average size household will do at least 7 loads of laundry per week, which totals around 400  loads of laundry per year. A load of laundry can use 20-40 gallons of water meaning a year’s worth of laundry will use 16,000 gallons of water.

That is not to mention the amount of electricity that will be used to wash and dry 400 loads of clothes, towels, and blankets.

When you are looking for ways to save money and reduce your family’s carbon footprint, the laundry room and your washer dryer is the perfect place to start.

Pro Tip 1: Wash in Cold Water

By washing your clothes in cold water, you can cut the amount of electricity you use by more than half! The average load of laundry washed in hot or warm water, uses 4.5kWh of electricity (about $0.68 per load-$265/year) whereas a load washed in cold water uses a mere 0.3kWh ($.04 per load- $16/year). [Source]

Pro Tip 2: Use Other Drying Methods

The clothes dryer is a major culprit in raising electric bills. Any item that generates heat uses more electricity to operate. Use a clothesline to dry your clothes or hang them from hangers on the shower rod in the bathroom. Clothes will take longer to dry; however, you will save a great deal of money on your energy bill.

Pro Tip 3: Avoid Expensive Detergents

Yes, expensive detergents smell great and will leave you with the impression that your laundry is clean because of the way it smells. However, cheaper, economy-sized laundry detergents contain the same basic ingredients and will work just as well.

For half the price, you can purchase larger containers of laundry detergent and your clothes will be just as clean. Furthermore, there will be less packaging to recycle or toss out. You can also choose eco-friendly detergents. Environmentally-friendly ingredients to look for include grain alcohol, coconut plant oils, rosemary and sage.

Pro Tip 4: Top Load Versus the Front Loading Washer

If you are still using the outdated washing machine that you bought ten years ago, chances are you are wasting a lot of water. The average top load washer uses almost 40 gallons for one single load of clothes. A front-load washer only uses about 20 gallons per load.

Upgrading to a new washer can dramatically reduce the amount of water that you use in your home and is an eco-friendly choice.

Pro Tip 5: If It’s Not Dirty, Don’t Wash It!

Okay, this does not mean that you and your family should wear dirty clothes just because you are trying to reduce the amount of money you spend on laundry. Just make sure that you are not washing clothes that are not dirty. If you wear your nice dress slacks for an hour and then change, they most likely will be fine to fold up and put back in the drawer.

Some other tips to try:

-          Cut your dryer sheets in half (or omit them altogether). This way you can cut these dryer sheet costs by half!

-          Dilute your laundry detergent. By keeping an extra detergent bottle aside, you can fill it half way with detergent and the other half with water.

-          Use vinegar instead of fabric softener. ¼ cup of fabric softener (for big loads) saves money and does just the trick.
By paying a bit more attention to how, and when, you do your laundry, it will be completely possible for you to save hundreds of dollars each year.

This will help reduce the impact that your family has on the environment by cutting water and energy usage as well. Everyone likes to have clean clothes to wear, but this should not come at such an expensive cost and it really does not have to.

I guess with the other big announcement, I failed to tell you about the December Digest. It’s Molly Saves! In the Powder Room. As usual it’s filled with great frugal tips about the Powder Room and more.

Here’s what our reviewers have to say.

Leah from I’m Livin’ My Dream said,

My house is older, and both of our bathrooms are sooo small.  Storage is a big issue for us with four children sharing the bathroom.  So, I was excited to see some ideas for storage in small bathrooms in this issue.  I especially liked the idea of repurposing an old dresser as storage.  I can definitely see a way that I could use this in my small hall bathroom. I think I’ll be on the lookout for a dresser at the thrift stores.

Laura from Laura Williams’ Musings mentioned,

One of my favorite articles was the homemade Liquid Soap Dispensers. What pretty dispensers from things normally just tossed in the trash or recycling bin. This is the ultimate recycling!

Annie Kate  from Tea Time with Annie Kate added,

Among the horrors of winter are static hair, dry skin, and static clothing.  Three of this month’s articles, one about the benefits of humidity in your home, one about skin care, and one about winter hair care, address this issue.  Some of Molly’s fun, frugal, and healthy ideas are new to me and I’m eager to try them out when the cold weather appears.

