Dollar Stretcher Friday: Free Towels, Vacation Dining on the Cheap, and more

Dollar Stretcher Friday: Free Towels, Vacation Dining on the Cheap, and more

by | Mar 30, 2012

This week’s Dollar Stretcher Friday contains great tips to help you save time, money, and your sanity! Since the kids and I are going on vacation next week the Vacation Dining on the Cheap is particularly useful to me. Enjoy!

Easier Weeding

A good time to tackle your yard weeding is after a rain. The soil is much softer to pull the weeds out so you can easily get them out with the roots, using just your hands.
Krys in WA

Ice Cream

Tired of having crystals form on the top of your ice cream? If so, turn the container upside down when you return it to the freezer. I don’t know why it works, but you won’t have crystals in your ice cream any more.
BD

Try Before You Buy

If you are looking to buy something like a car or anything else that is expensive, find out what your payments would be each month and save that amount for six months. This allows you to see if you can afford the amount comfortably. Also, it allows you to have six months’ worth of payments planned in advance at all times.
RS

Natural Mosquito Control

For mosquito control, nothing beats purple martins and mud martins. Put up some purple martin houses. We got our 12-family birdhouse and the pole at Wal-Mart. These birds eat their weight in mosquitoes every day. When the little mud martins come and build their little mud houses in the eaves of your house, don’t tear them down. They are very much worth the mess they make. We never have mosquitoes when they take up residence. Alas, we moved a block away last year and they didn’t find us. Hopefully they will this year.
Edna

Cheap Home Security Measure

Most people don’t know that patio doors can be lifted off their tracks from the outside, unless they have a locking pin on the inside. Most older models don’t have this. So I went to the farm store and bought cowbells and strung a cord that was about 2 feet long through them and hung them at various places. I hung one on the patio doors, front door, etc. They are very loud.
NAJ

If You Must Go to the Mall…

Whenever I am going to be doing a mall-shopping trip, I go online before I head out. I just search for printable coupons for the stores at my local mall that I know I will visit. I easily save $15-$30 per shopping trip just by doing this little trick. And you can expand this to other stores you visit, like the drugstore, restaurants, etc.
Tina S. in Greenwood, DE

Reusing Freezer Bags

Freezer bags can become quite expensive, so I have come up with a way to reuse them. I buy the cheap baggies and put my meats, vegetables, etc. into the baggies and seal them up. Then I put the baggies into the freezer bags (I use the quart size) and then label the bags with the items and the date. When the last baggie has been used, the freezer bag is ready to reuse again. I just mark through the labeled information. The bags are reusable indefinitely.
Sandra R.

Free Towels

Sometimes hotels will give you “out-of-service” towels for free if you ask. These are usually perfectly good towels that are too worn to be acceptable for guests’ rooms. The slight roughness of these towels makes them good for cleaning up dirty jobs, like scrubbing down the dog after he’s been romping in the mud. My husband uses them to wipe down his hands and arms after working outside.
Jen in Michigan

Ladies’ Business Casual Slacks

I’ve worked in offices for years where I am expected to wear “business casual” clothes. Women’s dress pants are pricey, flimsy, and often dry clean only. I save money by buying khaki, white and black jeans. I use a seam ripper on a new pair to take the belt loops and back pockets carefully off, and they look like dress pants for much less money.  In 10 years, no one has noticed the difference. Keep your black jeans looking good by re-dying them a couple of times a year.
Mary C.

The Value of Cooking

I love to cook, and I have discovered how much money it saves! Next time you go to the grocery store calculate how many items you have in your cart that you could make instead of buying. Sweets like cake, cookies, even candy are very expensive when you add them up. You can also save a bundle by making your own bread, pancakes, pizza and cinnamon rolls. All you need is the basic ingredients. You can even premix the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and just add the yeast and milk or water when you want a quick meal.
Christine C.

Vacation Eats

We all know that vacations can be expensive, especially eating out. As soon as we have decided on a vacation location, I go to all the local coupon sites that email their deals and sign up. Usually we know a few months in advance where we will be vacationing and we will then purchase the coupon deal for restaurants and sightseeing if they come up.

We also are signed up for a local city that we often visit for weekends. We again purchase these coupon deals for this city knowing that although we don’t have any concrete dates to visit, we will be visiting within a few months regardless.
Cam

Want to live better on the money you already make? Visit http://stretcher.com to find hundreds of articles to help you stretch your day and your dollar! Copyright 2012 Dollar Stretcher, Inc.

