Posts: 2,015
5/21/13 3:24 P

I have a gym membership through my husband that I use regularly and is quite inexpensive. So today to simply my life, free up some room I decided to give away my Malibou pilates machine, my body inverter and the battery lawn mower since I cant get the battery to stay charged.

So 3 big items went to Goodwill so that was a good donation, I have extra room in my home AND I still have the FREE PARK to walk around when it quits raining!

Life is good.

Posts: 2,015
5/21/13 3:20 P

Cartoon3 - I went online and there are a number of homemade laundry soaps. I have an HG machine and I make liquid soap. Here is the link:

www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/02/no-grate-homemade-laundry-soap.

I use an old liquid detergent container, make a double recipe. For the most part I have not noticed any difference. I still pre-treat stains and with whites I use bleach about every 2 months. I have made liquid detergent for over a year now.

Posts: 4,086
4/18/13 1:43 P

I do shop at Walgreen's because there's one about 4 blocks from my house & another that I pass by work every day. The other day I stopped & picked up Pantene shampoo, Pantene conditioner, a new toothbrush & a large tube of toothpaste. After the rewards & coupons, my bill was $7.57. I also have $17.00 worth of reward points right now to use.

I did get my prescriptions filled there & really liked the extra reward points; however, my doctor's office told me that my insurance had made arrangements with Schnucks Markets to fill prescriptions with no co-pay. That has really paid off, especially with the meds I've had to have to deal with the current asthma episode. $0.00 is definitely better than $5.00 for generic.

Check to see if your insurance plan offers special deals like this.

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Posts: 704
3/15/13 1:24 P

Vaseline on eyes is good for your eyelashes

Posts: 1,015
3/13/13 11:58 A

I read through alot of suggestions and they are great. As far as the laundry detergent can it be used on the HG washers?

Posts: 3,042
2/9/13 6:58 A

I was going to ask also how to make the lip
balm? In a pinch at home I use Vaseline.
Last fall I had an UTI that didn't respond to
treatment, the doctor put me on a higher
powered one, to which I had a horrific re-
action! I had uncontrolable itching. The doctor
actually just dismissed it. I tried every moisturlizer
I could lay my hands on. Then, I remembered
my Mom 'swore' by plain old Vaseline! I would
smear it over my bod everything I itched! As it
eased I went to extra strength Vaseline lotion.
I am thinking of putting a dab on my face of a
evening. Some say over time it helps hide wrin
klies. Anyone else with wrinkles? What can I
say, being 72 [73 in August]!
Also, they say use Preparation H around your
eyes at night!
Have a good one!
Janet

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2/4/13 12:44 P

Thank you, Sandy--- and vaseline is such a thrifty product.

(By the way, Shrewsbury is my hometown-- Webster Groves and Old Orchard are childhood memories---Our post office was on Big Bend) Brrrr --- cold winters!

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2/2/13 9:05 P

BAMAJAM, the vaseline works well on hands too. Just use your dentists method using vaseline instead of lanolin.

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Posts: 2,015
1/19/13 12:53 P

Tonight my 2 favorite shows are on.... 1. Suze Orman and 2. "til debt do us part with Gail Van-Oxly....

Posts: 2,015
1/8/13 11:06 A

oh dear have to adjust my budget - how could I forget insurance?

Posts: 1,719
1/7/13 5:22 P

Seems like a good plan, Sandra. How do you make lip balm?

My beauty tip is to slather vaseline (cream kind) on my feet every night, then wear white cotton socks to bed... This really keeps my feet smooth and my heals soft.
A dentist I worked for said he would purchase pure lanolin from the pharmacy and coat the inside of cotton gloves with this sticky stuff. He would wear the gloves to bed for a super healing treatment. (in the olden days, dentists would sometimes scrub their hands raw)

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1/4/13 11:25 P

I'm going to start making my own household cleanser and even a few beauty products as part of my 2013 goal for living w/ simplicity. In the past, I've made laundry soap, wood polish (just lemon juice and olive oil), window cleaner and handmade bars of soap and lip balm.

