Miserlymoms.com | Living Well On Less In A Tough Economy

Miserly Tips_Page 3::

I am a SAHM w/ a 5 mo. old baby. To reduce the amount of clothes we have, I hang our clothing in the closet by color. This allows me to see the "duplicate" or excessive items. I take what is still in-style and usable to the consignment shop and the rest goes to Goodwill. This method also makes getting dressed quicker and helps you to see the holes in your wardrobe for future purchases.

I have found too that babies grow VERY fast. I started getting my next size of baby clothing out a month or two early because many times they can start wearing it. I store the clothing in copy paper boxes in the attic marked by size. I have purchased baby items that are only used a short time at the local children's consignment shop. (I missed the garage sales last summer because I was working). Borrowing from friends has also been a blessing! Ask around,
you'll be surprised what you can borrow.

Submitted by: Ann in Ohio

No matter how long my 1 yr. old daughter's pants are, they always come up to her knees when I carry her out to the car. I finally found and easy (and free) way to keep her little legs warm on a cold winter day. I cut the foot off my husband's old tube socks, and now I use them as baby leg warmers when we go out. (If you have a serger you can easily and neatly sew the cut end; I just tuck that end in her socks.) When inside, I slide them up to cover her knees for extra padding when crawling on our hardwood floors. But don't throw away the foot part. Always frugal, I use it as a dusting mitt!

Submitted by Emily in South Bend, IN

When making craft projects with my 2 children we often use confetti to decorate the project. When I realized that I was using up all my childrens art paper to make confetti I decided I had to find a cheaper way. I went to my local print shop (Kinko's to be exact) and found that they will give you the left overs from the hole punch machines for free. This saved us a lot of time (no more cutting) and money.

Submitted by: Brandy from Columbia, SC

I'm a college student and love the tips for frugality because much of my income goes to paying tuition. I have a tip for re-using old calendar pictures while at the same time saving some money on envelopes. (This would make a great art/practical project for kids!)

In the past I have used steam to "open" (meaning unglue the folds) of a regular envelope to use as a pattern (save this one envelope to use as a pattern over and over again). I center the pattern on the calendar picture, trace, cut out, score and fold, then glue to make a colorful and useful envelope. To mail I address these envelope with cheap, white mailing labels.

Submitted by: Kelly from Minneapolis, MN

I'm the SAHM of four and found this tip to be educational and fun. When looking for bath toys I love to use funnels in different sizes bought from the automotive section of KMart. The kids can learn about color, size, water distribution and sound. Pour water from one funnel to the next watching the water cascade from one to the other. They make great "tinman" hats in the tub. Turn them upside down on top of the water and push down and they shoot a "squirt" in the air.

I also find small inexpensive buckets in colors (one was a pink heart shape bucket)at the dollar store, fill them with funnels, shaped sponges and magnetic alphabets (magnetics stick on older bathtubs) and give them at baby showers or young children birthday parties. A total of $5.00. Since I still use my own funnels in the kitchen, I just have one of my children grab the size I want from the bathroom and bring it to the kitchen to wash it for use!

Submitted by: Susie from Oxford, MI

1. I always buy on sale with coupons if possible. ( I shop where they offer double coupons) stock up on items that are a great buy and that I will use in that year! Save all UPC from boxes that are for the kids (juice, cheese, cereal, raisins, diapers etc.) write on the back what it is from. You can often use them fro free items for the kids like toys.. many do not need receipts to accompany them.

2. I do a coupon exchange with my moms club and my church. In that way I have access to many more coupons than before.

3. I buy meats in bulk and freeze. I roll pin the chop meat as flat as possible in the freezer bag so that it thaws faster then in one big clump.

4. I premake meals that freeze well for future faster meals. (when I make meatloaf ... I make two one to freeze)

5. Found that canning my sauce saves space in the freezer, also can my veggies from the garden and the soups that I make from them.... its easy.

6. Left overs from dinner, go into smaller containers for my husband's lunch... one for the next day and one to freeze. then when he needs a lunch,,,, I just pop it out of the freezer the night before.

Submitted by: Laurie from Allentown PA

Sell, sell, sell. I just got married in September and although we tried to cut corners the wedding budget still came out to a lot of money. Fortunately we were able to pay-off everything before the big day (without using credit) and now we don't have any after the wedding bills (not to mention the finance charges on credit cards)! How did we do this you ask?

Go through your attic, comb thrift shops and garage sales. Never before did I realize the truth in the saying One Man's Garbage is Another Man's Treasure. Sign up with one of the various websites online ( and Amazon, highly recommended) and sell, sell, sell. My husband sold old toys, baseball cards, old computer games to people for an amazing profit. You would be truly shocked what people will bid on and up to for an old Barbie doll or a Disney book from the early seventies! You will obviously have to claim the income on your taxes but the money to be made is astounding.

The only drawback is: it is A LOT of work involved between the leg work of finding items, creating ads, packaging and sending items to people across the US and foreign countries. But it is all something that can be done from home!! Time and effort never made so much!

