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Frugal Friday: Take Advantage Of Back To School Sales

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We’re excited to introduce a new Frugal Friday Column contributed by Susanne of The Hillbilly Housewife.

Back to school sales save us a lot of money on products that we use all year long. With a little planning, you can save money, too.

If you’ve been taking a look at any sales flyer from the various office supply and the large discount stores, you know that now is the time to get great deals on all those back to school items.  Some stores offer buy one get two or more free, others lure you in with office supplies for a penny.

Here are some items that we stock up on.

1. Arts and Crafts: My daughter loves to paint, color and make little story books out of various notebooks or sheets of paper stapled together. We also stock up on crafting supplies like crayons, construction paper and glue.

2. Household Organization: I keep several notebooks around to makelists, weekly menus and just to jot down things I need to remember. I also keep a large three ring binder with various inserts as my household or homemaking book.

3. Storage and Organization: I also like to pick up a few extra sandwich boxes this time of the year. You can usually find them right next to the lunch boxes. They are small plastic containers that are perfect forholding small office supplies and also make great marker and crayon boxes for the kids.

4. Office Supplies: (printer paper, fax, pens, staples, etc.) You can get deals on anything from notebooks to pens, markers and binders.

Add all that up and throughout the year we use up quite a bit of school and office supplies.

Take a look at some of those ads and think about what you could actually use throughout the year. Then stock up on them now. The notebooks that will usually cost you a dollar or more are yours for 10 cents this time of the year.

Set aside a cabinet, a drawer or a storage bin to store all these extra supplies until you need them.

Susanne Meyers shares frugal living and budgeting articles at  The Hillbilly Housewife and on her blog.  She is also author of the Hillbilly Housewife’s Spring Cleaning Guide.  Grab your copy today at http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/ebooks/springcleaning.htm

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Start ‘Em Early

How to Teach Kids to Save Money

It is never too early to introduce your children to money. They need to know the proper way to receive, spend, and save money. Start today and teach your kids the value of a dollar.

Parents need to agree on how to handle the issue of money in the household. Kids learn from watching their parents. If there are money issues in the home, include the children in the discussions for learning purposes. If you are fighting constantly about debt, we recommend that you get credit counseling or financial help so you won’t pass the issues onto your children.

There are several ways that kids may receive money. On birthdays and holidays like Christmas, money is given as a gift. Teach your child that money is valued by always helping them to write and send “thank you” cards for every gift of money received – or make a “thank you” phone call. This will not only teach that a gift of money is to be appreciated, it also teaches respect.

As kids get older, parents may opt for an allowance. The exact age when an allowance should be given is up to the individual parent, of course. Parents may enforce rules pertaining to how the allowance is spent, or issue it as “fun money”.

Become discerning about purchases made for children. If they don’t need a new toy or you can’t afford it, explain this to them. There is no endless fountain of money—they must learn to save in order to buy.

When a child is old enough to understand that money is needed to purchase items from the store, you are safe to teach them about saving money. Children that are learning how to count money in school will find it fascinating to count real money at home. Take the time to show your kids each monetary unit, coins and bills.

The next step is to explain how to accumulate money. Ask your kids what they would buy if they could. Ask your child how much money they currently have. Your child should be old enough to add and subtract so that they can do the math to find out how much money they still need to be able to purchase the item.

As parents, we need to stick to our guns. Don’t give in and supplement your child’s earned money with your own so that they can buy their item of choice. Providing a cushion sends the wrong message.

Teach your children how to manage money as soon as they are able to understand the concept. Learning to save will establish a healthy respect for money in your child’s mind.

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Cheap Doesn’t Have To Taste Bad

Frugal Breakfast Tips

The most important and the most expensive meal of the day is breakfast. If you want to cut your grocery bill, look for ways to provide a wholesome meal for less.

There are so many options for breakfast these days. Kids can choose from hot cereals, cold cereals, breakfast bars, eggs, bacon, sausage, frozen meals, and the list goes on. Breakfast is packaged fast and convenient for the busy consumer. Unfortunately, fast is not cheap.

Decide a week at a time which options you will offer your family. Serving the same things every week or two at a time cuts down on what needs to be purchased. Each weekend, break the monotony by fixing a breakfast meal composed of all the favorites your kids don’t get during the week.

Of course, when buying cold cereal, the best way to save money is to purchase off-brands. Don’t spend the money on cold breakfast cereal with fancy names and lots of sugar. Buy the off-brand versions of the same cereals we grew up eating.

Whenever you can, purchase your breakfast staples in bulk. Instead of buying a box or can of oatmeal for four dollars, purchase a ten or twenty pound bag of rolled oats for a dollar more. A box containing five dozen eggs is more economical that buying a dozen eggs four times a month.