I've been learning more about what the chemicals in typical household cleansers do to our bodies. I'm trying to eliminate them from my home and create healthier alternatives. I'm a bit out of practice, but I was inspired by a documentary called 'Chemerical' about a family who accept a challenge to live chemical free and make their own products for cleaning and hygiene.

What are your favorite handmade cleanser and/or beauty recipes?

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Posts: 2,015
1/1/13 1:37 A

Sat down today and made my budget for 2013 - tried to plan carefully and will made adjustments in a month or two.... The good part is I have planned for SAVINGS!

Posts: 1,719
12/28/12 12:53 P

Last night my husband and I had a delightful dinner at a Thai restaurant. We had a coupon, buy one dinner, get one free--BOGO- It was wonderful, and I had a take home box for another meal--

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Posts: 6,750
12/27/12 10:46 P

Oh, but she took the advice and does a great job in the kitchen. She also applied it to other areas in her life and researches things for her job, interests, purchases. Smart girl...VERY smart girl. And she makes my son happy, happy, happy.

Posts: 1,719
12/27/12 1:10 P

I am also grateful for the recipe links... Yum!

(By the way, my advice to a mother-in-law------Don't give advice to a daughter-in-law.) LOL

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Posts: 436
12/27/12 5:09 A

Thanks smartin77,
I will surely be trying some recipés from those links..
thanks again
hope you all had a lovely xmas and wishing a healthy great stat in the new year
tisha

Posts: 6,750
12/26/12 8:20 P

My advice to a new daughter-in-law when she needed to learn to cook:

IF YOU CAN READ, YOU CAN COOK!

Posts: 1,135
12/26/12 1:29 P

I would love to kick the habit of packaged foods, and cook from scratch more. I make my own bread, which is easier than I thought it would be. I'm going to experiment with homemade pasta, hummus, and salsa.

Posts: 323
12/26/12 1:00 P

My goal for 2013 is to start up bulk-cooking again. Been pinning tips and recipes to my Pinterest. I've used to do some OAMC cooking when I worked full-time, and it helped our budget and kept us from eating out so much. Here's some favorite links:

Tammy's Recipes - OAMC menu plans:
www.tammysrecipes.com/taxonomy/term/123

Once a Month Mom - offers traditional, gluten-free, vegetarian, etc. menu plans
onceamonthmom.com/

Joy in My Kitchen - made-from-scratch meals - love this tip for labeling foods using a dry erase marker!:
joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com/2012/01/labeli
ng-foods.html

Edited by: SMARTIN77 at: 12/26/2012 (13:01)

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Posts: 6,750
12/20/12 7:11 A

Or you can do the same with ground flax seed.

SparkPoints: (36,302)
Fitness Minutes: (16,899)
Posts: 2,166
12/19/12 8:34 P

MKATE88 - unbelievable!

Pounds lost: 40.0

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Posts: 1,719
12/19/12 2:16 P

Wow--- thanks for this tip; I had no idea about this!

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Posts: 1,135
12/19/12 1:58 P

My favorite tip, which helps my waistline AND wallet, is soy flour. I use it not to replace wheat flour, but one Tbsp of soy flour mixed with one tbsp of water approximates one egg in baking. A bag of flour with 40-50 tablespoons costs about 2 bucks; beats paying 2 bucks for one dozen eggs! Plus, I eat raw cookie dough with reckless abandon

Posts: 6,750
12/15/12 11:40 P

Back when I wrote checks for everything, I would write a check for the amount of groceries BEFORE the cashier deducted the coupons. She would return the difference to me and I'd use it for my Christmas fund. Now I use my rewards card for my purchases and just take a $20 bill and put it away almost every week.

Posts: 1,135
12/14/12 10:43 A

I love the Duggar family, and I remember them saying that when they buy something on sale, they save the difference between the sale price and regular price. We have accumulated our emergency fund this way.