Denise from 3D Reflections said,

This is the time of year when everyone is getting colds and flu, so pull those turkey bones out of the freezer from Thanksgiving and make some Turkey Stock. Molly takes you step by step through the process, and it is not hard at all, but it is so much better than anything that you can get in a can or box.  If you don’t need it now, freeze it and save it for that day when you are feeling a bit ”under the weather”

Jen from Reflections in the Window shared,

But with the great printable forms you will find in this issue, I can get my children involved in cleaning up their mess.  I’m really trying hard not to criticize them for the way they clean.  I usually just say, “forget it I will finish”.   I know they will not learn unless they do it.  So I put together a cleaning basket full of homemade cleaners.

Chantol from Organized Chaos mentioned her favorite parts,

* The dresser turned into storage…for the bathroom (or any other room, really).
* Ingredients for making homemade cleaning supplies.
* A Nod to Pinterest, which I am COMPLETELY addicited to!
* and most of all…what I really need is the Winter Weather Hair Care tips!

Guest Post by Jon Vincent

Black Friday offers some of the best deals of the season – but if you’re properly prepared, you can save yourself even more money on your holiday shopping. And it all starts with being properly prepared.

Most think they can just wake up on Friday morning and head out to the stores. While this would work on most shopping days, Black Friday requires a little extra organization and planning to ensure the best deals. Below, we’ve put together a list of some of the top pointers that will help you save some money this holiday season.

• Create a “Shopping Spreadsheet” – We’re taking this one step further than a shopping list. A spreadsheet can help you keep everything organized. Create columns for the names of the people you’re shopping for, what you’re buying for them, your budget for each person, and how much you actually spend on them. Print out the spreadsheet and keep it with you when you’re shopping.
• Stick to Your Spreadsheet – Think of your spreadsheet as a guidebook for your Black Friday shopping experience. Stick with it and don’t allow yourself to cave to any additional in-store specials that you just can’t live without. Sticking to the list will also help you stick to your budget.
• Create a Shopping Plan – Sort through the Thanksgiving newspapers and fliers to determine who has the best sales for what you’re looking for. Then, arrange them according to when the sales start and make an itinerary for your day. Sticking to your plan will hopefully eliminate you driving aimlessly around town looking for the best deals.
• Cut Coupons – Cut coupons from the Thanksgiving Day fliers and organize them in a file folder or small pouch. Keep these in a handy spot while shopping so you don’t run the risk of losing them (and losing money). This will also prevent you from digging through your purse or wallet to find the right coupon.
• Think of Your Shopping List; Not Yourself – Keep in mind, this day is meant for you to shop for your family and friends – not yourself. Although it’s okay to treat yourself on a few things, try not to get swayed by great deals that aren’t on your list. It’s really easy to come home with several new things for your home because “you just couldn’t pass it up.”
• Spread Out Your Purchases – Just because it’s Black Friday doesn’t mean you need to do all of your shopping that day. Unless you’ve found a really good deal on certain items on your list, try to spread out the rest of your shopping over the next few weeks. Feeling rushed to buy everything in one day can lead in impulse purchases on things you don’t need.
• Gift Cards Are a Good Way to Go – If there are people on your list that you just can’t think of gifts for, look toward a gift card instead. People can sometimes get too wrapped up in Black Friday shopping and finding the right gift – when in reality, giving a gift card and allowing the recipient to choose their own gift can sometimes be the best way to go.

Being organized on Black Friday is one of the biggest keys to saving you money and stress. Keep in mind the above tips to help ensure your shopping experience goes as smoothly as possible.

About the Author: Jon Vincent turned his obsession with Black Friday ads into a website – and a career! He’s been interviewed about his website, BlackFriday.info, by the New York Times, CNN, Tech Crunch and more. When he’s not hunting down Black Friday ad leaks he stays busy by writing frugality and savings advice.

I find that breakfast is the hardest meal for me to plan. Today I’m happy to share a guest post that includes some simple, frugal breakfast ideas.

Guest post by Jill Clark from ClarkClan Craziness.

It is well documented that eating breakfast is very important.  I have tried to teach this to my kids, but I have one who, as she became a teenager decided she just wasn’t hungry in the morning. So we began talking about the importance of breakfast and finding foods that would appeal to her as well as to my budget.