Inexpensively Redecorate Kid Rooms to Spark Imagination

Inexpensively Redecorate Kid Rooms to Spark Imagination

by | Mar 28, 2012

From bunk beds to bicycles, one of the greatest things that we can ever experience is the magic of being a child. This is a marvelous and yet challenging part of our lives and one that parents can have a unique and profound impact on. It is incredibly important that we do want ever is necessary to help foster memories that are inspirational, fun, and last a life time.

Whether it is with us, or simply having a place to experience the world on their own these moments are paramount to the way we develop and the individuals that we will later become. Now although it is important that children are able to have these experiences with us, it is just as important that they are able to have these experiences on their own as well.

One of the ways that this can be accomplished is by having a special place that they can go to that will be crafted in such a way as to inspire and serve as a doorway to adventure. One of the ways many parents have been doing this is by changing their children’s bedroom into something that is a lot of fun.

Redecorating a child’s bedroom is something that can be done relatively inexpensively and although the space if for them to build these important memories, you can have fun together creating it. Some of this can be done by utilizing craft projects which can change the appearance of everyday items, like an alarm clock or a lamp.

One of the greatest ways to accomplish this, and a great way to add in better organization and space, is to add bunk beds to the room. This can be great particularly if you have more then one child living in the room. There is a variety of ways that parents are using bunk beds to give their children a special space. This is being done through additions like accessories and fabric sections.

There are designs that can be used to help transform basic bunk beds into such fun things as a fairytale castle, or a pirate ship. There are ways to add in simple fake floral pieces and transform your child’s bedroom into a jungle safari. The sky is the limit and ultimately it is about what you create for your child.

Whether you are adding bunk beds or simply making sure that there is time at the local park, helping children have time to build their own imaginations is something that will not only have a positive impact on their own lives, but also the world that they will come to effect as they get older.

Buy in Bulk to Saves Cents, Makes Sense

by | Mar 20, 2012

Want to go green? If you’re looking for ways to reduce the packaging your family sends to landfills, a great place to start is your grocery’s bulk food aisle. If you’ve skipped this aisle because you think it’s only for buying large quantities, think again. “Bulk” refers to how the store offers the product, not how much you have to buy. In fact, you can buy a pinch or a pound, saving yourself money while reducing packaging waste.

The idea that you have to buy large quantities is one of the false perceptions about buying bulk. Ellen Bouchard, bulk manager at Frontier Natural Products Co-op, describes and dispels the following common bulk-food myths and provides shopping tips for consumers.

Myth No. 1: You must buy in large quantities to buy bulk

False. In fact, bulk offers an easy and economical way to expand your food horizons by letting you try small amounts of unfamiliar products. You can buy just a pinch of the exotic spice or a cup of the unfamiliar grain called for in a recipe. Or you might purchase small quantities of a number of spices and seasonings or spice blends, such as garam masala, to experiment with a new ethnic cuisine. If you think you might like to try something new, buying in bulk enables you to purchase a small quantity without worrying about wasting money.

Myth No. 2: It’s wasteful to buy in bulk.

Quite the opposite, because you can buy just the amount you need. Keep in mind that prices for bulk products are considerably lower than the packaged versions, and the full amount of your purchase goes toward the product, not packaging or advertising. In addition, manufacturing that package wastes energy and resources. So when you buy in bulk and reuse storage containers, it’s a positive contribution to the planet’s health.

Myth No. 3: It’s hard to know what’s in those bins and if it’s fresh.

Again, not true – bulk foods are often of higher quality, fresher, and more natural than packaged products. They’re also more likely to be locally produced. Good labeling practices by retailers will indicate the manufacturer or producer of that bulk item and whether it’s organic and/or Fair Trade Certified. For example, the bulk products from Frontier, available in most natural food stores and health-food departments of grocery stores, are natural and sustainably grown. Many are certified organic, too. (Frontier also sells its bulk products online in 1-pound quantities at www.frontiercoop.com.)

Myth No. 4: The bulk selection is limited.

Another misconception. Some products you’ll likely find in the bulk aisle: beans, flours, grains, nuts and seeds, cereals, herbs and spices, pastas, teas and coffees, and household and toiletry items such as laundry detergent and soaps.

Myth No. 5: Bulk products are low quality.

False. Bulk products are most often of equal or higher quality than their packaged counterparts. Many exotic and gourmet items are only available in bulk, as are some Fair Trade Certified and certified organic products. For example, do you know how many types of cinnamon exist? In some bulk spice aisles, you can find multiple varieties of cinnamon, ranging from traditional Korintje (3 percent oil) to premium Vietnamese (5 percent oil) to Ceylon cinnamon from Sri Lanka.

