February can bring a lot of opportunities to build your family’s wardrobes without spending an arm and a leg. Now that the holiday spending frenzy has passed, retailers often still have a surplus of winter inventory. Since many shops start receiving their spring apparel in the middle of winter, retailers will be extremely motivated to send those clothes home with you. Bargains can be found in many types of apparel.
Sweaters – Many department stores start clearing out their inventory in sweaters in February with discounts as deep as 60% and 75%. With prices like that, you can splurge on a new top or two and rest assured that you haven’t done any permanent damage to your budget.
Shoes – As spring shoes start arriving in the stores, displays are more focused on sandals and open-toe shoes. If you favor more traditional or practical shoes, February is a great time to get a new pair or two. Consider replacing your everyday shoes with a more updated pair and then getting another “fun” pair in a bright color. Boots are another great savings opportunity.
Outerwear –Since children can often only wear their coats for one year, getting a good price on these winter necessities is even more important. By estimating the size that your child will wear next winter, you can buy him a new coat now, get a great deal, and be prepared when the temperatures start to drop next winter. Don’t forget to include the adults in your family in your winter coat shopping, too. You may find that the expensive wool coat you’ve been lusting after has dropped to a much more attainable price. Wouldn’t that be a nice surprise?
Accessories – Winter accessories will be available at their lowest price of the year in February. Does your little one continually lose his gloves? Maybe you should stock up on several pairs of those little pairs of gloves. You won’t have to worry about him outgrowing them. As a bonus, you’ll have enough gloves to share with his little friends when they come over to play. Clearance pricing also means that you can splurge on that nice pair of leather driving gloves your husband has been hinting about.
February is the perfect time to get in a little shopping for you and the rest of the family. With clearance sales everywhere, you can be certain to find a bargain or two worth bragging about.
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Tags: Saving Money
February 8th, 2010 · 1 Comment
This is a great casserole that my kids just love. Even though it makes a large amount, seems like it does not last very long in our household. It is a pretty quick fix too.
Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef (or ground turkey)
1/2 cup diced white onion
1 cup of canned mushrooms
3 cups mashed potatoes
4 cups mixed vegetables (can use canned or fresh)
6 slices of American Cheese
Directions:
In a large skillet brown the ground beef and the onion until thoroughly cooked. Drain off any fat and place the mixture in the bottom of a large casserole dish. Spread the mixed vegetables evenly over the top of the ground beef. Layer the mushrooms on top of that. Top all this with the cheese slices and then spread the mashed potatoes on top to cover all the cheese slices. Bake in a 350 degree over for about 40 minutes. Let the casserole rest for another 10 minutes before serving.
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Tags: Cook At Home Day
February 5th, 2010 · 3 Comments
A well-stocked pantry is key to providing your family with a variety of healthy meals on a budget. On any given evening, you’ll be able to walk to your pantry and find the ingredients for a meal that will make your family enjoy dinner and eating at home. Certainly cooking your meals at home is a great way to save money. So how do you get your pantry in shape? I’ve listed some tips to help you build a pantry stockpile.
Make A Master Menu
First make a list of the menu items that your family prefers. Also include recipes that you make for special occasions or ones that you would like to try. From this master menu you’ll be able to compile a list of all of the ingredients that you should stock in your pantry. Don’t forget to include stapes like flour, milk, and bread.
Keep Up to Date With Grocery Store Sales
Make examining the grocery store advertisements that arrive at your house weekly a part of your regular tasks. Familiarizing yourself with the ads will allow you to recognize a bargain when it appears. As long as you’re looking through the paper, be sure to clip out coupons for the ingredients that are on your master ingredient list. When you are fortunate enough to find that one of your master list ingredients is on sale, buy that ingredient in a large enough quantity to last for awhile. Be sure to use those coupons you’ve been saving, too.
Learn to Preserve Perishables – Freezer or Otherwise
Learn how to preserve perishable foods so that you can purchase those at sales prices, too. Bread and meat can be frozen; the shelf lives of some fruit can be extended by storing them in paper bags. Grocery store employees can give very helpful hints for preserving the products from their departments. Just take special care that you don’t buy more of your perishable items than you can use before the foods spoil.
With the rising cost of food at restaurants and gas used to transport families to the restaurants, having family meals at home has become an extremely attractive facet of a trim budget. With a well-stocked pantry, you can be confident that you’ve made the most of your budget and you will never have to wonder what’s for dinner.
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Tags: Frugal
February 4th, 2010 · 3 Comments
As Valentine’s Day approaches you may find that your thoughts have begun to turn to finding the perfect gift for that special someone in your life. Expensive Valentine’s Day gifts may show your loved one how much they mean to you, but they will also make a pretty hefty dent in your pocketbook. So what is the frugal-minded person to do for Valentine’s Day? Giving a handcrafted gift can be the perfect way to give your sweetheart something really special without wreaking havoc on your finances.
