New Uses for Old Doors

You read that right, old doors. If you’re like us, you have at some point acquired, sitting out in your garage, an old door or two. And if you don’t, consider yourself lucky, or maybe not once you see what fun things you can do with them. Table My favorite use for an old door is to turn it into a table. You can create craft tables, or use them for when company comes to eat (just set the door on two even items at either end). We created tables for our garage sale out of them by placing two … Continue reading

Reuse Review: Clothing and Linens

Reusing items that you already have may be one of the best ways to practice a frugal living lifestyle. Sometimes, you can even purchase inexpensive items at a yard sale, thrift store or discount store and reuse them in new ways to save. Clothing and linens are some of my favorite things to reuse because they are so versatile. I bet you can think of at least a dozen ways that you can reuse old or unloved items around your home. But, if you want to know at least a dozen more uses, you might just want to read the … Continue reading

Baby Registry Problems

My wife and I have been having problems with our baby registry at a certain national retail chain of baby related goods that will remain unnamed. If you’ve been reading this blog you know that I am currently a doctoral student in the arts, particularly theatre, but what I haven’t said before is that I have an undergraduate business degree. I worked for a number of years as a lead teller at another national bank before the questionable ethical behavior (at least at those lower levels) made me too uncomfortable to continue cashing in in the business world and I … Continue reading

Frugal Month in Review: September 2008

Now that September is come and gone and the kiddies are settled back into school and regular routines, it is time to welcome the fall. Still, there is plenty of good stuff that went on in September, including a bunch of ways to save money. September 1st Frugal Living Week in Review: August 25th Through August 31st Food and back to school are the two things on my mind this week. I e-mailed my son’s teacher ahead of time to ask about additional supplies that she might need for the classroom. She said that she usually asks parents for antibacterial … Continue reading

Frugal Organizational Articles

In honor of our annual fall cleaning and organizing at our home, I thought I’d provide a great set of articles to get you motivated and to think creatively on how to organize your own home. We are not like the traditional family where we do Spring Cleaning because with such a large family, we really have to do seasonal cleaning. This takes part four times a year, and the fall is upon us and that is when we re-evaluate our methods for organization and see what is working or not working for us. During the month of September I … Continue reading

A Clever and Very Frugal Way to Use Torn Panty Hose

I am completely fascinated by new and useful ways to use items that have run their course, which you can probably tell by many of the articles that I write. When a friend recently showed me a new trick with some panty hose that had a tear in them, I was so excited to go home and try the same thing. So what was this clever, practical and very frugal thing she did? Cleaning out a hairbrush is simply not fun, but it is sanitary and should be done regularly. It is so hard to get all of the hair … Continue reading

Frugal Tips to Decorate Creatively

Decorating your home with little touches, is a wonderful way to make it yours, and comfortable. However, it can be extremely expensive when you got purchase all the extras and wall hangings. Here are some ideas for decorating a bit more creatively, with not a lot of money. Tip #1 – Stock up on Frames Keep them on hand. Buy them at garage and yard sales, antique stores and on clearance at local department and discount chains. If someone offers to give you some, take them. Store them in a closet until you need them. THEN, when you are ready … Continue reading

Decorating on a Dime – Finding the Inspiration for Free

Decorating in a stylish way, yet on nothing more than a very small budget, is possible, but it takes a bit more work than just walking into a store and purchasing all the matching furniture pieces for thousands of dollars. Where do you find inspiration to design the room or rooms of your dreams? New Homes The first place I recommend looking is in new homes. On Sunday’s most new homes have open houses and you can walk through and gain color inspiration ideas, furniture inspiration ideas and decorating ideas. Most of these homes purchase cheap furniture and low cost … Continue reading

Decorate on a Dime – The Basics (2)

Looking to start a home decorating project, but don’t have a lot of money? Decorating your home is expensive, yet often makes your home feel better and more relaxing. So how do you go about decorating an entire home, yet saving money in the process? Read on. More – Discover I started this section in the last article, but I have more to say on discovering where to get your decorative items and home furnishings but save in the process. Many second hand items, have imperfections that can be repaired, but some are damaged beyond repair. This doesn’t render the … Continue reading

Decorate on a Dime – The Basics (1)

Decorating a house is how many homeowners make it feel like a home. The cost of decorating however, can eat a real whole in a families budget, and can really get expensive. Knowing how to do it right, can help save money in the long run, and allow more freedom and flexibility in your style. Budget The first thing you have to look at, is the budget you have to work with. Some people don’t start out with a budget, which is fine, but you will need to watch what you are spending and keep track of your thrifty purchases … Continue reading