Tips for buying in bulk

* Before you go shopping, look in your cupboards to see which items you usually purchase in packages or cans that you can now purchase in the bulk aisle. Glass is safer than plastics for food storage, so you might want to buy some airtight glass jars in various sizes.

* Explore the store’s bulk section a bit, trying one or two new items each visit.

* When filling your containers, use the scoops or the dispensers provided. Take your time and be neat, but if you spill something, there’s no need to panic. Just ask a staff person for help in cleaning it up.

* Most stores will have you write down the item number and price of the item (from the bin) before you take your selections to the register. (ARA)

Affordable 2012 Summer Vacations

by | Mar 19, 2012

With economic turmoil still affecting a great deal of the world, many people are finding it difficult to spend time on hobbies, luxuries, and vacations. Indeed, taking time off for yourself is far easier if you aren’t worried about expenses, and this limits you considerably when it comes to vacation time, or even time off in general.

Fortunately, however, with careful planning and some creative thinking, you can still find some very nice vacation options for the coming summer that won’t cost you too much money. After all, it is perfectly possible to have a great time on a budget with a strategic vacation. Here are a few tips for affordable 2012 summer vacations that will provide you the relaxation you need without requiring you to break the bank.

Greece

It may seem a bit ambitious to look to one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe right off the bat, but when you consider this country’s own economic struggles, it becomes a viable travel option on a budget. Of course, air fare to Europe is still pricey, but accommodations and on-the-ground expenses in Greece are about as cheap as they’ll ever come right now, which means you can visit this Mediterranean paradise fairly easily. For that matter, a number of other European cities are also cheaper to visit now than in more stable economic times.

Ski Locations

This may seem a bit strange, but if you’re looking for something closer to home, you may want to consider ski lodges for summer vacation time. You will certainly want to look into a specific lodge beforehand, but many ski locations house people during the summer, and provide warm weather activities like hiking, rafting, fishing, camping, etc. Additionally, depending upon where you live, you may not even have to bother with air fare to get to the nearest ski lodge location. You may actually be a quick drive away from a very nice, and very affordable summer mountain vacation.

Ft. Lauderdale, FL

If you’re looking for a nice, hot summer beach location, but you don’t want the crowds or expenses of South Beach or the Caribbean, consider Ft. Lauderdale, an increasingly appreciated beach city whose crowds lighten somewhat in the summer. A trip to this city will cost you very little in comparison to one to Miami or the Caribbean, and allows you, essentially, the same benefits. In fact, you will even be in driving distance of South Beach, if you still want to consider spending a bit of time in Miami.

Kristen E. is a freelance writer who has contributed to a number of other online blogs and websites concerned with home improvement and security systems.

4 Ways to Save on Spring Break Travel

4 Ways to Save on Spring Break Travel

by | Mar 5, 2012

The long winter months have everyone itching to get out and do something new. For many Americans, this means planning a much-needed vacation – away from winter, work and school.

With the travel bug in your head, take advantage of these saving tips to make the most out of your vacation:

Use Travel Packages to Save

* Check out any bundling deals on hotels, airfare, car rentals and special tours through travel websites. Booking several options through one package can help you reduce prices. Some airlines have partnerships with car rental companies, which can help save you money. Take the time to research these options thoroughly, and you’ll be rewarded with good savings.

Stock Up on Travel Gear

* Stock up on travel accessories like baggage, e-readers and of course any clothing items needed to make a fashion statement on your trip. When searching online, use discount sites like Ebates.com. In addition to coupon codes and discounts on items found on your favorite travel sites, Ebates also offers you cash back on your purchases. For example, if you book your hotel stay at Holiday Inn through Ebates.com, you’ll be able to take advantage of coupon savings, and once your purchase is completed, earn 4.5 percent of the total purchase price as cash back. Use those earnings to purchase an extra something special on your trip – like a spa visit or a fun tour.

Schedule Travel During Off Peak

* If you can travel earlier in March, or later in April or even May, you might find better deals because fewer families are traveling during those times due to school schedules. Or if you have flexibility in the day you travel, you might discover airfares leaving on a Tuesday or Wednesday are a better price than leaving on a Friday or Saturday.

Use Travel Vouchers

*If you’ve accumulated points through an airline or credit card, put those points to use in discounting your travels. One hint – make certain you get the best deal. If your credit card gives you the option of using points for cash back or for airline miles, research which method will get you further.

Now that the travel bug has you wanting to get away for a bit this spring, roll up your sleeves and get started finding coupons, discounts and savings for your travel plans. Just remember to put those savings to good use for fun and enjoyment when you reach your destination. (ARA)