Posts: 6,750
12/5/12 11:33 A

When something at a store catches my eye, rather than buy it impulsively, I may put it in my cart (even do this online) and continue to shop. After I have looked around some more, I ask myself 1. if I really can use it, 2. if it replaces something that is necessary, and 3. if I want to deal with that on an ongoing basis. It's amazing how many times I put that item back.

Posts: 1,719
11/29/12 11:43 A

---Wonderful advice to buy only what you need, instead of what you want!
My closets are packed full, so I do not need more clothes--- And I do not need more "bric-a-brac" (mama used to call all those things you have to dust)! Happy savings to all . . .

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Posts: 112
11/28/12 6:39 P

I guess my main tip is to learn the difference between "want" and "need." I used to buy whatever I wanted, now I ask myself "Do I need this?" It's really cut down on my spending, especially at thrift stores. I'm constantly looking at things and saying, "This is cute, but I don't need it."

Posts: 2,015
10/29/12 1:37 P

Great Idea!!

SparkPoints: (36,302)
Fitness Minutes: (16,899)
Posts: 2,166
10/29/12 12:35 P

Read this a couple of months ago and don't remember what book. So apologies to an author for not giving proper credit.

Since we once had to get used to paying $4.00/gallon for gas, why not continue to do so? We all drove less, combined errands, cut some other costs to buy the gas we needed, right? So why go back to our old habits just because we can? Buy your gas for whatever price. Currently an amazingly low $3.17 here, but I started this when it was $3.69. Spend what you must, then calculate the difference between that and $4/gallon. Immediately transfer that difference to some kind of savings. Emergency fund, education fund, Christmas food/gifts. We'll all have our own individual choices of where it belongs, but it will save us from running to the credit cards somewhere down the road!

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Posts: 2,015
10/18/12 1:25 A

we had to cut down a tree so it didnt fall on the house.... now we have firewood

Posts: 2,015
9/26/12 4:29 P

Last night we had antelope heart for dinner - first time I ever tried it. Turned out well.

Posts: 2,015
9/25/12 10:50 A

I have tried making my laundry soap but tried a liquid I could make 1 gallon at a time. That works well for me....

I also swap items with friends - one quilts, one crochets and I knit. So the two/three of us will sometimes make items for the one or two and then receive something back. One of my friends wanted a hat and I wanted a table runner - great trade!

Posts: 1,719
9/20/12 4:48 P

Hello---- Happy to provide the correct date for the Senior Discounts list by Gerikragh...
The date is August 29... Have a Sparkling day!

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Posts: 6,750
9/19/12 11:24 P

BAMAJAM,
Could you be more specific and give us the date of the Sparkperson who has that long list on her blog. I went to her page and she blogs daily. That's a lot of reading to try and find that list.
Thanks in advance.

Posts: 224
9/19/12 6:50 P

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to this team and this thread but I've been reading through the tips and they are great. So nice to be with like-minded people as it helps me stay on track to be frugal and do more with less! I thought I'd share a few of the things I do to save money...some might have already been listed somewhere on this thread.

Paperback Swap (www.paperbackswap.com): I use this site to swap books I currently own with ones I'd like to have. Cost is about $3.00 per swap which is what it usually costs to send a book by media mail through the post office. You only pay for the books that you send to another member. When they send you one, they pay for shipping charges from their end. You can then keep the book or repost it after you are done reading it, sell it or donate to the library...whatever you want.

Ebates (ebates.com): I use this site to earn a percentage back on purchases for many of the stores that I shop at online (though I do this rarely..usually only during the holiday season so I can stay out of the stores!). Reimbursement checks are sent quarterly.

Cookbooks: Another poster mentioned More with Less by Doris Janzen Longacre. That's a fabulous book and I highly recommend it as well. In addition, I also recommend the following:

~Dining on a Dime by Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam
~The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn -- it has some great recipes as well as good (although at times, outdated) tips for saving money
~Family Feasts for $75 a Week by Mary Ostyn (this is one of my favorites and most used cookbooks)

Websites: My hands-down, all-time favorite website is moneysavingmom.com followed by Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam's Diningonadime.com website (they are the authors of the book I listed above).

