Tightwad

Living fridge magnets!

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Sun, 27 May 2012 12:19:00 +0000

Living cork magnets - one more reason to open that second bottle of red! How to? Choose a pretty cork, hollow it out, stick a magnet on the back, fill with a bit of dirt and then insert a succulent, which will take root. Consider varnishing the outside of the cork to prevent mold.

Cool down with watermelon popsicles

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Sat, 26 May 2012 12:03:00 +0000

With the weather heating up, everyone is looking for ways to cool down. Here's how to make these. Click here for more ideas!

Ways to go electricity-free this weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Sat, 26 May 2012 01:10:00 +0000

As people continue to try and cut back on their expenses the high cost of the electricity bill is one that gets revisited over and over again. In an attempt to lower that bill there are always the tried and true recommendations of turning off the lights when you leave the room, turning the furnace colder or the air conditioning warmer, and putting more efficient light bulbs and appliances in your house. But will those things actually help? Of course, but what if you could take it up a notch by going entirely electricity free for a whole weekend? Don’t think it can be done? Check out the following suggestions.

Go camping: Take your family, a tent, and enough food to last the weekend and hike over to the edge of a lake and pitch your tent. Your food will be in a cooler with ice, you’ll cook over an open fire, and you’ll tell ghost stories around the fire for entertainment. Think of the bonding you’ll do with your family and the fresh air you will get.
Camp in your back yard: Put up the tent (borrow one if you need to) in the back yard. Use your grill or fire pit to cook your food. Putting all of your food for the weekend into a cooler is an option, but one you may want to skip since you are at home. Play games and tell stories to entertain the kids. Take a nature walk and see what cool things you can find.
Camp in your living room: Pull out the sleeping bags and have everyone find a spot in the living or family room. Start a fire in the fireplace and use that for heat and to cook over. Other food that is not cooked over the fire is to be consumed cold or room temperature. If it’s cold outside you can keep your food outside for the weekend, just be sure to put it in a cooler so the animals don’t get into it.
Stay in a cabin: There are plenty of rustic areas where you can go stay in a cabin. Bring a lot of candles since you will need them to see by. Make sure everyone brings a book to read and non-electronic games to play. Cook over a camp stove or open fire. Hiking in the woods, going swimming, exploring the area are all great things to do to unplug for the weekend. Make sure to bring plenty of water too.
Black out: No TV, no computers, no electronics and no lights for the entire weekend. You eat by candlelight, you read by natural light or candlelight, and you play games the same way. Back in the old day’s people didn’t have electricity so just try to think of what kind of things they did. Do you need your soccer shorts washed? Put them in a bucket of water with some soap and wash them by hand and hang them out to dry. Remember you don’t have a washer and dryer for the weekend.
Solar power: If you are looking into getting off the grid, or even just trying to save money, investing in solar panels will allow you to harness the power of the sun and store that energy into batteries. You can run your home off of those batteries for a long time if you conserve energy.
Lighting: One of the main things to worry about if you lose electricity or want to stop using it is to have a source or sources of lighting. The cheapest source of light is candles. Then you can move up to kerosene lamps. They also have lanterns that you can charge the battery by cranking it by hand. If you buy the Aladdin lamp it runs on kerosene and has a much brighter light that would allow you to read or do handwork by it. Rechargeable batteries that can be charged with solar power are a great option for flashlights.
Cooking: Another important thing when going without electricity is figuring out how to cook your food. Grilling, campfire, or propane camp stove are very easy methods and readily available. If you are really adventurous you can make your own solar oven. Paint a cardboard box black on the inside. Then cover the insides of the box with foil. Using a piece of glass on the front will allow the sunlight to come into the box. The black insides and the foil will keep the heat in the box. Make sure to keep turning the box every 30 minutes so that it’s faced toward the sun. You can make additional foil covered panels to attach above the sides to reflect more sunlight into the box. The inside temperature will reach over 325 degrees.
Water: Unless you live by a lake, stream or river you need to make rain barrels to collect water. This allows you to capture the rain that runs off your house and store it. You can use this water to flush your toilets, water your garden, and even drink it if you filter and boil it.
Use the wind: It’s also possible to harness the power of the wind with a windmill and store that energy in batteries. You can run your house on the battery power and have clean energy. This would allow you to go a lot longer than a weekend without electricity, but you’d still be able to do all the things you love.

