Feasible Frugality

Alternitive heat

2009-12-04T15:04:00.000-08:00

I know up north a lot of people pay extreme heat bills. There are some smart ways to cut down the price of heating drastically, it just depends on how willing you are to use it despite it's fall backs.

Wood Burning Stove

Our ancestors had it right when it came to heat. These things put out heat, and I mean big time, not only that most of them can be used as an extra stove top for making tea. They are large space heaters so the closer you are to the stove the hotter and the further away you get the colder. Depending on what stove you choose, they can heat almost any home not to mention how cute and rustic they look.

The draw backs? Ashes, boy are they dirty. Also you have to have a good supply of cut wood to burn, this may be a challenge to find in a city or other populated area.

Geothermal Heat

If I ever build a house, I want this kind of system in it. They are expensive to install but last virtually forever and can save from 25% up to 50% off your electric bill, so you save money in the long run this way. On top of the it's very environmentally friendly and enables you to get a tax cut.

Frugal Christmas: Part 3 Gift Sets

2009-11-29T14:43:00.000-08:00

Cheap places to buy gifts
-re-sale shops

-pawn shops

-garage sales

-Amazon.com & e-bay

Homemade gift certificates can be fun and cost very little to make. You can make coupons for chores, hugs, kisses, anything at all.

Hobby & Luxury sets

Buy an inexpensive basket or container and fill it with things the receiver may like:

Hair care luxury set

Fill with shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioning treatments, hair gels and sprays. If you want to go all out add in a gift certificate to a salon for a hair cut or style.

Bath luxury set

Fill with body wash, bar soap, sponge or loofah, maybe some hand towels. You can also add bath salts or beads if you like. Don't forget the bath pouf!

**The nice thing about these kind of baskets is that, unlike that $20 commercially put together one at Walmart, these will actually be used. Big Lots has a lot of cheaper bathing products if you want to make something less expensive.**

Foot& Hand luxury set

Nail files, clipper, pumice stone or foot stone, lotion, foot soak. throw in a gift certificate to get a manicure if you want.

Now that covers head to toe...next is Hobbies:

The Gardener

Arrange in a pot a spade, spading fork, gardening gloves, and seeds. You can even put these items into a watering can, just remember to stuff the bottom with paper so the stuff doesn't fall in so deep the receiver can't see the goodies.

The Handyman

Get a tool caddy, or a tool box if the receiver doesn't have one and fill it with things like screws, nails and stuff (I don't know much about tools but ask the person what they need and they will let you know; just don't tell them you're giving them the gift, the surprise is half the fun.)

The Cook/ The BBQ Chef

If you know someone who loves to cook, most likely they will have most of the basic tools. You want to put together a basket of cooking tools you know they don't have, Odd things like garlic press or lemon zesters are uncommon but wanted cooking items. Same goes for the grill guy/gal ask around nonchalantly and see what tools they need so they don't get the hint you're buying it for them.

The Party Animal

Every family has at least one of these, make a hangover basket. Arrange Alka-seltzer, Motrin, Pepto Bismol and coffee, all known to help hangover.

Frugal Christmas: Part 2 Low Cost Crafty Gifts

2009-11-25T09:52:00.000-08:00

There are literally thousands of ideas out there for homemade or cheap gift giving. Some ideas are perfect for friends and co-workers and some ideas are great for closer more personal relationships like spouses and immediate family. Below are some categories for frugal gift ideas.

The Foodie

Recipes in a jar- This includes cookie mixes, soups, jams & curds and plenty of others. Great for co-workers or friends who like to cook.

Homemade cookies and candy - This one is great and personal. There is nothing like using your grandma's old fudge recipe and sharing it with your family and friends.

Homemade Cookbook- This is great if you are one of those people that everyone always asks the recipe for your dishes. Just make the cookbook in your word processor, print it out and arrange it in a 3 ring binder, decorate.