Miscellaneous. I also make my own laundry detergent using 1 bar of grated Fels Naptha soap, 1 cup of washing soda (not baking soda!) and 1/2 cup of Borax. I use 1 tbsp per regular load and 2 tbsps if it is a heavily soiled/large load.

~I rarely buy anything if it's not on sale AND I actually need it. It's not a bargain if I get it home and don't really have any use for it! :)

~Regular maintenance on my car. It's 12 years old now and still doing well. I think regular oil changes, getting repairs done quickly rather than waiting has really helped extend its life.

~Using things up, wearing them out, letting friends/family know when I'm looking for something in particular. I've gotten a free dining room table and bread machine by doing this. I always reciprocate with a homemade meal or a platter of homemade cookies, etc. to express my appreciation.

That's all I can think of right now.




Edited by: COLOMAGIRL at: 9/19/2012 (18:52)

Pounds lost: 8.0

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SparkPoints: (851)
Fitness Minutes: (50)
Posts: 15
9/16/12 6:18 P

The book sounds interesting. Thanks for the tip

SparkPoints: (851)
Fitness Minutes: (50)
Posts: 15
9/16/12 6:14 P

Regarding meatless meals. My family doesn't like them much but I started cutting meat portions in half. (Using 1/2 lb. of ground beef instead of a pound for chili, spagetti, etc) Same with chicken. Just use less meat. My family hasn't noticed the difference.

Posts: 2,015
9/2/12 1:52 P

I am between pants sizes so I usually need to do a lot of work to take in the waist .... but I found elastic with pre-set button holes down the length of it - costs $1.10 a yard.... So now I can thread the elastic through the back of the waist bands, sew a button at either end of the elastic and adjust the waist band by buttoning the elastic to the hole that fits for me.

Works well if you are losing weight, or if weight is fluctuating. Great find!

Posts: 1,719
8/31/12 2:57 P

On a Sparkpeople blog by "Gerikragh"....there is a very comprehensive list of MANY places that offer senior discounts IF YOU KNOW TO ASK FOR THE DISCOUNT....
Check out the recent blogs and click on GERIKRAGH and you will find this wonderful list provided by a fellow Sparker.

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Posts: 2,015
8/27/12 10:44 A

Made some home made liquid laundry detergent - just one gallon- trying that to see how it works.

Posts: 2,015
8/25/12 12:05 P

Using vinegar rather than jet dry in the dishwasher now. Works great.

Posts: 6,750
8/24/12 10:20 A

Those stretchy gloves designed for sloughing off dead skin cells are great for cleaning. Instead of a sponge, use one to clean a sink. Your gloved fingers can reach into small places and around faucets. The abrasive fabric scours the porcelain. They can be easily washed (I put mine in a lingerie bag) with your towels.

Posts: 2,015
8/21/12 11:10 A

We had some meat that was freezer burned - so hubby got out the dehydrator and he made jerky!! Turned out great.

Posts: 126
8/17/12 9:52 A

I am new to this but just reading your comments so far, I think I can do this.

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SparkPoints: (2,235)
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Posts: 174
8/17/12 12:11 A

oh and I never buy anything not on sale ever.
I also use my food budget to make it streach I buy rice and beans and veggies and meats are usually chicken breast, hot dogs, turkey susage, turkey ham, eggs, bread that kind of meals if you look online there are lot's of frugal recipies.

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Posts: 174
8/17/12 12:08 A

I've saved a ton of money making my own laundry soap. saw that suggestion with the same recipie I use only I make it in huge batch and it last all summer almost. I have to make more laundry soap tomorrow.
I am living with friends so that's saving money we ended up in a suitation where were just living on my daughters ssi income. while hubby looks for work.
so when we re did our budget. we shut off our cell phone and put it in supension which is a 10 dollar a month bill.
we switched car insurance from progressive that was 177 for plpd coverage to state farm full coverage that's now 107 a month
we have food stamps which sucks to have to apply for but were using that is helping hugely when we only have very little a month.
we applied for a obamma phone
we have a storage unit that was in the city we lived in and moved it closer to us and the storage unit closer is cheaper.
I look on freecycle and craigslist for their free postings
I'm wanting to start couponing. but I just can't seem to get the same senarios at the store here they dont often have double coupon stores and we just have wallmart meijers save a lot and dollar stores so I shop at those places.
I would love ideas on how to get things like hair cuts, hair color, clothes and what not for decent prices which is why I think I wanted to start couponing.
I don't know if any of this helped at all. that's how we are having to live at the moment.