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Cute kiddo idea #2

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Thu, 24 May 2012 13:23:00 +0000

Finger knitting! Sew cute!
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Bento boxes for kids

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Wed, 23 May 2012 23:49:00 +0000

Everyone loves getting bento boxes, why not make them for your kids? You can use muffin trays, ice cube trays or any compartmentalized plastic ware. You can do straight finger food or integrate items that require utensils such as scrambled eggs, yogurt and cottage cheese. Other ideas?

Nuts (cashews, almonds, hazelnuts)
Cut up fruit (watermelon, cantaloupe, berries, apple, grapes)
Shredded chicken or other protein
Avocado
Grainy crackers
Hard boiled egg
Garbanzo beans
Veggies (petit peas, corn, carrot sticks)
Cubes of cheese
Bagel cut into chunks

Yum!

Lego... wallpaper

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:33:00 +0000

This is such a great idea! Keep kiddos busy for hours (and keep it off the floor)!
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Monday funny

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Mon, 21 May 2012 20:04:00 +0000

Love it! Anyone who is hooked on Pinterest will get this...

PB + J sushi

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:16:00 +0000

OMG how sweet is this? Tutorial DIY here.

Repurposed ideas from the bloggersphere #32

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Sun, 20 May 2012 14:18:00 +0000

Tightwad loves this! What a gorgeous idea - super cool way to bring a rustic twist to urban living.
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Cute kiddo idea #1

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Sat, 19 May 2012 22:09:00 +0000

This will get everyone out the door!
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Tips for saving on office supplies

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:29:00 +0000

Office supplies are one expense line item on which you can easily save money. Here are some tips to reduce the impact on office supplies on your business budget.

Printers Consider all-in-one devices to avoid the additional cost of scanners, fax machines and memory-card readers. Always comparison shop. Consider that you may be able to do without a printer since emails, documents and even airline tickets can now be accessed digitally.

Ink cartridges The rule for saving on ink is to avoid the local office supply store and shop online. You may also consider generic brands sold for a considerable discount from larger stores.

Dollar-store Head to your local dollar store for basics like pens, pencils, memo pads, envelopes, etc. They are also good places to find thank you notes and gift wrap that will give your marketing a personal touch.

Warehouse stores You can save big time with bulk purchases of paper and other supplies at warehouse stores.

Marketing supplies Stationery and business cards are an absolute necessity. Use e-retailers like VistaPrint for inexpensive versions of promotional materials.

Membership Many office supply stores have clubs promising benefits and savings on a variety of products and services. Sign up to receive monthly specials and coupons.

DIY Office furniture can be expensive. The catch on great deals from IKEA is that you have to build it yourself. Maybe you can rope a friend in to help you in exchange for lunch.

Buy Used Check your local Craigslist and Goodwill store or hit garage sales for great prices on pre-owned equipment, furniture, file cabinets and more.

Online alternatives When it comes to software and Internet services, there are options available for writing, editing, file backup, group meetings, video conferencing etc. such as Skype, Dropbox, Yousendit and CutePDF for little or no cost.

Green and frugal! Can it get any better?

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:17:00 +0000

Tightwad loves it that many of these tips dovetail with frugal lifestyles.

Sign up for the "no solicitation" registry so you can avoid getting credit card offers and other ads which will reduce paper clutter and save trees.

Shop online to reduce your carbon footprint and save money The abundance of online coupons makes this green practice a no-brainer.