Arrange for you to cook a nice dinner- If you are good at cooking and want to give your parents a 5 star dinner in the privacy of their own home, then this is a great option. Just plan out the meal and decorations and music, don't forget the candles!

Fruit Baskets- A basket of fruit, traditional boss or client gift.

Art Connisseur

Make a painting, drawing, etc.- If you are artistically inclined then use your talent for your gifts. If you like painting, pottery even collage you can make impressive gifts that are unique and sure to leave an impression.

Scrapbooks- Usually great for family or close friends, make a nice scrap book of the person who will be receiving the gift. Be careful this can get costly, but it also can be cheap if you are smart about it.

Garage Sale Art- It sounds funny but no one needs to know where it came from! For all they know you might have paid $300 for that painting bought at a garage sale for $30.

Sewing & Knitting

Totes, handbags, green grocery bags- These are relatively easy to sew. It's a big fad now that everyone in the grocery brings their own bags, but image how much nicer homemade bags look than the store bought ones that everyone else has.

Scarfs, sweaters, shaws- Nice and personal gifts but knitting takes a lot of time, especially the sweaters.

Craft Sewing- There are tons of free craft patterns online. My grandma used to sew the cutest stuffed elephants and I kept mine a very long time. Also those sock monkeys are adorable.

Crochet hair accessories- I had to add this because its so neat in my opinion. I have two girls who take ballet and longed for those really pricey crochet hair bun holders. They are so cheap to make too!

Carpenter and Woodworking

Bird houses, small collector's shelves, potato storages- These make great gifts if you are mechanically inclined, unlike me. Anyone with a yard would love a birdhouse.

Collectibles-Nice for the wildlife lover, whittling ducks and figurines are great gifts.

Soaps- soaps can be carved into pretty shapes and arranged in a basket or just wrapped up.

Doll houses- If you have a daughter, the doll house you make will last much longer than the plastic thing you buy at Walmart, not only that it can be passed down to her daughter one day!

Un-crafty

If you are totally un-crafty or just don't have time, try looking in garage sales, flea markets or make a few recipe in a jar gifts. These things require no skill.

Frugal Christmas: Part 1 Christmas Cards

2009-11-24T09:06:00.000-08:00

The holidays are coming up and it's time to start thinking about gifts. It's hard enough to figure out what each person on your Christmas list wants without breaking the bank. Kids these days are getting more demanding with their requests for expensive video games and electronic devices, which would leave little or no money for everyone else. Even Christmas cards can get pricey, and let's not forget the ever increasing price of stamps to mail the cards. So what can you do about it? Get innovative!

Cheaper Holiday Cards

E-cards- mostly free, these are awesome for anyone on your list that's tech savvy

Postcards- Not only are they cheaper to purchase or easy to make, (cuts costs more), they are cheaper to send than a traditional card. Itcosts 28 cents to mail a postcard as opposed to 44 cents for a letter.

Letters- You can save money on buying cards and make Christmas really personal by mailing letters. Write heartfelt letters about how thankful that you know the other person, how much they mean etc. I guarantee that they will remember the letter for years to come. Make sure the letters are handwritten, as the cold, hard, typed letters take away a lot of the personal meaning.

Homemade cards- This one is sure to impress especially if you are artistically inclined or good with computers, also good for grandparents or anyone who loves to receive cards made by your kids. If you have kids they will have a lot of fun making cards for friends and family.

Thanks Giving, concerning food drives

2009-11-23T09:24:00.000-08:00

There's a time to be frugal and a time to spend a little more, in the case of food drives more is better. Our Lord reminds us in Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

It saddens me whenever there is a food drive most people get rid of the unwanted junk in their pantries or overload the food banks with cheap foods like corn and green beans. These foods are great but if everyone gives the cheapest the poor and hungry are out of a decent meal. Have you ever lived off cold cans of corn and green beans for a week? Would you want your children to live that way? Of course not! That's why when you give be a little more considerate to the hungry, they need meats like tuna, beef stews and chicken and fruit juices too. Just think of the non-perishables you eat and its likely what they eat. Look for coupons to save on your donation items.