Here are a few ideas:
A Basket of Your Valentine’s Favorite Cookies – Few people really enjoy all of the different chocolates found in the candy boxes available in department stores. Show your valentine that you care by spending the time to bake his favorite sweets for him to enjoy.
Specially Wrapped Candy Bar – If your sweetheart has his heart set on candy this Valentine’s Day, skip the traditional Valentine’s Day candies and head for the everyday candy bar that he favors. Using your home computer, you can quickly create labels to cover each candy bar that feature each of your names or even your pictures.
A Hand Knit Scarf – Since Valentine’s Day falls in the middle of our coldest season, a new scarf is the perfect way to show your sweetie that you care about his comfort. Choosing a soft yarn in your loved one’s favorite color is the perfect way to customize this gift.
A Handwritten Love Letter – Use beautiful paper to write a love letter and tell your Valentine how special they are to you. Spray the letter with a little of your favorite fragrance to remind them of you.
A Dresser Valet – Does your honey forget where he has laid his keys or wallet at the end of the day? A wooden box from your local crafts store finished with a simple dark, stain will help him keep track of his things and leave him a few more minutes to spend with you each morning.
Giving a heartfelt Valentine’s Day gift doesn’t have to mean spending an exorbitant amount of money. With a little thought and time, you can create something that your sweetheart will really treasure.
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Tags: Frugal
February 3rd, 2010 · 2 Comments
I have to admit that we are “receipt hoarders” here in the NotMadeofMoney household. First, we save our receipts because we use them to enter the relevant information into Quicken, the software we use for our personal finances. But there are other reasons we’ve found for keeping our receipts:
Price Adjustments
I hate when I purchase something and then find it on sale a week later. Fortunately, keeping track of my receipts can relieve some of that angst. Some stores will let you simply bring in your receipt and show them that you paid more for the time within the last thirty days or so. Other stores will require you to return the item you purchased and buy the same item, again, at the sale price. In either instance, you’ll be glad that you saved that tiny scrap of paper.
Gift Returns
Despite all of your planning and shopping, some gifts just don’t come out as well as you hoped they would. Perhaps the sweater you bought your sister is a size too large or maybe your niece already has that Barbie that you selected for her. Having your receipt makes it easy to exchange that gift for another item that will be more useful to the recipient.
Defective Items – Sometimes bad things happen to our purchases. The CD player you bought might have played perfectly on Christmas morning, but now it is skipping like crazy. When you have to return a defective item to the store you purchased it at, having your receipt will make the process go much more smoothly. If your item has an extended warranty, you will need that receipt to prove your item’s date of purchase.
We do have a regular cycle of purging receipts so they don’t build up to an unmanageable amount. Anything that has a warranty or was given as a gift is kept in a special file. Receipts that are for regular grocery store items, gas purchases, etc. are shredded once they’ve cleared the bank and we’ve verified their accuracy.
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Tags: General Finance
February 2nd, 2010 · 5 Comments
The following is a guest post by Marcy Tate. Please see the bottom of the article for her author bio.
When it comes to saving, it’s the little things that matter: Small savings
add up. If you want to conserve water and reduce your water bill, small
changes will do the trick.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average
household spends as much as $500 per year on its water and sewer bills. By
making just a few simple alterations to use water more efficiently, you
could save a minimum of $170 per year.
There are three steps involved in lowering your water bills: changing your
water usage habits, installing water saving devices for your sinks, showers
and toilets and plumbing maintenance.
Step 1: Change Your Water Usage Habits
Changing habits can be challenging, and it won’t happen overnight. At first,
change only a few of your water usage habits. Change some more habits after
you become more comfortable conserving water in your home. Encourage all
your family members to change their habits as well. The more family members
onboard, the greater the savings will be. Young children learn their water
usage habits from their parents. Setting an example for your children when
they’re young will help them develop water saving habits for the future.
Brushing Teeth
Don’t let the water run while you brush your teeth. Most standard bathroom
faucets use 2.5 gallons of water per minute. Turning of the faucet while you
brush your teeth could save hundreds of gallons of water each week.
Washing Dishes
Turn off the faucet while scrubbing dishes. A water-conscious way to wash
dishes is to do it in two steps. First, scrub the dishes (the faucet should
be off), cleaning the sponge as necessary. Second, turn on the faucet and
rinse the dishes.