Submitted by: Stacey from Long Island, New York

Last Valentine's Day my kids were trying to think of something to make for their Grandparents. We finally came up with fire starters. You save bits of candle, paper egg cartons and dryer lint. Put a small amount of line in the bottom of each cup. Melt the candle pieces (or paraffin tinted with bits of crayon) in an old can that is inside a boiler with a small amount of water. Pour the wax over the cups. You can even add dried orange peel, broken cinnamon sticks, cloves, old potpourri, small pine cones, anything that might look attractive or smell good. Let the wax harden and cut the cups apart. Put in an old basket lined with straw or pretty paper, add a simple bow and you have a gift they can really use.

The girls grandparents liked this so much that my mother-in-law has started saving her egg cartons and lint for me so they can make her some more!

Submitted by: Chrissy in Gallion, AL

When I was a teenager, I had spent a lot of money on a pair of name brand jeans. When my grandmother washed them for the first time, a ball point pen inadvertently got added to the load. Needless to say I was upset. Grandma got out a bowl and filled it with milk. (I don't think the fat content had anything to do with it) She soaked the area covered with ink for about four hours, a little scrubbing, and viola! A brand new pair of jeans! I had never heard of this, and I use it all of the time!

Submitted by: Shelly from Preston, Iowa

When mixing frozen....or liquid concentrate juice I always add an extra 1 and 1/2 cans of water. It makes more juice, and the kids get extra fluoridated water. The juice isn't as sweet, or strong so the kids don't get used to super sweet drinks. My 7 year old made the transition well.....he never knew the difference.

Submitted by: Kirsten from St. Charles MO

I am a homeschooling mother of two. In our area, our power company allows us to set up a budget payment plan where we pay the same amount each month. We have found this to be beneficial for two reasons. Number one, it allows us to accurately budget our money for the upcoming month as we know how much we'll owe. Number two, the children and I have found it to be a fun challenge to try to use less power than the payment amount. We hang out the laundry, help each other to remember to turn off extra lights, watch our water usage, etc. Each month we look forward to getting our bill to see how much we "beat" the payment. We are building up credits each month that will go towards our summer bills when they "recalculate" our payment.

Submitted by: Sarah from Maple Valley, Washington

I'm a SAHM and have been since my daughter was born 10 years ago. I 've always been cheap, but now I have to be even more frugal because I'm a widow living on SS. We all have too many things so for gifts Iike to give gift certificates to fast food restaurants. It costs about $5, the kids love it and so do the parents. Last Christmas I
gave baskets (bought cheap and yard sales and thrift shops) filled with homemade cookies, homemade bread (easy if you have a bread machine), homemade soup mix in a jar, specialty coffee or cocoa and something personal. Each basket cost less than $10 and was a big hit. I found the recipes on the net and tested them first on my scout troop. I figured if kids would eat them adults would probably like them too.

Submitted by: Carolyn from SC

I've been a SAHM going on 30 years. I've used just about every tip I've read about and then some. But, there is one I've learned about recently that some of you might want to look into: Secret Shopping. The pay isn't much, but the benefits are fairly attractive. I've been sent on a few "shops" to restaurants. The company you sign up with sends all the information you need. You do the 'shop' and they reimburse you for the meal (up to the cost agreed), postage, and a few dollars for your time.

About all it takes is a good memory and the ability to supply the requested information. There are literally hundreds of Marketing companies that look for Secret Shoppers or Mystery Shoppers. Try it. You might like it.

I signed up through a newspaper advertisement, but there is a web site you might want to check out. It is: Mystery Shopping Grand Central

Submitted by: Carole from Cary, NC

Never buy bottle juices. You'll notice they all say "from concentrate." That means that you are paying for someone else's water! Always buy frozen.

Be sure the labels say 100% juice. If it isn't - why bother? Anything that says cocktail, drink or aid, is not only not 100% juice, but is usually taxable!

I always add just the three cans of water that is called for, then fill the rest of the way with apple juice. I can get a half gallon of apple juice for 79¢ here, so it is very inexpensive. It also mixes well with most every juice I buy.

Submitted by: Kelly Jo from, Conesus, NY

There is a grocery store that has high quality groceries for about 30% to 40% less than other grocery stores. It's called Aldi's. You can find there locations listed at www.Aldi.com. I buy one of something so I'm sure my family will like it first. I can do just about all my grocery shopping there. No coupons, sales, or running all over creation for deals. They have only one brand of each item so you don't have to decide which is the best deal. Frozen apple juice is always .69, real butter 1.25, milk 2.39, real Chocolate chips .79, toilet tissue is just like the Scott brand but half the price. I've never been unhappy with the quality. You must bring your own bags, bag your own groceries, and use a quarter to get a grocery cart outside, so go prepared! (I use boxes from the shelves if I forget bags). I hope you'll try it at least once, it is worth a drive of at least 30 minutes.

Submitted by: Julie Tingen, NC

The girls grandparents liked this so much that my mother-in-law has started saving her egg cartons and lint for me so they can make her some more!