Finally Moved In!

2009-11-12T19:29:00.000-08:00

I am still unpacking but after the crazy move in and a case of swine flu things have finally settled down. One thing I have learned is to install as much as possible for yourself. I just saved myself $130 phone line repair by asking the tech guy (was the fourth one I talked to) how I could solve my phone line issue. He told me how to avoid the repair man from coming out and costing me $130, and the job only took me 10 minutes!

moving

2009-11-01T09:32:00.000-08:00

I'm currently moving from a crummy small apartment to a nice spacious house with a back yard! I'm soo happy and so are the kids. So just in case you are wondering why I haven't been posting lately, that's the reason. While I'm on the subject. Frugal moving tips!

*Don't buy your boxes get them for free from dollar stores and such.
*Use garbage bags
**Be careful when using a friend's friend to help you move, they might pull their backs or break something and they are not bonded or insured. Personally this option is good for a single person or a couple who is moving but for a family of 4 or more not so. Better hiring a moving company that's bonded and insured.
*If you need paper for cushioning breakables try the local paper recycling bin. My kid's school has a huge dumpster full of old newspapers that can be used for this purpose.
*pack ice chests with sandwiches, drinks and finger foods so you won't have to go out to eat.

Will post soon!

HE Washing Machine Detergent

2009-10-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to acquire a HE washer and dryer. Everyone knows how expensive the soap is for it though. I stumbled upon this recipe, Yay! Thank you Duggard Family!

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4 Cups - hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

Low-carb shrimp salad

2009-10-24T11:54:00.000-07:00

I came up with this today. It's a warm salad and very satisfying.

7 oz shrimp
1/4 cup olive oil
1 toe garlic minced
1 tbs sliced celery
2 cups romaine lettuce
2 tbs grated Parmesan
dash of salt

Sautee garlic and celery in olive oil and add salt. When garlic starts to brown and celery is translucent add shrimp. Sautee for about 15 minutes or until all shrimp are cooked. Pour hot mixture over romaine lettuce and top with Parmesan.

A salad like this would cost $7.95- $9.99 at a local restaurant. Making it at home would only cost you between $3.00-$4.00.

Red Tea the next health craze

2009-10-23T20:56:00.000-07:00

The newest health fad to hit the states is this red tea stuff, also known as rooibos. Also high in antioxidants like green tea but unlike any of the teas it comes from aflowering African bush. It's grown only in South Africa and has no caffeine, it also is low in this stuff called tannin which makes tea bitter after sitting there for a period of time. Cool!

Low-carbn

2009-10-23T19:46:00.000-07:00

Ok, ok I know low carb diets aren't the cheapest of the bunch, and I know this is a blog about saving money, not spending it. But! I really need to loose a lot of weight. I'm not talking 30 lbs or 50lbs; I need to loose 100lbs. There is no price on health and I have successfully lost on Atkins before. As long as I stick to it I will lose it all in about a year!

My plan is to be on the Induction part of Atkins for 6 weeks and on a reduced calorie for 2 weeks to load up on all the fruit and healthy grains I would be missing otherwise. I would repeat the cycle till I've reached my goal weight. Exercise is definitely included. For now I'm just going to do cardio for 1 hour 5 times or more a week. I will add strength training later when I lose some fat and get used to working out so much.

How did I get this way?

Well I seriously have no one to blame but myself; though I did have a little help with some problem pregnancies and depression, but that is a thing of the past. Now I must keep moving forward for my health and my future as well as my figure. Wish me well!

Join gym TS

2009-10-22T21:17:00.000-07:00

The t stands for tennis and the s stands for shoe because that is all you need to have a good workout. Here are some ideas that you can do around your neighborhood and in your own home to work out.