Eggs

Eggs can be prepared in many different ways.  Normally thought of as a breakfast food, eggs are a good source of protein. We like poached eggs on toast, which can be very quick and easy. An omelet made in the microwave is fabulous as well.  It only takes a couple minutes to break an egg or two into a bowl, mix with a fork, add ham and cheese and microwave for about 3 minutes. Voila! a quick and easy omelet.  Hard boiled eggs are a great option. These are  easy to grab and peel for a quick on the go breakfast.  My daughter will peel two hard boiled eggs, add a little mayonnaise and make a quick egg salad.

Pancakes and Waffles

Pancakes and Waffles can be made in large batches when you have a little extra time in the morning.  Then freeze the leftovers to pull out later. With pancakes I like to freeze them with a piece of waxed paper between each one so they don’t stick together. Then my kids can pull them out and put them in the microwave to re-heat. We top them with a little yogurt and fresh fruit. Waffles can be made in big batches as well. When frozen, these can be pulled out and put in the microwave to thaw or our favorite way is to put them in the toaster to crisp them back up. Again we use the yogurt and fruit to add extra nutrition.

Oatmeal

I usually use old-fashioned oatmeal. It really only just takes five minutes to cook. My kids favorite is “smashed banana oatmeal with frozen blueberries”. While the oatmeal is cooking,  I will smash about half of a ripe banana in a bowl. Then I pour the oatmeal over the banana and mix it together and add some frozen blueberries. The blueberries thaw in the hot oatmeal and cool it down enough to eat. With the banana, no extra sweetener is needed.

Burritos

Maybe it is because we live in New Mexico, but we like burritos for breakfast as well. These can be made ahead and frozen quite easily. You can do a standard breakfast burrito with eggs, sausage and cheese (don’t forget the green chile,yum!) or a bean burrito.  With an egg burrito put the egg, meat and cheese down the middle,

fold one side over, fold the end up and then fold the other side over.

Wrap in Saran Wrap and then put in a freezer bag or plastic container and freeze. My kids like plain old bean and cheese burritos as well. Make these up the same as the egg ones. At breakfast time, pull a frozen burrito out and microwave for a few minutes.

These are just a few of the quick and easy ideas I have come up with to appeal to my kids, my daughter especially. Since my kids are old enough to get their own breakfast, I have tried to make things that 1.) they will eat 2.) are quick and easy with little mess. It has worked, breakfast is much smoother and my daughter is eating breakfast. As the saying goes. “Breakfast! The most important meal of the day.”

About the author: Jill Clark is a homeschooling mother with 4 kids ages 8-18. She has many interests including: blogging, sewing, choir and handbell playing.  Getting her kids to eat a good, healthy breakfast has been a challenge for years and is an ever evolving process.  She hates to admit how many times her kids have eaten cold cereal. You can find her on the web at ClarkClan Craziness.

No, I can’t do your laundry. (Sometimes I barely get mine done!) But this month’s Digest is all about the laundry room. Molly Saves in the Laundry Room has fabulous tips to help you with your laundry plus much more. Purchase your copy today, or become a Molly member and save. Here’s what our reviewers are saying.

Leah from I’m Livin’ My Dream shares:

Because I am often guilty of complaining about the laundry I have to do and the space I have to do it in, I was encouraged and inspired by Eleanor Joyce’s article about changing our perspective about where we do laundry when we think about what doing the laundry looks like all over the world. And, yes, it was a little convicting to realize how good I have it even when I’m frustrated by my tiny laundry space.  I also loved Eleanor’s idea for using an old shopping cart to make a rolling laundry hamper.  What a great idea, and what an easy way to make it possible for everyone in the family to have a turn bringing the laundry to the laundry room!

Chantol from Organized Chaos mentions:

My opinion is that I would want to spend more time in the laundry room if it looks great, is organized and functions as I need…A must read!

Laura from Laura Williams Musings says:

I absolutely loved the article on “Double-Duty Dollar Savers!”  I love items that can be used for more than 1 purpose. This article is a treat and is sure to get your creativity juices flowing on what you may already own that you can double up on.

Annie Kate from Tea Time with Annie Kate adds:

I like the Tightwad Training Camp hands-on lesson showing just how much you can save in a year by regularly saving small amounts.  I’m also in awe of the beautiful magazine holders, complete with metal labels, which you can easily make out of things you’d throw away.