Submitted by: Chrissy from Gallion, AL

I am a Work at Home Mom (WAHM) and the mother of a 1 year old toddler. I didn't really get into saving until I was pregnant and realized that working and child-rearing at the same just wasn't for me! So now I work 2 days a week when my dear husband is home. Here are some of my favorite money-saving tips:

1. Look for online specials. The new online drugstores (like Drugstore.com, PlanetRx.com and Drugemporium.com) are offering great specials for new customers. Drugstore.com was offering $20 off for new customers - I was able to stock up on soap, baby products and facial care products, for only $3.49 (the cost of shipping)! At another store, I bought five 6-roll pkgs of name-brand toilet paper for only $3 - and shipping was free! When ordering online, always look for the "secure" (lock) symbol and always use a credit card (if you're mischarged, you can dispute it with the bank; with debit cards, the money is taken from your account immediately and stays out until the dispute is settled). I have only been mischarged *once* in my 3 years of shopping online!

2. I make up a monthly menu, with one "flexible" day a week. On that flex day, we might order take & bake pizza (about $5 -10 cheaper than other pizzas), make tacos or just use up leftovers. I print the menu with a computer program, putting in each day's meal and a small weekly shopping list of the items needed for that week's menus. Works like a dream. Also, I stretch meals on the menu. For example, Sunday we might have roast chicken. Tuesday, we have Tomato Soup & Chicken Cesaer Roll-ups using leftover shredded chicken, and Saturday, chicken noodle soup using the bones for broth!

3. Always prepare 2 shopping lists: one of what you need and one listing all of the sales in your area. I really only shop at three stores - a low-budget, large grocery store, a more-expensive chain store that has great deals and another higher-priced store that often has great deals. I go to the low-budget store first because, more often than not, they meet or beat the other store's prices. I match the prices on my list with the store prices (takes just a few seconds) and then I know where I need to go!

Submitted by: Angella D (my friends call me Tiggy), Portland, OR

The tip I've been using, is for Christmas. I get a lot of cards with pictures of relatives, their kids, pets, etc. Most years, the pictures end up in a box and the cards in the trash or recycling bin. It really is a waste of some beautiful paper. A few years ago, I noticed a lot of Christmas cards have a pretty border on them. Most 3x5 pictures fit
perfectly into these borders. I cut out the inset of the border of the card (after Christmas, of course!) and tape the pictures into the "frame."

Since the photos are Christmas photos anyways, they go beautifully with the card frames. I just put the cut out part of the card in my wrap and card box, and I will have unique gift tags for next year. I display the pictures, and it makes friends and relatives feel good when they see their kid's pictures displayed so beautifully. So now, I have a unique and expanding gallery of pictures to decorate my house, gift tags for the next year, and some very happy friends! And talk about recycling!

Submitted by: Kathy from Uxbridge, Massachusetts

I have been a SAHM for the past 3 1/2 years. I have a little boy who's 3 1/2 and a little girl who's 2. My former profession was a chef and I have a tip that is used by many restaurants and will save you money on making homemade stock/broth.

Save all vegetable peelings from carrots, onions and celery to make into the most delicious broth! Simply wash the vegetable before peeling and then peel your vegetable(for whatever recipe you are preparing). Keep a large container in your freezer into which you can continually add these vegetable peelings. When the container is full(for me it's usually every other week), dump into a large pan, cover with water, bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 -1 1/2 hours. Strain and you have an absolutely FREE vegetable broth...don't pay $$$ for canned broth when you can have a more flavorful (the most intense flavor of the vegetable is in the peel) broth that is also more nutritious, quick and easy.

Chicken broth can be made just as easily by saving chicken bones in the freezer from when either you buy the meat on the bone and cut it off yourself or save a carcass from a roast chicken. Add the vegetable peelings and water, bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 1/2-hours.

You can make a "mock beef" stock (great for vegetarians) by saving all the "stumps" of mushrooms in the freezer and using the same process...makes a great brown, earthy broth. Be creative with it, you can use many different vegetables; however, stay away from broccoli,cauliflower, cabbage and fresh herbs as they all give up a bitter taste if simmered over a long period of time.

A very prestigious restaurant I used to work at uses this broth method and I will never part with it... I hope you try it!

Submitted by: Angela from Claremont, New Hampshire

My tip is this - exchange coupons with people who are NOT in your demographic area! In my particular area the stores double coupons up to .99 and each store will triple up to six. This means that for me a .75 cent coupon is more valuable than a $1 coupon. However, manufacturers are obviously 1 step ahead as they usually only release coupons in my area that are 1 dollar of 2 items and very few .75 cent coupons. Where my sister lives, down south, coupons are not doubled, so the higher the face value amount of the coupon
the better.

Call or write to friends and family that are dispersed through the US and find out what the coupon policy is in their area. You may both find out that you are better off swapping coupons.

Another idea is to hook up with other people who do not need the same types of coupons that you. For example, if you have young children, become a coupon buddy with someone who has no children but has no pets. Then, you can look out for each other. Good luck and happy coupling!

