Search Results for: blog think twice before you throw that away

5 Frugal Practices That May Be Costing You Money

Sometimes even the best intentions to save money fail. Are you losing money while trying to be frugal? Here are five frugal practices that may be costing you money. • Stockpiling Do you still have cans of vegetables from 2001? Have the breadcrumbs gone stale? Stockpiling is a great way to save money and to be prepared for rising prices, but when you have half a pantry full of expired food then stockpiling is costing you money. To solve this problem, don’t give up on the stockpiling, just get a little more organized. Rotate your pantry items and keep track … Continue reading →

Aiming for Zero Waste

So many of us think it is personal right to be able to generate and toss away garbage. But is it really? Why should added pollution and mess to the planet be a right of every world citizen? Here in my home town, we can simply fill up a large garbage can and have someone take it away twice a week. We can even overflow it or add an extra can. We pay our taxes or for a sanitation service, so we have every right, right? Instead, why don’t we look at having a responsibility to mess up the planet … Continue reading →

Home Blog Month in Review: October

As I sit here looking out my window at the backyard, the birds are hovering in the pine tree against a strong wind and steady rain. The temperature is chilly today, and the calendar reminds me that we have left October behind. October 1st Buy a Home for $1.75 It seems that the housing crisis has made some interesting news lately. Home Month in Review: September 2008 Has the weather turned cooler now that September has passed? Pretty soon, it will be time to get that heat turned back on! Meanwhile, check out all of the articles that were posted … Continue reading →

Don’t Let Yourself Get Too Hungry

We’re trying to lose weight. We’re not supposed to be thinking about food all the time. We’re trying to push the thoughts of food out of our minds and make it less of a priority on our radar screens. But when we do this, we run the risk of not feeding ourselves enough. That seems like a contradiction of our goals. Isn’t cutting back on food the aim here? Isn’t it good to forget about eating? Yes and no. We should turn our attention away from food at times of stress, boredom, and emotional overload. It’s good to ignore food … Continue reading →

Losing Weight as a Couple

I was reading online just now about a couple who has set the goal to lose weight together. After seven weeks, he has lost twenty-three pounds and she has lost seventeen. They’re ecstatic about their progress and plan to continue on until they’ve reached their goals. Reading their story got me to thinking, is it a good idea or a bad idea to diet along with your spouse? On the plus side, if both you and your spouse are dieting, you only have to cook one meal. You can make up that chicken breast and salad and not be staring … Continue reading →

Conquering The Grocery Waste (1)

Recent studies estimate that Americans waste approximately 25 percent of their groceries instead of consuming them. If you factor in an average cost of $7,000 a year on groceries (this is the number for a household of three, so it will vary according to your location and family size), you get a waste of $1750 a year. That is money that is just going into the garbage! Think of what you could do with all of that money! You could donate it to charity; you could pay off bills; you could afford a vacation or maybe even give up a … Continue reading →

Saving Produce to Save Money

Don’t throw it out! Is half of your summer produce winding up in the trash? The summer heat can shorten the life of fresh produce. But, if you have a few secrets in your kitchen, you can reduce your produce waste. I recently posted an article in the food blog called “Fun with Celery.” In that article, I gave a surprising but simple tip on how to make your celery last twice as long. The article made me start thinking about how we used to waste a lot of produce. I would by a variety of fresh and healthy fruits … Continue reading →

Make New Games With Old Business Cards

I’m a big believer in letting kids invent and make up their own games. Not only does it foster creativity and encourage problem solving and thinking skills but it takes twice as long! They have to create the game before they play it. Instead of throwing away old business cards, let your kids play with them. Or buy a pack or two of index cards if you don’t have old business cards cluttering up a drawer. The kids can make their own trading cards by drawing or pasting magazine pictures on them. They can make their own card game. If … Continue reading →

A Quick Clue as to the Intensity Value on a Disney Ride

I must confess that when it comes to fairground rides, I’m a complete wimp. I have no idea why people seem to think it’s fun to go spinning upside down in some gravity defying position whilst being held “safe” with a few bits of plastic. Nor do I understand the need to get off, throw up, and then get back on to go around again. I do however appreciate that many people get a lot of joy from this kind of activity. It was therefore with some trepidation that I first approached the Disney rides, even the ones that had … Continue reading →

The ABC’s of Frugal Living: 26 Tips to Live a More Frugal Life

The ABC’s of Frugal Living – 26 Tips to Live a More Frugal Life The frugal living blog at families.com is chock full of great information to help you live a more frugal lifestyle. We all strive to save money and the bloggers in this category are here to help. A: Amazing Dates Have a date night for less! New Cheap Date Ideas A Cheap And Fun Date Idea It’s Date Night Date Night On a Budget B: Budgeting Make a plan and stick to it. Be sure you watch where your money goes each month and try to do … Continue reading →