And here’s this month’s Molly quote, one I can’t get out of my mind:

“Why is there a permanent press setting on most irons?”  Kay  Mosure

Denise from 3D Reflections says:

Even though his issue features topics about the laundry room, there are holiday ideas, great recipes to make and serve during this holiday time, and ways to have a “stress-less” holiday season.  My favorite is the review of the book“Unplug the Christmas machine” which will help you to refocus and make this holiday special and important in your own way.

Jen from Reflections in the Window adds:

The thing that I loved best in this issue and will use f.o.r.e.v.e.r is the stain removal chart.  I have printed it and placed it in a plastic sleeve next to the washer.

What’s your favorite laundry tip?

One of the best ways I have found to save money on groceries is staying out of the store!

Obviously that will only work for a little while before you run out of food. But by planning menus and keeping a list of staple items handy, I’ve found that I can go to the major chain store only once per month. (I’ll refrain from mentioning which one, but it’s Super big and takes me a Super long time to shop there!)

I don’t really look forward to shopping, but I do look forward to only fighting the crowded store once per month. In addition to my monthly trip, we also pick up items like milk and produce weekly. (I am very blessed that my husband usually does this quick trip for me on his way home. He’s actually better at sticking to the list than I am, so that saves money too!) And I pay attention to the sale ads for the local grocery stores so that I can pick up deals there, especially if their sale items can be combined with coupons.

I’ve found that my monthly list is fairly constant, so I’ve typed it up and save it each month. When I’m making a new list, I just open up the last list, save it as the current month, and edit it as needed. I’ll usually browse a couple of other previous lists to see if there’s something else I need to add. I also keep a notepad on the refrigerator where I jot down items as I notice that I’m running low on them. When I’m preparing my big list, I just add those items as well.

I’ve found that though the shopping takes a bit longer, overall I spend less time preparing, less time in the store, and less money than I do when I shop weekly. Monthly shopping definitely Works for Me!

What about you? How often do you grocery shop?

Guest post by Kiley Theiring.

A few years ago, buying used items was much more taboo. In high school, I remember scraping off the used labels of my textbooks before the first day of school so I wouldn’t appear poor or needy. After the recent downturn of the economy, buying things used no longer gives the impression that you are penniless. These days, buying used items is just another way to be frugal! Try out these tips so you can learn to be a super saver!

Why should you buy used items?

Buying products used can literally save you thousands of dollars! If you purchase used items, you’ll get a huge discount most of the time. If you’re prejudiced about shopping in a thrift store or discount store, just go in open minded and you will have a whole new world of possibilities! When you start seeing the money you have left over each month from purchasing used items, you won’t think twice about visiting your local secondhand store whenever you need something.

Someone clearly didn’t want it – there must be something wrong with it!

Just because something is used does not mean it is damaged or dysfunctional! For example, many people sell good quality used furniture because they are moving and cannot take it or recently upgraded and have nowhere to keep it. If you think all used clothes are raggedy, you clearly haven’t visited enough thrift stores. Think about how many pieces of clothing you only wore a few times and then donated because they went out of style or you decided you didn’t like them anymore. You’d be surprised how many lightly worn clothes you can find at a secondhand store.

What are the best things to buy used?

The first things that come to my mind are things like books, movies, and CDs. There really is no reason to NOT by them used! No matter how many times a book has been read, it’s still the same story. You still get the same entertainment from a movie if it’s been watched 20 times or 200 times! Furniture and clothes are also good options because you can get them so much cheaper, and often the used products aren’t in bad shape. Electronics are also great to buy used because new ones are very expensive.
How do I know I won’t get a dud?

Be smart about your purchases! Make sure everything is in working shape before you buy something used. If you are buying from the internet, look for pictures and ask the seller why they are getting rid of their items. Even if something is REALLY cheap, don’t buy it unless it is good quality! Even if you only spend $3 on a pair of jeans, consider it $3 wasted if they don’t survive a few trips in the washing machine!

About the Author: Kiley Theiring is a film student at Chapman University who loves to write. She currently writes content for Coupon Mountain as well as many freelance articles about saving money and living frugally in every aspect of life.