Submitted by: Deirdre from Tolland, CT

I'm a grandma by age but not yet. My son's haven't blessed me! So my husband and I still like to save money were we can! About 8 months ago I found this wonderful origination called Share! It's about getting your grocery bill cut in half if you have some spare time help others out! Just look it up on the Internet or call your local office there is one in every small town here in Ohio. We get about 30 to 40 dollars worth of groceries for 15 dollars and only have to work at helping out our friends and love ones or someone needy some during the month. Which we should all be doing anyway! Well that's my two cents worth. Keep up the good work and help one another.

Submitted by: Linda from Cincinnati, Ohio

Several years ago I became fed up with wrapping all the Christmas gifts for our 4 children, for the paper to be ripped off & thrown away on Christmas day - many kid's gifts were quite large & took a lot of wrapping paper. I bought a whole heap of inexpensive poly/cotton Christmas print fabrics and sewed them into simple gift bags of various sizes. Christmas ribbon was sewn into one side seam (about one third of the way from the top) long enough to tie around the gift. Now each Christmas I just quickly put each gift in the fabric bag & tie in a bow, adding a gift tag (home made of course !!) - its so quick & has saved me a lot of money and time - makes clean up after gift exchanging quicker too ! (Outside of immediate family I still use paper - bought on sale - as I wouldn't get the bag back !!)

Submitted by: Jeni, from Perth, Australia

Here is an idea the kids and I came up with one Christmas when it was either to purchase some Christmas gifts or just the wrapping paper. First of all I started saving the comic strip papers in October to use as colorful gift wrap this is also a great idea for Birthdays as well. Not to mention you are recycling. Then when we ran out of comic strips we took the brown paper grocery bags cut them down one side (the outside sometimes has the stores logo on it) and painted them with a wash of food coloring and hung them outside to dry. My children then decorated them with pieces of yarn, macaroni and crayons. They were very proud of their creation, almost more so then the gift itself.

I hope this will help some this Christmas season.

Submitted by: Terrie from Bermuda

I have a 1 1/2 year old who's just starting to like craft projects. I remember when I was a kid, my dad went to our local newspaper and asked for any extra paper they had at the end of a roll. They gave him their extra paper and asked that he returned the empty rolls when he was done. We used this as giant paper and
tablecloths.

My husband remembers his mom going to local home decor shops and asking for discontinued wallpaper sample books. They were happy to get rid of their old books.

Submitted by: Keli from Anderson, Indiana

I have discovered a great way to save on grocery expenses by shopping at grocery salvage stores. They can be found in your local Yellow Pages. They sell canned and boxed items that may be slightly damaged or past the "sell by" date. This is not the same as the "expiration" date, so the food is still quite safe and fresh. These items are marked down anywhere from 30% to 75% off retail prices.

For example, I buy Grape Nuts cereal for $1.50 per box from the salvage store and our local retail grocer sells it for $3.25 per box. I shop at the salvage center about once every 6 weeks and stock up on as many items as I can carry home. I have found that now I only shop at the retail grocer for produce, dairy, and meats that are on sale. My total grocery bills have dropped about 25% over the past few months. I've stocked a nice pantry and always have plenty of food and supplies on hand for unexpected company, Y2K, or whatever! This will be part of my shopping/saving strategy from now on.

Submitted by: Laura from Mandeville, LA

Inexpensive gift ideas: This is what my family started doing 3 years ago, and it saves us a bundle: We have a fairly small extended family, (parents deceased), too young for grandchildren, but we draw names among all family members. Then we set a price limit, usually 15-20 dollars. So our gift will be appropriate, we print up and distribute a list of everyone's requests- several items they want in that price range. We live in a time where there is too much greed. None of us NEEDS anything. This drawing names really works, and is fun. We include everyone, except very young children.

Submitted by: Patricia from Charlotte NC.

Here are a few tips that have really helped us to live on one income. Use half the soap for everything. Clothes, dishes, shampoo, everything. Everything is just as clean, but the products we buy go twice as far. Use vinegar to clean floors. You don't need to buy a different cleaner for the floors.

Make a menu for the week and see exactly what you need to fulfill the menu. Shop only for what is on the list. Cook from scratch rather buying convenience items. Buy second hand items and sell your items when you don't need them anymore. I sold my baby things at a consignment store when we were done having more children and made $400 on baby clothes alone.

Turn off the lights, turn down the hot water heater, turn down the heat (and wear a sweater), only wash full loads of anything (uses the same amount of electricity regardless), increase the deductibles on the car and house and really save on the premiums (drive defensively). Reduce gift buying. Most people appreciate the thought and are perfectly satisfied with a homemade item (like a batch of cookies?).

Submitted by: Ellen from Seattle, WA

I am a SAHM of a 1 1/2 yr old boy. These money saving tips have really helped us out.