Visit the local farmer’s market to buy your fresh vegetables and fruits. Adding fresh vegetables to omelets provides flavor and texture to the breakfast meal. The farmer’s market sells dried fruits which make a healthy quick breakfast for you and your kids when time is short.

Buy breakfast meats at the butcher shop. The price is better and you can have the meat sliced for free. This way you can see what you are getting and choose the best cuts to keep your family happy and healthy.

If you want to offer breakfast breads or muffins to your family, make your own. There are no preservatives in the muffins you make. Use fresh ingredients and substitute applesauce for a portion of the vegetable oil for a healthier choice. Make the muffins ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator or freezer to increase their longevity.

Breakfast doesn’t have to be expensive to be good. A little elbow grease and advanced preparation will provide even the busiest families with a hot breakfast each morning.

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Time For College Already?

Saving for College

Saving for college can start as early as birth. With the rising cost of college tuition, every penny you put aside now will help. There are several avenues to use when planning for your child’s future college career.

The most popular way that parents are saving money for college is 529 plans. A 529 plan is a college savings plan that offers parents a way to make tax-free contributions. (The maximum amount of money that can be contributed each year is $12,000.)

The 529 plans have several advantages:

• The plans offer higher interest rates than a standard savings account.
• Any member of the family can start this plan for a child.
• 529 plans can be started at any age.
• Any unused money from a 529 account can be rolled over into an account for another sibling to supplement their college funds.

Each state has individual 529 plans. Check out the offerings and decide which is right for your needs. Choose a plan that has low maintenance fees with many choices for investment strategies.

As the time for college nears, ask your child where they plan to apply. Make a list and total up the costs of tuition, room and board, and books. Check this against your current college savings to see if their choices can be managed.

Encourage your kids to get good grades in school. High SAT or ACT scores, combined with great grades, are strong points to qualifying for a college scholarship. If your child likes sports, a strong showing here could garner an athletic scholarship.

Make sure that you fill out the federal financial aid application. This form is available to students every January. It is a free application that provides the financial information you record to all of the schools where your child applies. A financial report will also be sent to you and your child to see which grants and scholarships your child qualifies for.

Saving for college is a major concern for parents. Even if you start to save late, there are options for you and your child. Developing a saving strategy will save worry and headache.

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Dressing On A Dime

Frugal Clothing

When discussing frugal clothing, most people think about how to purchase clothing affordably. Of course, we could talk about shopping at thrift stores, garage sales, or eBay. However, another aspect of frugal clothing is that clothing that is cared for lasts longer. It’s always cheaper to keep something nice and get more use out of it, than to shop for new, right?

How many of us follow the washing instructions on our clothing to the letter? If we did, it could save us money. Clothing lasts longer when it is properly cared for.

To save money, sometimes you have to spend money. Invest in good quality clothing. Items that are well made will cut clothing costs in the long run.

Durable clothes do not have to be purchased from high end stores with large price tags. Consignment shops and thrift stores also sell good quality clothing. You will have to take the time to look for them, but the deals that you find will be well worth it.

Store your clothing properly. Wire hangers are no good for sweaters or fine fabrics. Instead, purchase plastic or satin covered hangers. Wire hangers can rust and leave stains on your clothing that the other hangers will not.

Be careful about storing certain fabrics in cleaning bags. Silk and wool clothing need to breathe. Plastic storage and dry-cleaning bags do not allow for that.

If you need to store your clothing, use garment bags and other storage devices. If your closet is cramped, storage boxes can be used to store sweaters and seasonal clothing when you don’t need them. Shoes can also be stored in shoe boxes or over-the-door shoe hangers to avoid clutter.

If you do get a stain on your clothes, treat it as quickly as you can. This will keep the apparel from being damaged. Wash the items by hand so the stain will not set in and then launder as usual.

Try not to buy too many trendy clothes. They are more expensive, and when the fashion fades, you will be left with items that you won’t want to wear anymore. Purchase outfits that are more practical and not attached to fads.

Frugal shopping can save money on the family clothing bill. The key to making it work is how well you take care of your outfits after you buy them.

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Inexpensive Entertaining

Frugal Entertaining

Do you love to have company in your home, but hate to spend big money to do so? Even weekend visitors can put a crimp in your family budget. Learn ways to entertain family and friends anytime without having to take out a loan.

The worst part of entertaining is the preparation. Every host or hostess wants their presentation to be perfect, but there aren’t enough hours in the day, especially if guests show up unannounced.

The instinct is to order food from a local restaurant, by delivery, or order a pizza. Both are highly expensive.

An option is to run out and purchase prepackaged foods. Food warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam’s Club sell prepared food trays. Tray sizes vary so it is easy to choose the one that fits the number of guests you are serving. Create a buffet with cheese, meat, deli, fruit, chicken, and cracker trays.