Get out of the gym and exercise outdoors Freeze your gym membership and save up to 75 %+ per month during the summer. You'll also rely less on those energy-sucking cardio machines.

Close blinds on hot days Before you head out for the day, close your blinds to keep the sun from warming your home while you're gone.

Send an e-gift certificate for special occasions Not only are e-gift cards convenient, you're also using less plastic resources and reducing fuel associated with shipping.

Eliminate paper invites and digitize your event announcement Save on postage and printing while reducing paper by using sites that allow you to create electronic announcements and invitations.

Use an irrigation controller 20 to 50% of domestic water use goes toward the landscape, even more in certain areas of the country. Invest in a controller to schedule irrigation to reduce over-watering.

Swap stuff Use Swap.com to trade books, CDs, DVDs, sporting equipment and other goods. Not only are you saving money, but you're reducing future trash by re-using someone else's stuff.

Walk or bike to work to save on fuel You're doing your wallet and your health some good by walking, biking or taking public transportation.

Wash clothes with cold water Reduce your monthly heating bills and save energy.

Use mobile coupons to cut paper clutter Download coupon apps to access discounts without using paper coupons. Save coupons to your supermarket loyalty card for paperless grocery savings.

Plug electronics into power strips Buy a surge protector for electronics to save your valuables in the event of a lightning strike and power down when not in use to cut your electricity bill.

Go paperless This is a no-brainer -- when banks and service providers offer you the option to go paperless, take it.

Hang dry your clothes Do laundry on the weekends and hang dry your clothes to save energy and reduce your electricity bill.

Shop garage and estate sales for clothes and home goods Recycling other people's unwanted items will not only save money but also reduces trash build-up in landfills.

Put the blow dryer down Consider going "au natural" several times a week to save on energy spent by blow dryers and flat irons or consider washing your hair less often.

Take short showers The feeling of hot water on your skin is often hard to resist, but taking short, cooler showers reduces your heating bill and saves water and energy.

Wash dishes in a sink full of water Fill one side of the sink with soapy water to clean dishes, and only run the dishwasher when it's full to save energy.

Get a water filter and reusable water bottle Over 80% of plastic water bottles are tossed - not recycled - yielding 1.5 tons of waste per year, according to Mother Nature Network. Invest in a reusable water bottle (or two) and a filter, if your tap water is lacking.

Plant native shrubs and plants Native plants and shrubs subsist on whatever precipitation occurs in your area, making them an eco-friendly alternative to non-native plants that require additional watering and maintenance.

Use an eco-friendly shower head Investing in an eco-friendly shower head can save up to 70% in water and energy consumption.

Repurposed ideas from the bloggersphere #31

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:11:00 +0000

Sweet idea to keep track of all your gardening goodies. Doesn't help much in the event you lose your trowel in overgrown weeds though...

Stay fit on a budget

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:15:00 +0000

According to the authors of Freakonomics, people who purchase gym memberships overestimate their attendance by 70% (and Tightwad thinks this number is low!). As a result, much of the average annual cost of memberships is lining the pockets of gym owners and doing nothing for your waistline. If you struggle with getting to the gym every day, try getting fit at home for a fraction of the cost. Though you may not have the fancy equipment offered by fitness clubs, you can still meet your goals for less by considering the following tips.

Buy from gyms Gyms undergoing renovations or making upgrades to their fitness equipment usually sell off their old stuff at killer prices. Call around to find out if any local fitness centres are currently selling old equipment or if they have any plans to do so in the future.

Buy used In addition to scanning Craigslist and hitting up local garage sales, you can also look for re-manufactured options online. When buying from private seller, be sure to research the brand and test the equipment before any money changes hands.

Shop online You can often find great deals on fitness clothing and accessories by shopping online and comparing promotions.