Some of my son's clothing was bought for him when he was born by various friends, but I don't think I've bought more than a handful of new clothes for him. I know people have a thing about thrift stores but I find such wonderful brand name clothes for my son that no one would ever guess where I buy it. This also applies for my own clothes (not shoes or underwear). I can't bear to pay full price for any of my clothes when I can find expensive name brands in thrift stores for usually under $5. You may find a lot of questionable pieces, but keep looking. I've gotten brands like Liz Clairborne, Guess, Ann Klein, Talbots etc. The other tip I have regarding women's clothing is, even if I don't like the piece or it doesn't fit...I buy it and take it to a consignment store to sell for an excellent profit.

Another thing that I do at these thrift stores and garage sales is buy
books for .25 cents to .50 cents. I look for ones that are current, in good shape and ones I think are desirable by others and then take them to a second hand book store for trade. I lately took a bunch of books I bought for $5 total and got a $20 trade in value (which could have been $10 cash value had I not wanted other books). It turns in to quite a nice little business.

Submitted by: Lorelee, BC CANADA

I have several tips I would like to share here:
Re-use, re-use re-use! Even simple things like ziplock bags and dryer sheets can be re-used. I save up papers from work with one blank side and when I have a small stack, use a paper cutter to cut them into four's and then staple them together for home-made notepads at home. Look around and you'd be surprised at what you can re-use! Try fining one new thing each week.

For water bill savings: When brushing teeth or washing dishes (by hand), don't turn the water on full blast. Turn it off in between actually usage (ex. WHILE brushing your teeth or when washing dishes, wash several and THEN turn on water to rinse. At night, I often wake up to use the bathroom, and rather than flush it each time (unless it's number two!), I wait until morning to flush. (I know some people might find that offensive, but it helps save!)

Lastly - generic, generic, generic! I buy generic brands for almost everything. Especially medicines. One great example - I have a 4 month-old who uses Mylecon drops (for gas) regularly. They cost around $6-$9 for a 1/2 oz bottle. Wal-Mart's generic kind costs a little over $3 for 1 oz (twice as much for half the price!) I have yet to find a generic medication that didn't work just as well as a name brand.

All of these tips have helped save countless dollars for my family. Hope they help some other Miserly Moms!

Submitted by: Colleen from Dothan, AL

I am a mother of 5, and as you can imagine, Christmas used to be very stressful until I stumbled upon a very simple solution. We have a large box (about 3 feet square) on a high shelf in our bedroom. Whenever we were at the store during the year we would keep our eyes open for toys/games/etc that any of our kids liked. We often purchased for one child, only to find that by Christmas that a different child would like it better. Not to worry. We also "shopped" the gift box during the year when a child got an invitation to a birthday party. My husband gets paid only once per month, so any unexpected gifts were a real strain on the budget. The Gift Box was a real life-saver through the years.

Submitted by: Judy from Oakhurst, CA

I read the 25 stories about the SAHMoms. I would like to suggest an alternative to getting a loan or 2nd mortgage for debt reduction. United Way has a program called Consumer Credit Counseling Service. My husband and I used the service several years ago. Our credit reputation was not harmed. We bought a new house after fulfilling our obligations. It is a program that works. Interest rates are reduced or even eliminated through the program. Debts are paid down much sooner this way. Hope this can help someone else.

Submitted by: Donna from Gainesville, Florida

I buy large package of meat to cut costs. Before I freeze the meat, I separate and marinate the meat in the freezable zipper bags then stick in the freezer. I have wonderful marinades and each night's worth of meat is different. When I thaw the meat it re- marinades and is so tender and tasty.

I also have 2 kids in school. Snacks and other goodies are constantly being solicited for the church, PTA or other various organizations. I make 3 batches of raw cookie dough at a time. Then I take my "cookie dough baller" and set the balls on a cookie sheet, then freeze. After an hour or so, I put the frozen cookie dough balls in a bag and back into the freezer. I can then bake my "cookie dough balls" anytime without the fuss off cutting a frozen log and I can bake as many or as little as I want! I like to make fresh baked cookies for the kids for an after school treat. And I can provide fresh cookies on demand for any occasion.

Submitted by: Kathy from Hopewell Jct., NY

Many wallpaper stores offer free samples of wallpaper. You pick a couple of papers you like and just ask them to cut off a sample for you to take home. There are many things you can do with these all for the price of FREE!! For instance, say you have a sample of a floral pattern, you can: (1) use it to wrap small gifts. Voila! Free wrapping paper; (2) cut out some of the flowers and just wet the back and place on your walls as decorating accents.; (3) frame it! I take floral wallpaper samples and buy inexpensive frames. I love the botanical look and those kind of prints are very expensive if store bought. (4) Decoupage the wallpaper on wooden boxes, coasters, etc...

All of this can be done with free wallpaper samples!! Another tip, get samples of kid's wallpaper prints and cut out. My daughter loves to "glue" cut outs onto construction paper for an instant art project!

Submitted by: Jackie from Snellville, GA

Editor's Note:
We do not wish to advocate the taking of "free" wallpaper samples without any intention of purchasing wallpaper. These samples cost the merchants money and they offer free samples as a convenience to their customers who are considering buying paper for their home. Please only obtain samples that stores are discarding or are the ends of rolls used during redecoration.

