Search Results for: blog 8 practical stockpiling tips save money

How to Build a Grocery Stockpile on a Tight Budget

I recently received the following question from one of the Families.com readers about building a stockpile. “I know that buying things when they are on sale and building a stockpile saves money, but how can I do this when the normal groceries cost so much?” Sophia. Sophia has a really good point (hi Sophia!). It can be tough to build up a good stockpile when there isn’t any extra money to do it, but it can be done. You can start out small. Even an extra $5 a week toward a stockpile item will help. With $5, you can buy … Continue reading →

How to Tip Home Service Providers

‘Tis the season for the end of year tipping. In general, you should probably tip anyone who has provided good service to you in your home throughout the year. This includes people such as trash collectors, paper deliverers, and even postal delivery (although some rules apply). Of course, this is a tough season, and you may feel hesitant about being able to afford to tip. Although cash is always appreciated, you can always try alternatives, such as homemade cookies or a wonderful letter to the person’s boss. You can also pool tips with your neighbors. Here are some general guidelines … Continue reading →

Frugal Living Month in Review: July 2008

July went by so quickly for us! There were so many fun and frugal activities and events for us to explore, from a science camp to free movies and sand sculpting. I hope your July was equally fun and frugal. Summer is a busy time, I know. Did you miss any frugal articles last month? If so, here is an opportunity to catch up on what you missed. There are new ways to save money on food, clothing, kids, gas and more. Feel free to leave a comment on any frugal post. I read all of the comments myself, no … Continue reading →

Frugal Living Week in Review: April 28th Through May 4th

With food and gas prices being so expensive, even the non frugal are becoming frugal. People are having a rude shock when they realize that their dollars aren’t going as far as they should. This is leading a huge interest in frugality and saving money. Living frugally is becoming a widespread necessity. That is why I hope that you can use and enjoy all of the great articles here in the Frugal Living Blog. Here are just the ones from last week, in a handy review. April 28th Frugal Living Week in Review: April 21st Through April 27th This week … Continue reading →

Three Ways an Organized Pantry Saves Money

One of the great pitfalls of frugal grocery shopping and stockpiling can be an unorganized pantry. Unfortunately, a pantry that suffers from disorganization can wind up costing your money instead of saving it. Here are three ways why it pays to take the time to organize your food. The biggest cost to your food budget can be food that expires or goes stale before you can use it. When this is the case, it doesn’t matter that you only spent 50 cents on a jar of pasta sauce if you never use it. One recent study suggests that Americans throw … Continue reading →

My Frugal Stockpiling Session

Yesterday was grocery shopping day. Yes, I know that Saturdays can be tough, but as I was mentioning on one of the forums, when I go shopping, I need help. So, my husband comes along, and we make it a family affair. I do all of the price research and coupon cutting before we go, so that we are all set. Once we get there, and it is just a matter of zipping through the store or stores quickly and efficiently. My stockpile in the past few months has been looking pretty anemic. This is because we purged a lot … Continue reading →

Where to Put Your Stockpile

In the discussion on whether or not to clip coupons, part of the reason some people don’t stockpile is that they think they have no room. We’re lucky enough to have a big garage that we don’t park our cars in, but even the smallest living area has stockpile room. You just have to be creative! My friend Donna lives in a travel trailer. I know some of you are gasping at the thought, but it’s not that unusual here in rural Washington. She stockpiles. Since she lives in about 80 square feet of living space, it’s not quite as … Continue reading →

Frugal Storage: Finding Creative (and Cheap) Ways to Store Your Stuff

I love watching the organizing shows, such as Clean Sweep and Clean House. I am amazed at how much stuff people try to fit in their houses. Sometimes these house are twice the size of mine with what looks like plenty of closet space. Many times the people have invested in expensive storage systems that go unused. While de-cluttering is a must when you can’t see the floor, good storage strategies are important, too. If you stockpile items to save money or to be prepared, you know how important storage is to your efficiency and your sanity. Here are two … Continue reading →

Pantry Challenge: Italian!

It is day two of my personal pantry challenge. Last night, the helper enchiladas went over pretty well. In my pantry challenge, my goal is to use up items in my pantry and freezer for our family meals. To learn more about what I’m doing, see my earlier blog, What is a Pantry Challenge? Here is what we are using up today. Breakfast was english muffins thawed last night from the freezer. I toasted them and topped them with peanut butter, and we had some very ripe strawberries on the side. I’m glad of this challenge, because the strawberries might … Continue reading →

Pantry Challenge: Enchilada Helper

Well, we finally have a move date for our new home! It will be sometime in mid April. Buying and selling homes has really put a strain on our finances. Because of this strain and the fact that we will be moving, I decided that I really need to do a pantry challenge. A pantry challenge happens when you challenge yourself to use up items in your pantries for your meals. To learn more about having a pantry challenge, click here. For the start of my pantry challenge, I am going to be a little lenient. Honestly I have had … Continue reading →