Offering a variety of sodas can be messy – and expensive. Instead, fix a citrus punch bowl.

You will need: two or three 2-liter bottles of lemon-lime soda, two cans of pineapple juice, a bag of ice cubes, and a tub of lime sherbet.

The taste is light enough for everyone. If you don’t want to use regular ice cubes, fill your ice trays with some of the punch. As the punch warms up, add punch-flavored ice cubes to cool it down without watering it down.

A wise hostess will keep on hand a list of things to do around town that are free or cost very little. Guests with kids may like zoos or museums. A picnic or cookout in the park gives everyone a chance to eat, socialize, and take advantage of park activities all in one venue. Other options are State Parks, local public attractions, and nature reserves. All are very affordable, and guests love to visit the local attractions.

If guests are spending the night, make it as convenient as possible for them and you. Purchase trial size bottles of deodorant, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and travel toothbrushes from the dollar store. Guests may bring these items, but, having a basket of these miniatures in their room will help them if they forgot anything.

Entertaining can be painless and fun even for those who don’t particularly like to play host or hostess. Even on short notice, you can whip up a meal, draw up an event calendar, and prepare a room for those unexpected friends and family.

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Frugal Home Decor

Frugal Home Decorating

Everyone loves to make their home a special and memorable place. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford all of the nuances that style magazines say one should have. Learn how to decorate to your satisfaction while keeping to a budget.

Make a list of the items that you would like to have for the decorating project. If you know what you want it will be easier to find it. Now the fun begins.

Visit your local Goodwill and thrift stores. People give away items that still have the price tags attached. Expensive pieces can be purchased for next to nothing here.

Shop at Home! Take a second look at the things you have stored away. Those curtains that you no longer want might make excellent coverings for throw pillows. That vest could make a really cool lampshade. Use your imagination.

Yard sales are another treasure trove of decorating finds. Visit community yard sales in the more affluent areas for greater variety. Because the prices are reasonable, if something catches your eye that is not on your list, you can purchase it anyway.

Dollar stores have come a long way since their inception. They sell crystal vases, plate racks, paints and brushes, and other decorative items for a fraction of their cost. Instead of live plants, invest in artificial flowers to liven up a room.

Paint is cheap. To make a huge impact with little money, simply paint your room. If you stick with the same color palette as your existing furniture, you can give your room a face-lift for cheap.

Don’t love your sofa? Slipcover it. Seriously, any piece of furniture can get a whole new look affordably (and you can hide stains) with a slipcover.

An alternative to interior painting is wall decorating. Add a shelf or two to the corners in the room and display framed family photos or votive candles. Instead of purchasing a coat tree, add shiny hooks to the entryway wall.

Baskets are a great decorating tool. They are relatively inexpensive and come in many shapes and sizes. Instead of a fancy newspaper rack, choose a colorful basket. Is space a premium in your bathroom? Roll bath towels tightly and stand them up in a round basket. Plain baskets can be painted to match the theme of any room in the house, and they can be lined with fabric for a classic, trendy, or even funky look.

Sprucing up your home doesn’t have to break the bank. A few helpful ideas can fuel the imagination and have you looking at everything around you for its decorative potential.

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School Lunches: Keep Them Healthy

Frugal School Lunches

School lunches cost more each year. Schools offer plenty of options but not all of them are healthy. Making your child’s school lunch is an economical, and healthier, alternative.

Kids like school lunches because they are provided with a variety of choices. Homemade lunches can offer the same varieties but with a smaller price tag.

First, ask your children about their favorite lunchtime meals. If you send foods that your children enjoy, you are more likely to elicit their cooperation when it’s time to help pack – and eat – the lunches.

If your child likes foods that need refrigeration, be sure to purchase an ice pack for their lunch and an insulated lunch bag. Seal the ice pack in a plastic bag before putting it in the freezer. The plastic bag keeps this fluid from touching your child’s food.

Most school cafeterias have microwave ovens available for student use. Dinner leftovers make excellent lunch fare. Invest in microwave-safe bowls to store your child’s lunch.

Fresh fruit offers a sugar boost that is better than a candy bar. Include a cup of fresh strawberries, apples, oranges, or whatever fruit is in season. If they need more sweetness, add a cup of yogurt to use as a fruit dip. One fun option is to freeze the fruit the night before and put it into the lunch bag still frozen. That way, your child will enjoy “slushie” fruit for lunch.

Kids won’t eat anything that requires too much work. Cut their peanut butter and jelly sandwich into bite-sized pieces for easier handling. If your kids are older and health-conscious, serve a turkey and veggie delight in pita bread. Soft chicken tacos or ham roll-ups are delicious also.