Reader's Comment:
For the lady who wanted cheap gift wrapping. Go to a decorator and ask for their old sample books. You can get fabric and wallpaper for free. Sew the fabric into bags. If you take the paper and an empty box, you can make gift bags. Wrap the box but leave one end open. Glue all the openings together, except the open end. Remove the box, fold down the edge and add a handle from string or rafia.

I work part-time out of my home and have a 7 year old son and a 4 year old daughter. I choose to limit my business as I want to keep the most time I have available for my family. One thing that I have been doing for years now is to re-use birthday and Christmas cards. I cut the front off and paste them onto packages for name tags or decorate a larger package with several. I don't use bows as the cards really make a nice looking package and we have received many compliments. We even took plain brown lunch bags, punched holes and added a string then pasted cards from their last birthday for this years birthday party treat bags. Its a lot of fun and most of the cards are too beautiful to waste!

Submitted by: Kim from Sayner, WI

I have saved alot of money since I started using the internet. Valupage.com can save you a bundle of each weeks grocery shopping. Valpak.com can save you money on everything from car repairs to dining out. And these are coupons you print out and take to the store. You don't have to buy over the net!!!

Another great way to save is gardening. I don't have a lot of time but a few tomato plants and a bell pepper bush don't take a lot of work and was able to save on fresh veggies this summer and froze some for this winter. But best of all you can make tons of homemade tomato sauce (pasta sauce, chili sauce, homemade soup) for only a few dollars.

Submitted by: Samantha from Clanton, Alabama

My tip is that you go through your utility bills and call each one and simply ask them if there is a way to get your costs down. I've learned that the answer was "Yes" for every single one!

Power: I learned that my bill is about 50/month higher than it should be for a house this size. They asked me a lot of questions about usage, and together we figured out that my computers were making a big difference - we have several. We keep them on all of the time. But really, only one needs to be on all of the time (we have an inter insets). The others will now only be turned on as needed. Savings: about $20 per month.

Cell phone: We'd overbought the number of minutes per month we needed. We were paying 500 minutes per month. But we checked, and we regularly use just over a hundred. Going to 200 minutes saved $10 per month. Also, we had a protection plan for the phone. But the cost has come down on these phones so far that the
protection plan isn't necessary. That saved us another $5 per month. Savings: $15 per month

Cable: Off came the premium channels. Savings: $12 per month.

Phone: The plan we had was all wrong, again. We were paying a minimum rate of $13 that limited us to 50 calls per month. But we were making about 150 calls per month! Each of those other calls were being charged at 10 cents each! By going to an unlimited plan, we are now paying only $18 per month. I also took off three-way calling, caller id, and voicemail. Savings: $38 per month

Car insurance: We had overestimated how many miles we drive per year. My husband was listed at 7000, and me at 2000. 3000 and 1000 is more reasonable. (Note: If you quit work, let them know so that they charge you for "leisure use" instead of commuting miles.) Also, I was paying for medical coverage that duplicated our very good medical coverage. Savings: 120/6 months.

For a total of: $105 per month! Without doing any extra real work other than talking on the phone!

Submitted by: Dee from Newport News, VA

I prefer to dry my laundry out on the cloths line-weather permitting. When it doesn't permit, I have installed 12 hooks from the cupboards in my laundry room and hang the large items like pants and towels there to room dry. I do all my laundry in one day so all the small things like socks and wash cloths go in one dryer load. This saves several loads from the dryer and lots of electricity.

Submitted by: Francie, from Gallatin Gateway, MT

I'm a SAHM of 2 years now. For my family of 3, I've found a great way to stretch a beef roast. We love having a roast for Sunday dinner. I always buy one large enough for 2 meals. I cook it in the crock pot and when it's done, I pour the broth in a quart mason jar and put in the frig. After having the roast for dinner 2 nights, I make delicious veggie soup out of the broth within a couple of days. I buy frozen veggies to have on hand (corn, peas, beans, okra) and then just add some fresh potatoes, carrots, and onion, along with a can of diced tomatoes and one can tomato sauce and water. Add about 1/4 cup Italian Dressing for extra flavor. Bake cornbread to go with it. This is a very inexpensive soup and what's better is that you've used the broth from that beef roast which means you've really stretched that cut of meat into 3 meals!

Submitted by: Terri, from Kingsport, TN

I have been a SAHM for 17 years. We are raising four children. To simplify wash days and take the guess work out of who's clothes are who's I use the dot system. These dots are placed on the clothes where only the one doing the laundry and the wearer can see them. Our first child has one dot, the second child two dots, the third child three dots and so goes the fourth. It has worked great as the oldest ones outgrow their clothes and pass them down we just add a dot. This way others can help fold the clothes and get them in the right pile.

Loretta, Mission, B.C.