Get fit the old-fashioned way Squats, push ups and tricep dips all great ways to workout without equipment. Get creative with items around your house. A chair is a great tool for step ups, tricep dips and decline push ups. Cans of soup can be used in place of small hand weights and a jump rope is a great way to burn calories quickly. Find some local stairs that will challenge you and make it a habit to go there a few times a week.

Check out discount retailers Discount retailers are great resources for basic fitness accessories like DVDs, yoga mats, stability balls and fitness clothing.

Use technology Get free workout tips on your phone with exercise apps or find free personal training videos online at sites like FitnessMagazine.com, or even youtube.com. If you pay for cable, take advantage of the morning fitness videos available.

Check your policy Healthy policyholders means less risk for pricey doctor's bills, and select health insurance providers offer incentives for fitness programs. Check with your provider for fitness programs that offer discounts on activewear, fitness rentals and equipment purchases.

What to buy in May

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:14:00 +0000

Many of the deals in May cater to graduating students and newlyweds, so now is the time to cash in on the savings on things for your home and for party supplies.

Mattresses and box springs New models of mattresses are released over the summer, making spring a great time to buy last year's model for less.

Cookware Replace that peeling pan. Cookware is a practical and popular gift for couples and college grads, making early summer the best time to stock up on essentials.

Refrigerators Appliances are a "hot" item in the spring, especially refrigerators.

Party supplies Throw a springtime bash and save on party supplies at the same time. Disposable items like plates, cups and utensils are at their best prices in May, though you can always find a good deal on these items at your local dollar store.

Kitchen accessories You can find excellent prices on kitchen accessories during the spring, on deals driven by graduations and weddings.

Picnic and BBQ supplies To entice shoppers away from their competitors, merchants and manufacturers offer great deals on such BBQ necessities as condiments and grilling tools.

Hurrah it's Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Sun, 13 May 2012 18:38:00 +0000

Cocktail alert!

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Sun, 13 May 2012 14:51:00 +0000

Delicious, refreshing... thanks to her friend Kim, Tightwad has a new cocktail on her happy hour roster.

Ingredients: One can of frozen limeade, one beer, one 12oz bottle of tequila, one can of sparkling water (340ml) (If you get good ingredients, it will be even better: think Corona and silver tequila).

Instructions: Combine, garnish with lime on ice.

This drink is super cooling and refreshing. Margarita on the rocks meets ice cold cervasa. Summer here we come!

Not going broke over the summer

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Sat, 12 May 2012 12:23:00 +0000

As soon as summer starts to roll around, I start to panic. Why? It's easily the most fun season of the year and you have more options for recreational activities than ever. So why would this incite panic in me? The answer is simple: money. Everyone knows that anything fun costs money, and I for one don't want to go broke this summer. Does this mean I have to sit around in a dark room, humming softly to myself? No, it certainly doesn't. Because I have compiled a list of activities, ranging from free to cheap, that can replace the more traditional (and expensive) summer activities, like vacations, amusement parks, and 24/7 partying.
Getting in touch with my smartphone. Yup, I'm going to download a bunch of free games and app it up this summer. I plan to learn all about Angry Birds, augmented reality, and Instagram. I may even treat myself to a few games of Texas Hold 'Em with onlinepokerlowdown.com.
Pinterest! I'm going to see what everyone is talking about. I figure if I look at pictures of vacation spots and $20 beachside margaritas I won't need them to be real. I hope.
Books....Yes, books. Reading. This is something I've been putting off for ohhh about ten years now. It's time to pick up that classic books list and start crossing off some big titles. Summer's a good time to kick your feet up on the porch with a glass of lemonade and read a good book.
Antique hunting. While everyone else is hitting the beach I'm going to hit up some antiques shops. You never know what you can find at these places. Often times you can get century old trinkets for virtually free!
Lemonade stand. This was a childhood favorite of mine and I see no reason to not reprise it. It just happens I make a killer lemonade. Why not make a few bucks of it? These are a few of the activities I'm hoping will lessen the temptation to go out and spend money this summer. Because summer should be able to relaxation and happiness, not stress and worrying. What ideas do you have for a frugal summer?