If your kids don’t want the traditional milk at lunch, they may make a trip to the soda machine. To avoid this, invest in bottles of fruit juices. Make sure that the juices are 100% juice and not mostly sugar. Another alternative is water bottles and flavored drink packets. Crystal Light and Kool-Aid brands offer drink mix packets that are perfect for a bottle of water.

Save money on utensils and napkins. Buying plastic forks and napkins seems like a good idea but kids throw them away after each meal. Let your kids use the utensils and paper products provided by the school.

School lunches can be delicious, nutritious, and more affordable if they are made at home. Provide your children’s favorites without the preservatives and added fat.

For more great ideas for healthy school lunches, check out these great books from Amazon.

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Budgeting For Baby

Ways to Save Pennies when Baby is on the Way

You’ve just received the news—you’re pregnant! Babies are cute, but they certainly are not cheap. Now that there is a new addition on the way, it’s a smart idea to learn to save money wherever you can.

Most new parents want to run out and buy up everything for their baby all at once. This is a wonderful idea but not very realistic. Before you buy, see what you can borrow from other family members and friends.

Clothing is an item that you can certainly save money on. When babies are young, they don’t need fancy sleepers. Invest in all-in-one sleepwear and undershirts. And, as for expensive little outfits – babies can’t read the tag to know whether the outfit came from Gymboree or whether it was purchased at Target. Yes, a few cute baby outfits are fantastic for portraits, but, for every day playtime, inexpensive clothing fits the bill.

If you want or need more expensive items for your baby, add those to your wish list for the baby shower. Let your family and friends pull together and purchase them for you. Include the crib, high chair, playpen, car seat, and stroller on your list.

Clip coupons. Money-saving coupons are available each week in the newspaper and baby magazines. These can be a lifesaver for items such as diapers, baby wipes, and baby food. Online, subscribe to websites for new or expecting parents to receive bonus offers and free samples.

Breastfeeding saves money. Every month that you nourish your baby this way, is a month that you do not need to buy expensive formula. Wait until baby is born before purchasing bottles. If the bottle nipple does not feel like your own, baby may not use it. (If you are unable to breastfeed, see the coupon tip above.)

Avoid buying newborn diapers. Depending on your baby’s birth weight, newborn diapers may be too small at the outset. Purchase diapers that are the next size up.

Moms, resist the urge to buy trendy maternity clothing. The new fashions are a sight better than what your mother had to wear, but are they practical? Most women don’t need anything different from their normal clothing until they are well into the pregnancy. At that stage, see if you can borrow some outfits from a girlfriend, borrow from your husband, or shop on eBay for slightly used outfits.

Saving money before baby arrives means more money will be accessible when it really counts.

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Beauty On A Budget

Frugal Beauty Tips

Our best beauty feature is what we are given naturally. Anything that we add should enhance and not cover up our features. When looking for affordable beauty solutions, the best beauty treatments may be items that are lying around your home right now.

Dry Hand Tips: Dry skin plagues most of us, especially in the winter time. If you are suffering from dry skin, use a hydrating lotion on your hands. You should also apply lotion and wear plastic gloves when washing dishes. The warmth of the water will help the lotion to absorb better, leaving your hands soft and supple.

Bath Tips: In ancient civilizations, they used milk in their bath water to soften their skin. You can try this trick, too. Use powdered milk in your bath and see if your skin feels any different. To exfoliate your skin, use a mixture of grapefruit and salt. This will remove dead skin cells and clean the pores – plus, it smells wonderful.

Face Care: Beauty products today, even those that say they are all-natural, contain preservatives. The skin on your face is far too delicate for the harsh additives in many of these products. Instead, wet your face with warm water and apply honey. As a facial exfoliant, try raw sugar. Gently rub it in until it dissolves and then rinse.

Keep a bottle of witch hazel under your bathroom sink. It is a natural toner for the skin and costs less than the name brands you find in stores. A sliced cucumber from the fridge will reduce the swelling of puffy eyes in the morning. Instead of expensive makeup removers, use olive oil and a cotton ball.

Hair Care: Chemicals can build up in the hair from thermal styling, hair sprays, and everyday activity. Mayonnaise has long been touted as a natural hair and scalp conditioner. Or try using pure natural olive oil on your hair for shine and to de-frizz your mane.

The Best Things in Life are Free: The best beauty tip is drinking plenty of water. Drinking eight to ten glasses of water every day flushes out your system. It is like an internal shower for your body. Water removes impurities and gives a natural glow to your skin.

Taking care of your body naturally reduces the need for more expensive beauty treatments. Beginning a simple daily regimen using everyday items will keep you looking beautiful for pennies on the dollar.

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