This sounds like more work than it is - I find it relaxing. I save tissue paper, and iron it, and use the floral kind to wrap the gift for a woman, and the plain kind I use appropriate Happy Birthday/Merry Christmas etc. stamps to decorate, for men. I put these wrapped gifts (free wrapping) into the bags, so that when the recipient opens the bag they still don't know what the gift is - doubles the fun, and they still have the added ?childish pleasure of ripping the wrapping off. I always seal the tissue wrapping with an home printed label asking the recipient to recycle the bag in a gift to someone else. I consider the bag as a small part of the gift that I made with love.

Our local library has been offering a free service for quite a while. They have a room with used paperback books, and the borrower will bring n paperback books s/he has finished with, and is able to take out the same number. The librarians only keep track of the numbers you take. This means that if you come across that treasured novel you have always wanted to keep, you can, but you must ensure that you return the same number you took out, 6 out - 6 in. It is so simple, you might be able to encourage your local library to do the same thing.

When I was a student nurse I didn't have a lot of money (still don't). One thing I found I was able to save money on was hose. When I got a run in one leg I would just cut the leg off, and save the , and good leg, until the same thing happened again - then you end up with a double top, and two good kegs. Of course you have to use the same brand and color - otherwise you might look a little funny :-} I'll be darned if I could not wear those hose out - they seemed to last for months.

Another thing that I feel I must bring up - I have seen a couple of people suggesting using generic drugs only. I am married to a doctor (no I'm not rich) and he tries whenever possible to prescribe generic medications, but there are some where he stipulates very strongly NOT to get the generic. Not all drugs are equal. I suggest that if in doubt ask your pharmacist. If s/he says they are all the same - find another one FAST.

Maxine, OK

For more help with economical landscaping, call around to the professional landscaping companies to see where they will be removing old landscaping. Many office buildings and complexes (the bank where I work for example) tear up all their existing shrubs and perennials and replant every 5-10 years or so. The torn up plant materials usually go to the dump! Now, consider how many professionally landscaped buildings are areas there are in your city and how often this must happen. Ask if you can get, use or collect the materials which will be removed. Now, because the landscapers won't dig up plants carefully, ask if you could go to the site a day or two before and carefully remove the plants you want. Some may not make it through the ordeal, but many will.

At our bank building, beautiful 10ft tall crepe myrtles (at least 20 of them), mondo grass, jasmine bedding, and juniper shrubs were all torn up and thrown away. I could have cried when I saw the myrtles laying on their sides and wilting in the parking lot. I called the landscaper and he said, they'd have been delighted to let me have the plant materials, especially if I had done some of their work removing them. Just be sure to have water, string and burlap on hand to thoroughly wet the root balls and wrap them tightly. Read up on plant transplantation and move quickly; time spent out of the ground is deadly to large transplants. Plants this mature cost a fortune to buy at the nursery. Plus, you are guaranteed plants that have been hardened off for your climate.

Also, check with companies who install lawns for "remnant" deals on sod. While large pallets of sod will keep for a very long time, they often have just a little bit more than needed to install a lawn and it won't keep for very long in small bits and pieces. These bits are great for patching worn spots, or cut into smaller squares and use as plugs. Decide early on in your lawn's life what kind of grass you are going to grow and only look for that. Our city sells not only cheap composting bins, they give mulch from trimmed trees away free and sell compost for 1 penny per pound, a bargain if you can haul it yourself. I'm going to suggest our church use these techniques to help offset the cost of landscaping (city required) for our new building addition.

Catherine, College Station, Texas

My saving ideas are:

1) Check out your local library for books & magazines rather than heading to the bookstore. My library keeps a selection of magazines available for purchase at $ .10 each, books and other items for $ .50 - $2.00. There is also a free "coupon swap" box to find grocery coupons that you might need. If you want to watch a movie -- why spend the big $$ at the video store? See if the library has it. Our library allows you to place a hold online. Sometimes though, our video store has pre-viewed movies for sale which are cheaper than the cost to rent them. We sometimes splurge and buy those and share them amongst friends & family. After everyone in our group has viewed them, then I take them to the 1/2 price Books shop in our town & sell them & earn my purchase price (and sometimes more!) back. This works with the books bought for $ .50 - $2.00 at the library as well.

2) Another trick my family has always used is buy in multiples when something is on sale. Sometimes this can be costly, but if planned well, can save you $$ in not having to rush to the store to buy at full price when you run out. For example, I know that about once a month certain brands of shampoo and cereal and toilet paper etc... go on sale. I watch for coupons and wait for the sale to double my savings. Knowing what regular prices are in certain stores can help you also. You can use that pricing to gauge whether or not you are actually "saving" once you factor in your gas and time!

3) Ask your doctor for samples of any medications you are prescribed. The drug reps load the doctor up with samples -- so don't be embarrassed to ask for a week or more supply. Why pay the pharmacy for something you can get for free? This is good also in cause you have an allergic reaction or if a medication isn't doing what it's supposed to do.

4) Our grocery store will gladly divide up meat purchases into smaller packages if you just ask. For example: Buy the family pack of pork chops or ground beef and ask them to shrink wrap them into smaller portions for freezing. We also ask the deli to slice bagels for us.

