Fourth of July Fun for Less

Celebrating America’s birthday doesn’t have to send you to the poorhouse.  By opting to party at your own home this holiday, you can save money and still have fun.  To cut down on food and beverage costs, consider having a potluck and asking each guest to bring along a favorite dish to pass. Edible American Eagles Ingredients: One package of Oreos 1/2 cup white chocolate One dozen large marshmallows One cup of finely shredded coconut 12 cashews Black icing Directions: Melt the white chocolate in a bowl in the microwave. Spread the shredded coconut in an even layer on wax … Continue reading

Average Retail Milk Prices for September 2008

Milk prices have increase greatly since the first time I started keeping track of the milk pricing report that lists retail milk prices across the country. I remember watching the milk prices creep up a few cents here and there, with the average price somewhere around $2.31 a gallon for whole milk. Today things are a little different. The simple average of milk prices for a gallon of whole milk across the country is $3.82. And many cities find milk prices well over $4. That simple average has held up since the begining of the year, so while some cities … Continue reading

Make Your Own Stuff and Save

If you want a great way to save money, try making your own items instead of purchasing them. From growing your own food and making your own mixes to creating your own laundry detergent and sanitizing wipes, there are so many ways to save. Plus, it is nice knowing that you don’t have to rely on expensive commercial products if you don’t want to do so. Check out this round up of “Make Your Own” articles. Try one recipe or instructions, or try them all! Frugal Food: Make Your Own Granola Bars? Make Your Own Yogurt Make Your Own Fabric … Continue reading

Homemade Back-to-School Treats: Chocolate Chip Cookies and Peanut Butter French Fries

Year round school started a few days ago in our district and my young daughter couldn’t be happier to see the yellow school buses back on the streets. In a previous blog I mentioned that my mom always tried to make the fist day of school special for all of us by whipping up homemade treats. My brothers and I never took home lunch so we had to wait until the end of the school day to enjoy my mom’s edible masterpieces. If your children take home lunch and you want to add a few special touches to their lunch … Continue reading

New Milk Containers Save Money

Saving money on milk has been a mission of mine. With three kids aged seven and younger and a personal need to keep up my calcium, milk is a steady purchase in our home. As mentioned in previous blogs, I do what I can to save money on milk, from baking with powdered milk to finding the best prices of hormone-free milk. But still, I have witnessed the steady climb of milk from $2.30 a gallon to $4.00 a gallon in a very short time. And, there doesn’t seem an end to the price inflation anytime soon. Fortunately, someone has … Continue reading

A New Way to Save Money on Milk

Milk may do a body good (if you believe those old commercials), but it does a wallet bad these days. Organic milk it especially high in price. We just paid $7 for a gallon of Horizon Organic skim milk in the store. Regular store brand milk was priced at $4. Since we go through about 2 and a half gallons of milk here per week, that equals $70 worth of organic milk in a month, or $40 for non organic milk. I remember the days when I could get a whole month’s worth of groceries for less than that. Whew! … Continue reading

Getting Your Family to Enjoy Powdered Milk

There is no debate right now about powdered milk being a great bargain, especially when regular milk is passing $4 a gallon. But, getting your family to actually enjoy powdered milk can be a challenge. It definitely doesn’t taste or smell like fresh milk, and there are a number of associations that people have with powdered milk that make it a negative thing even before it is tasted. Here are some ways to get your family to open up about powdered milk, or at least consume some if it. The don’t ask don’t tell policy Many people associate powdered milk … Continue reading

Frugal Living Week in Review: February 11th Through February 17th

As usual, the Frugal Blog has been packed with all sorts of frugal ideas. I love discovering new ways of saving money. Of course, sometimes we can go too far, can’t we? I would love to hear all of your favorite ways to save money. Hmm, that sounds like a good excuse for a contest to come here soon. You heard it first! And now, here is a review of all of last week’s frugal articles. February 11th Frugal Living Week in Review: February 4th Through February 10th From storing apples and using alternatives to expensive “green bags” to saving … Continue reading

Saving Money on Sugar

Did you know that certain sugar can cost twice as much but be basically the same thing? No, I’m not talking about raw sugar or exotic gourmet sugar, I am just talking about the stuff that you would normally find in the grocery store. Sugar is one of those staples that seems to have gone up quite a lot in the last few years. I remember being able to buy a five pound bag of sugar for 79 cents. Now, it seems, that same bag sells for $1.79! Here are some ways that you can save on sugar. You can … Continue reading

Make Your Own Sweetened Condensed Milk

Want a frugal substitute for a can of sweetened, condensed milk. This home made version will save you some pennies and prevent you from having to run to the store to stock up. As an added bonus, you can make only the amount that you need so that there is no waste. This is another savings right there. I have fallen out of using sweetened condensed milk, mostly because of the expense and the waste. I used to use it all of the time to make yummy graham cracker crumb cookies. With this frugal substitute, I may just have to … Continue reading