Frugal in Franklin

Tightwad Tuesday

Need a little help on the road to Tightwad? Stop by every Tuesday for a quick tip to help you along the way.

Yesterday, the kids and I ran into Barnes & Noble. I was reminded of a great trick I use. I love to browse the bookstore and make a list for the library. After all, the store and the publishers do everything that they can to make the books look attractive. I had to laugh when I saw a copy of "Treasure Island" that had been re-packaged to look like an Alex Ryder novel (contemporary series about a teen spy). Books that my kids would overlook at the library, become high priority at the bookstore.

Another great way to find books to put on your library list is Amazon. When my kids read a book that they really enjoy, we look the book up on Amazon. We use the Listmania lists to help us find other books that they might enjoy (I don't give my kids free reign on this one, I usually work with them).

I love books, but purchasing too many takes up space (expensive), shelving (expensive), and if you move a lot—weight (expensive to move). Utilizing the library, on the other hand, is cheap (as long as you keep up with due dates). In addition, supporting the library makes sure that everyone in the community can have access to books, not just those who can afford them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tightwad Tuesday

Need a little help on the road to Tightwad? Stop by every Tuesday for a quick tip to help you along the way.

We rarely eat out, especially at home. Even when we travel, we try to keep it to a minimum. One of our kids really dislikes eating out, so that helps keep the rest of us in check! Anyway, I was excited to find this article at Living On a Dime about eating on the road. It also made me think of a trick I used to use when we traveled long distances with young kids:

I would shop garage sales or thrift stores for bags of kid's meal toys. When I packed lunches for the road, I would toss in a little surprise. It's a great way to keep the kids busy, get better buy in from the kids on skipping the restaurants, and keeps the cost down.

 

 

Tightwad Tuesday

Need a little help on the road to Tightwad? Stop by every Tuesday for a quick tip to help you along the way.

During the summer, I use a lot of plastic food storage bags to package all of the produce we receive from our CSA. If I threw them out after a single use, we would go broke! Instead I wash them in warm soapy dish water, rinse them, and hang them on a "baggie line" that my husband strung for me in the garage. Here are a few keys to making this work:

1. Buy freezer bags because they are thicker and easier to re-use.
2. Always throw out bags that have had raw meat in them. It's just not worth the chance of making your family sick.
3. Check for holes in bags by filling them with water during washing.
4. Mark bags with holes so no one puts liquids in them. They are fine for storing produce.

 

 

 

Tightwad Tuesday

Need a little help on the road to Tightwad? Stop by every Tuesday for a quick tip to help you on your way.

One important thing we've done over the years to control our families costs is to choose frugal hobbies. We try to pick activities that are both enjoyable and help us save money. Of course you can waste money on any hobby, so part of the trick is finding frugal ways to enjoy your hobby.

Here are some examples:

Yarn Work: I love to crochet and knit. To control costs, I stick with simple projects, try to use up my scrap yarn and I stay away from specialty yarn stores. Over the years, we've saved hundreds of dollars on baby gifts. I can whip up a beautiful blanket for $10-$12 or a hat and booties for almost nothing.

Gardening: We are still working at making this one a money saver. But, I did manage to grow about 15lbs of organic green beans last year. And believe it or not, weeding really helps me relax.

Wood working: This is another hobby where you have to work to control costs. On the other hand, my hubby can make the most amazing storage helps and is able to save money on things we would otherwise have to pay to have done.

Walking: We love to walk together early in the morning or after dinner. It's so cheap and so healthy.

Reading: Using the library and reading lots of nonfiction is a great way to learn all kinds of frugal skills. I've used books to learn how to can, cut hair, cook…you name it.

Scouts: Picking frugal activities for your kids can be tough. While Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts are not free, we've found them to be an incredible bang for your buck. Besides, I'm fond of reminding folks that thriftiness is a core value of scouting!

Do you have a frugal hobby that benefits your family? Please comment and let us know what it is.

 

 

 

 

Tightwad Tuesday

 

Need a little help on the road to Tightwad? Stop by every Tuesday for a quick tip to help you on your way.

When I had my first child, my sister gave us a baby food mill as a gift. I had no idea what a gift it would be! That same $10 baby food mill lasted us through all 3 of our children.

A lot of modern moms are not familiar with baby food mills. Essentially, it's a little hand cranked tool that grinds "real" food into a puree so that babies can eat it. It will not puree food to a "stage one" consistency. For that, I recommend a blender. But once your baby is eating food with a little consistency to eat, this is all you need to turn your grown up dinner and lunchtime leftovers into cheap babyfood.

Bonuses: Your baby will develop a taste for your cooking early on. And, think of all the glass jars and metal tops you won't have to recycle.

Curious what a baby food mill looks like? Check out this one.

 

 

 

Tightwad Tuesday

Need a little help on your road to Tightwad? Stop by every Tuesday for a quick tip to help you along the way.

This week's tip is one that I have not tried in the past, but I will definitely try in the fall. Did you know that Sears has a program called KidVantage, that will earn you discounts on Sears kid's clothing? But the best part is that they will replace your kid's clothes if they wear out before they grow out of them. To read more about this, go here.

Jeans are the only item of clothing that I typically buy new for my kids, because of the "knee problem." This past year, my 7 year old boy blew out every pair of jeans he owned but one. I suspect that this program will really benefit a family like mine that:

1. Buys clothes as baggy as social limits will allow
2. Wears everything to the bitter end
3. Only buys a few pairs of jeans per kid

While I have never personally tried this program, I've heard rave reviews from friends and online.

Tightwad Tuesday

 

Could you use a little help on the road to Tightwad? Stop by every Tuesday for a quick tip to help you on your way.

 

Today's quick tip is about portion control, and I'm not talking about your diet. Have you ever noticed how a lot of packages are designed to encourage you to use more. Case in point: Kid's shampoo bottles. It is amazing how much shampoo pours out of these. To control portions of all kinds of liquids, I use bottles with pumps. The most convenient are old hand soap containers. We re-package shower gel, shampoo, and dish washing liquid this way. You'll be amazed at how long it will last.

Tightwad Tuesday

 

Do you need a little help on your road to Tightwad?  Stop by every Tuesday for a quick tip. 

Today’s tip has been lots of fun for our family.  We needed a large white board for Latin class (homeschool), so we purchased a large sheet of shower board at the home improvement store and hung it up.  This does not make a perfect whiteboard, it is harder to clean than a regular whiteboard (rubbing alcohol is my choice for a really thorough clean now and then).  But the price can’t be beat.  You can see another families’ instructions here.  We mounted ours with screws, directly to the wall, and that has been fine.

Another great option?  Blackboard paint.  Check it out here.