Walk your way to the bank

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:42:00 +0000

Love dogs? If you’re a qualified host, new site DogVacay enables you to care for dogs in your area while their owners are away. Hosts who have been approved by DogVacay can earn $15-$100 per dog, depending on demand. This is a great opportunity for pet owners who work from home as well as people who want to earn some extra pocket money. It is ideal for older kids who have been asking for pet dogs to learn the responsibilities involved while earning cash under parental supervision. The best thing? Dog owners can rest easy knowing that they’ve placed their dogs in great hands.

Socializing on a budget

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Thu, 10 May 2012 12:59:00 +0000

A lot of people view their lives as having two important periods: before and after children. When people become parents, they usually start behaving differently than before. Ideally, they become more sensible, and they need to be more frugal. One of the consequences of becoming a parent, in my case, was - I stopped hanging out with my girlfriends as often as I used to. I don’t think of that as neither a good nor a bad thing. It’s only natural. The good thing is that, though we see each other rarely, we make sure we have a really good time.

If you stopped socializing because of any of the following things:

1. You don’t have money to go out to expensive cafes/restaurants/clubs;
2. You don’t want to “bore” your friends without children with talks about parenthood;
3. You can’t afford to return the favour when someone invites you to dinner; and/or,
4. You don’t want to leave your husband/children alone;

Then you should probably reconsider.

1. Chances are, your husband will be happy to take care of children while you’re having a girls’ get-together, (return the favour - he can do the same next week with his buddies);
2. Your friends without children, if they are real friends, will be happy to hear what’s cooking in the parenthood department, as long as you really don’t run the show all night with baby stories.
3. Skip the fancy cafes and have a get-together at somebody’s house. Make arrangements with your girlfriends to have each one of you bring something to the house that everyone is "invading", so that no one takes on the burden of cooking/preparing/spending all the money on food and drinks.

For example, you could have thematic get-togethers. Let’s say, you have a “dip night”. Each one of you will make one dip and bring one bag of tortillas or French bread. You could make fresh guacamole, salsa fresca or something more elaborate, like spinach-artichoke dip, and everyone contribute to the drinks.

You don’t need much money to have a good time. Just be creative and enjoy the good company!

Author bio: Ana Brady is a mother, wife, writer and big food fan. She loves spending time with her family outside. She also works on a project on beverage labels.

Frugal mother's day idea #1

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:45:00 +0000

Get crafty this Mother's Day and upload family photos into a digital slideshow or assemble a scrapbook of memories with Mom. She'll love it!

Baby, meet budget

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Tue, 08 May 2012 23:46:00 +0000

A big Tightwad welcome to Hannah, The Cheapskate Mom!

When I first found out I was pregnant, I knew life was going to change and I couldn't wait. My pregnancy and having a beautiful baby boy have been the most wonderful experiences of my life and I wake up every day knowing how blessed I am. My wallet, however, has taken quite a hit as I am not working right now while I stay home with my young son. I remember that during my pregnancy many of the baby products I saw in the store and in magazines made me worried : I must need them, I thought, and how will I ever afford them? When my baby came into the world, I had a well stocked nursery nook at home - five cases of baby wipes, a dresser full of brand new clothing courtesy of my baby shower, special hooded baby towels and a brand spanking new diaper bag. I'd like to share some cost cutting tips I've learned in the hopes that I may help the inexperienced, budget-strapped and expecting moms save some money.