Cardio:

Walking

Aerobics - I do this on rainy days or days where I just don't feel like leaving the house. I put some music on and make up my own thing. As long as you are sweating and breathing heavy it will work.

Biking- This can be more expensive but think of all the gas money you can save if you bike to work or the store. They even have a child extension on some bicycles so you can take your little ones with you.

Swimming - If you live in an apartment with a pool or a neighborhood that offers a free pool this is a wonderful option during the warmer months.

Weight Training:

Gardening- With all the lifting heavy bags of soil and digging I can see how this is good weight training.

Soup cans- Good for beginners since they are not too heavy but heavy enough to make a difference

Dumbells - They are pretty cheap and there is a lot you can do with them at home.

Cheese enchiladas

2009-10-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

20 corn tortillas
oil for softening tortillas
1 lb cheese shredded (colby jack or cheddar is good)
1-2 diced onion
1 can of red enchilada sauce

First you need to set everything up so you have a sort of cooking line. Make an area for frying the tortillas, you need your pan on the burner and next to it a chopping board arranged with a paper towel for blotting, shredded cheese and diced onion. Make sure you have a space on the cutting board to roll the enchiladas. At the end of the cooking line should be a casserole dish.

Heat up some oil (1-2 tbs) in a skillet or pan and drop in a tortilla. Let it sizzle for 3 seconds and flip it over with tongs or a spatula if you are really talented. Fry the other side for a couple of seconds and place hot tortilla on the cutting board. Blot with paper towel to get excess oil off and fill tortilla with 1 tbs of chopped onion and about 3-5 tbs of cheese. Roll filled tortilla up, (tortilla should be very pliable, if it is brittle you need to fry them a few seconds longer), and place in the casserole dish. Repeat these steps until the casserole dish is full. Pour can of enchilada sauce over enchiladas and top with any remaining cheese. Bake in pre heated oven 350 F for 20-30 minutes, or until the smell of enchiladas wafts through the house for 5 minutes. That is usually how I can tell something is done.

Serve with homemade re-fried beans and a salad and you have a cheap dinner that's yummy.

Short on grocery money...

2009-10-15T12:09:00.000-07:00

This week has been really tight for me. I am trying to save up money so I do not even count the savings in my budget for expenditures. The problem I came across was that there were some things I couldn't buy but could improvise. For example I needed dishwasher detergent, but the stuff is about $6 a bottle and I had to spend my non-food grocery money on things I couldn't improvise like garbage bags. So instead I made my own from baking soda, borax and a dab of dish washing liquid. Here's the recipe.

Dishwasher Soap

1 cup borax

1 cup baking soda

Mix together well. When you want to use for a load of dishes fill up the second soap reservoir, the one that does not close, and make a small indention in the pile of soap and add a dab (approx 1/3 tsp) of dish liquid. Then start your machine like normal.

Also if you like to have a rinse aid but want to save money and opt out buying the small bottles of rinse aid, try using white vinegar instead. Everyone knows how well white vinegar cleans windows and mirrors, it really does a great job on glass cups too.

A little turkey goes a long way

2009-10-09T18:08:00.000-07:00

I had recently bought a turkey and made it stretch into 4 meals for 5 people. I baked that turkey first, so that night we had turkey and gravy. I saved everything that was left, bones and all for the next day and made turkey noodle soup. We had enough soup for 3 more meals! That's like $9.31 per meal for 5 or $1.86 per person.

Cooking background

2009-10-09T17:32:00.000-07:00

I love to cook, so I'm warning you now that this blog will be heavily influenced by my adoration of cooking. I am a pretty darn good cook too! I'm not just bragging but I have experience from the restaurants that I worked in for 5 years and from my mom and grandmother who were both wonderful cooks. Not to mention my home town of New Orleans has had a major influence on my cuisine.

Now I live in a smaller town 45 minutes north of Houston. It was a major culture shock when I came to Texas after hurricane Katrina. So now I am cooking more "countrified" an less red beans.