Dishwasher
Only run the dishwasher when it is fully loaded with dishes. Avoid using the
pre-wash cycle, as this uses additional water. If you need a new dishwasher,
purchase an Energy Star qualified dishwasher. Energy Star dishwashers use
5.8 gallons of water per cycle. Older dishwashers (those purchased before
1994), use about 8 additional gallons of water.
Washing Machine
Use your washing machine only when you have full loads. If you have a water
level option on your washing machine, use it! Wearing clothes more than once
will also help decrease the number of loads per week. If you are in the
market for a new washing machine, purchase a high-efficiency model.
High-efficiency washing machines use less than 28 gallons of water per load
(the average washing machine uses about 41 gallons of water per load).
Showers
Take shorter showers. Cutting down your shower time by just a minute or two
will decrease the amount of water wasted and will certainly save money.
Additionally, consider leaving the water off while you shave.
Baths
Limit the amount of water used during bath time for your children. You can
save hundreds of gallons of water each week by teaching your children how to
take a shower. A full bathtub requires about 70 gallons of water, while
taking a five-minute shower uses 10 to 25 gallons. Children over the age of
6 can easily maneuver a hand-held showerhead. A quick shower for a child
uses less water than a quick bath.
Drinking Water
Keep drinking water in the fridge to avoid wasting water while you wait for
the tap to get cold.
Landscaping
Water your lawn and garden in moderation. Decide on your landscaping
priorities: Would you rather keep more money in your pocket or have a lush,
green lawn? Just one hour of watering with an in-ground sprinkler system can
use up to 250 gallons of water. Consider drip irrigation systems. They are
more efficient than conventional in-ground sprinklers because no water is
lost to wind, runoff or evaporation. According to the EPA, if your in-ground
system uses 100,000 gallons annually, you could potentially save more than
200,000 gallons over the lifetime of a drip irrigation, should you choose to
install it. That adds up to savings of at least $1,150. Use drought-tolerant
plants in your garden. They’ll help reduce the need for watering. Consider
harvesting rainwater. Simple collecting and storing of rainwater to be used
for your lawn or garden will cut down on your water usage.
Step 2: Install Water Saving Devices
Water saving devices can be installed in toilets, showerheads and faucets.
Installing water saving devices is simple, even for beginner
do-it-yourselfers. Most products come with detailed installation
instructions. If you are unsure, do some research on the Web. Chances are
that you’ll find a video demonstrating the installation of various devices.
If you are still unsure, recruit the help of a handy family member, friend
or neighbor.
Low Flow Showerheads
Low flow showerheads deliver 1.6 gallons of water per minute. This is much
less than the 4-5 gallons per minute that conventional showerheads deliver.
You can purchase a good quality low flow showerhead for under $20.
Dual-Flush Toilet or Dual-Flush Toilet Switch
If your toilet is from 1992 or earlier, you probably have an inefficient
model that uses at least 3.5 gallons per flush. If you are in need of a new
toilet, purchase a dual-flush toilet. They provide two flushing options:
full flush or half flush. The full flush typically uses 1.6 gallons of water
and the half flush uses about .8 gallons. If you do not need to replace your
toilet, then you can purchase a flush adapter, which is installed into the
toilet tank. These cost about $100.
Low-Flow Faucet Aerators
Faucet aerators look like tiny screens and cost about $10. Low-flow aerators
decrease the amount of water flowing from the faucet. Without an aerator,
the water comes out in a gushing flow. An aerator spreads the flow, which
saves water.
Step 3: Plumbing Maintenance
Checking for leaky pipes, toilets and sinks will help prevent costly leaks.
Leaks often go undetected and it’s a waste to pay for water you aren’t even
using. You’ll notice a lower water bill as soon as you fix any leaks.
Insulate Pipes
Cover your hot water pipes with foam insulation to prevent heat loss. It
will decrease the time you need to run the water to get it warm. Uninsulated
pipes allow heat loss while transferring the water to your faucets.
About The Author:
Marcy Tate is a blogger at Networx.com. She also writes for Plumbing Networks.
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Tags: Saving Money
February 1st, 2010 · 2 Comments
One of my favorite kitchen appliances has to be my crockpot. I love being able to throw the ingredients in the pot in the morning and have a delicious meal ready at the end of the day. This recipe for crockpot chili is inexpensive and quick to make.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
2 cans of kidney beans
1/2 cup diced white onion
1/2 cup diced celery
2 large cans of crushed tomatoes (16 oz. size)
1 small can tomato paste
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon chili powder (or season to taste)
Directions:
Brown the ground beef, onion, and celery in a large skillet. Transfer to the crockpot. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir thoroughly until combined. Cook for 5 hours.
Serve with crackers, shredded cheese, or homemade bread. This chili also tastes great over a baked potato or served in a bowl with noodles.
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Tags: Cook At Home Day · Frugal