You don't need special baby towels and burp cloths Although a baby wrapped in a regular towel may look a little funny - if you didn't receive special baby towels at your shower - don't go out and buy them. I discovered this one day when all of my special towels were dirty and my son needed a bath - I had a moment of panic and then realized a towel is a towel is a towel. I felt silly in having thought I needed special baby-sized towels - but marketing companies spend a lot of money making us new, inexperienced moms think we need one of everything. Same goes for burp cloths - I didn't receive any burp cloths at my baby shower and so the week before I had my son, I lugged myself out of the house and to the big box baby store where I bought several packages of expensive burp cloths because I had read that you just can't have enough burp cloths. You know what? You really do need a lot of spare cloth around when you have a young baby - but you don't need fancily packaged burp cloths to clean up spittle. Wash cloths and old towels cut up do the trick just fine (another thing I found out when lo and behold all of my burp cloths were dirty).

You don't need newborn-sized baby clothing It's cute - my husband and I had endless evenings strolling the aisles at the big box baby store looking at the adorable newborn clothes. We even broke down and bought a few shirts for babies up to 8 lbs. We never used those shirts. They were too small. All of the newborn sized clothing we received stopped being useful to us within a month or two - and we always preferred the 3 month + clothing because it was easier for us anxious newbies to finagle our son into slightly bigger outfits.

You don't need a diaper pail You can make do with a garbage bin with a lid and frequently taking your trash out. You also don't need special and costly diaper pail air freshening discs: I simply use baking soda wrapped and tied in old nylons or cheese cloth (it's that simple).

You don't need a diaper bag I remember looking at the shelves of diaper bags and thinking - which one best fits my personal style ( I like to wear a lot of black and I wasn't sure how a polka dot bag was going to mesh with me). I remember thinking - oh boy, my husband needs a diaper bag too - why aren't any of these more masculine? In retrospect , any old bag or container will do. A reusable shopping bag, a tote bag, a big purse - anything that will fit diapers, wipes and various baby accoutrement will work just fine for you. I even use an old formula container to store some back-up diapers and wipes as a diaper kit on-the-go.

You don't need to buy baby wipes Depending on your comfort level, you can reuse wash cloths or make your own disposable baby wipes with paper towels, baby shampoo and baby oil (there are some easy recipes online) - this saves a lot of money and , as long as you have a good amount of paper towels in store or are using wash cloths - means you won't run out of baby wipes, which is a freeing feeling at 3 a.m when faced with a messy diaper.

Overall, I've found that by really thinking about every baby purchase I make , I've come up with a lot of new, money-saving ideas ... Saving money for our son's future is the most important thing to me right now. He won't remember what brand of baby wipes we used or how expensive my diaper bag was - I want to be able to provide him with the comfort and security that saving money on unnecessary expenses can give us.

BIO: Hannah Walton is a restaurant manager, new mother and wife. She believes in the power of bootstrapping and information to transform lives. Stay up to date with Hannah's DIY and frugal discoveries at The Cheapskate Mom: a blog magazine for surviving the recession with style.

Cool way to earn money in your spare time!

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:12:00 +0000

Make some extra money this summer at taskrabbit.com! It allows you to have fun and do a variety of things that fit your current lifestyle. TaskRabbits are friendly, conscientious people who complete tasks efficiently and effectively for others, anything from online research to an IKEA pickup, help with a move to organizing an office. TaskRabbit sets guidelines about payment depending on the task.

Monday funny

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:55:00 +0000

Happy hour appetizers

noreply@blogger.com (Contact:) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:46:00 +0000

Summer's around the corner! This means cookouts, grilling with friends and eating outside. Break out of the usual chicken on a skewer rut with those ideas for fresh appys and snazzy finger foods at happy hour:

- Rosemary, lamb and feta with lemon

- Fennel, sambuca prawns and orange

- Mint, marinated artichoke heart, pecorino

- Green grape, manchego cheese, spicy chorizo

- Watermelon, basil, cherry tomato

- Pear, brie and arugula

- Jalapeno, avocado, jicama and lime

- Arugula, watermelon and feta

- Scallop, mango and avocado

- Sweet red pepper, goat cheese and oregano

- Feta, yellow pear tomato, cucumber, kalamata

- Rustic bread, mint and prosciutto

- Sharp cheddar, granny smith apple and endive