5) Don't be afraid to negotiate on damaged goods or requests for discounts either. I usually only shop the clearance racks for clothing, but if something is not appropriately discounted, not marked or if it is a damaged but regularly priced item that can be fixed easily and cheaply, I always ask if a manager will be willing to discount it. The worst that can happen is that they say "no"!

6) Similarly, if you see items not ringing up correctly, many stores offer the item for free.

7) If you are having a service performed at your home such as exterminating or carpet cleaning, check with neighbors who may also be having these services.....See if the service would be willing to discount the prices since they are hitting 2 homes without an additional trip charge.

Kaye, Allen, Texas

I am not a "gardener" my advice is strictly trial and error. I live in the northern part of South Dakota -- our growing season is very short and as yet I have not found the time to work with starting plants indoor from seeds (although it is a very frugal option if you have the time or inclination!) I have a very large yard (6 acres out of 20) that needs landscaping and I can't afford it either. So I have been looking for many ways to do this cheaply. I have some suggestions. Use plants that naturalize or multiply (lilies, hostas, snow on the mountain, ferns, phlox etc). It will take 2-3 years but eventually you will have triple your original plants and starting the second year you can transplant them to other areas of your yard. Ask friends for starts from their plants. Or anyone who is redoing their yard. I have a friend who has a friendship garden and everything in it came from a friend's yard. Look for "suckers" from plants that can be transplanted (lilacs for example). Buy perennials at the end of the season -- they can be very cheap. You may not enjoy this year but next year you will. Sometimes plants very early in the season are more affordable -- you may have to wait to put them out in the yard once you get them home. Comparison shop in catalogs and look for special two for one offers.

Look beyond plantings for landscaping -- your hardscape -- walkways, arches, planters and etc. This is where imagination, scrounging, ingenuity can go a long way. I got broken cement pieces for a walkway. You can find demolition sites and take used brick off their hands (they have to pay to haul it away). An old BBQ can be turned in to a potting stand. Old bikes, buckets, sinks, bathtubs, statuary can be used. There are a lot of books available (try library) on making your own fountains, ponds, arches, etc. Planters can be made from rocks, twigs etc. Broken pots can be laid in the garden like an old urn. Items don't have to be new -- a piece of broken statuary may not even show amongst the plants or may just add to the mystique. There is even a recipe out there to make your own stone planters will cement and peat moss. Check with your city parks and rec maintenance dept. or landfill -- you may be able to get loads of wood mulch for free or very cheaply just for picking it up. (They have to chip all of their excess tree branches etc.) This can be used in planters or in walk ways. Use old newspapers underneath to prevent weed growth (just don't use pages with colored ink).

Nancy Young in Stratford, SD

I have a tip that I got from my mother years ago, about bananas that no one wants to eat because they have become a little brown.

Peel them and put them in the freezer for a later date when it is more convenient to use them to bake banana bread. When I take them out of the freezer to bake, I put them in the microwave on defrost so they are a little easier to blend in the blender. It also makes it so the batter isn't too cold and take longer to bake.

Submitted by: Vicky Olson

I am a SAHM of a 3 1/2 and 18 month old son. Here are a few tips I use:
1. I cancelled my long distance on my regular phone bill (they charge a fee even if you do not make any long distance calls one month) and I use my cell to make calls. My cell phone company offers free nationwide long distance with my plan. Just make sure you do not go over your minutes that you have signed up for.
2. If you have a Wal-Mart SuperCenter (meaning it sell food also), they not only except coupons from the Sunday Paper, they also take coupons from other stores. Furthermore, they except other grocery store's weekly specials. It takes a few extra minutes, but I run into the other local grocery stores, pick up there weekly circular and then make my list of what I need and the cheapest prices. They even honor other stores prices on meat by the pound. I have saved a lot by doing this.
3. I always buy meat (ground beef, chicken, etc.), especially if it is on sale, in the biggest package that it is in because it is usually cheaper and then when I get home, I divide it and freeze it. For example, I put 4-5 breast in a freezer bag, because that is how much our family eats when we have grilled chicken or whatever it may be.

Elena in Wilmington, North Carolina

I am a working mother of 3 children ages 6, 4 and 1. In my quest to become a SAHM...I do try to be as frugal as I can possibly be. When I found my 6 year old using my expensive brand of shampoo as bubble bath and my 4 year old shampooing a dozen or more of her dolls hair.......even worse to find that new bottle of shampoo floating in the tub....OPEN....and now mostly water. The kids would just give me that "look" as I spazzed out over how wasteful they were being. Come on...they are just kids!! So I found a better way. I went to the local Beauty Supply House. Found a gallon size of concentrated shampoo for $3.99 (on sale). It makes up to 8 gallons of shampoo. Thats a LOT of shampoo for VERY LITTLE COST! We are all very pleased with the quality and for pennies a bottle It's no big deal if it ends up as bubbles in the tub or if my 4 year old plays "salon" with her Barbies...and even the occasional floating bottle no longer causes me to stress!

Sheila in Chaffee Missouri