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Posts: 7
8/10/12 3:23 A

I love to shopping through using these coupons! I got great help from the reply of SICIANASARI because I found all these free of cost and I think there is some kind of similarity in all these sites. There is just a difference of text and website layout but the message is same, all of them are about savings and coupons. No other things than savings, I think they are all from the same industry.
I have shopped through coupons in the past and got savings from these two sites, www.ezcouponsearch.com and www.coupons.com but I think these other sites that are described are good for finding more coupons. If I go through all of these sites then there is possibility that I can get the right one for me.

Edited by: JULIANNE91 at: 8/10/2012 (03:45)

Posts: 210
8/2/12 3:54 P

Thanks to SparkPeople, I've been enjoying so many posts and blogs, not only about people's weight loss but great exercizing tips and now with the Frugalists and Simple Living team, life is getting gooder and gooder.

Tips I've recently incorporated are:

Meatless meals
Using hand cloths and T-towels vs. paper towels
When washing dishes, saving the water as it is getting warmed up for my plants
Using baggies to store chopped onions, etc (saves room in the Frig)

Pounds lost: 22.8

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Posts: 1,719
7/24/12 11:15 A

Great suggestions from Janet....

Living in Alabama, I discovered that southerners frequently have meatless meals. Many of the restaurants offer vegetable plates on the menu. You can find 3 or 4 vegetable choices with cornbread or rolls. Too, it is not unheard of for folks to enjoy tomato sandwiches, banana sandwiches, pineapple sandwiches----- no meat. Also, a bowl of beans with cornbread is considered a meal.... ( and this can indeed stretch the budget when meat is so expensive)

Thanks for the tips!

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SparkPoints: (15,238)
Fitness Minutes: (8,637)
Posts: 692
7/23/12 7:17 P

Things you think you may need but you really don't
paper towels- napkins, dish towels and wash rags work better and cost little
Fabric softne sheets- buy mostly naturel fiber cloths and no need for it at all if you use a dryer
have you read the chemicals they use in those things?
Meat at every meal- go meatless for one meal aday or even start with one a week, healthier and less expensive.
New Books, dvds- Good will, used book stores and the library all work just as well if not better

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Posts: 15
7/22/12 10:21 A

I make a powdered version that works very well.

I usually make about 5 times this at once and store it in a tub.

1 bar Fells Naptha (or other laundry bar)
1 c borax
1 c washing soda


I chop the soap in my food processor using one of the blades. Then I put it in a big bowl. I add the borax and the washing soda. Then I put it through the food processor again with the chopper blade until it is a fine powder.

I use about 2 TBSP per load.

I also do a vinegar rinse - no fabric softeners needed. I use the Bounce balls and fill to the line usually used for fabric softener. Toss it in the wash and the clothes come out so soft and no vinegar smell.

SparkPoints: (10,047)
Fitness Minutes: (4,117)
Posts: 386
7/16/12 10:43 A

i love the tips

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Posts: 185
7/15/12 7:59 P

Second hand stores and kijiji.ca! I find so many things for so much less! And the condition is often still good as new!

SparkPoints: (10,047)
Fitness Minutes: (4,117)
Posts: 386
7/14/12 9:56 P

i use coupons to help save money for me and my child

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7/3/12 10:35 A

It is always a smart idea to stretch our meals--It is thrifty, and sometimes more healthy.
My tip is to add extra plain rice to the boxed mixes like rice a roni, and hamburger/chicken helper. I usually add 1/2 cup rice and increase the liquid with about one cup water. For my taste, this improves the meal. The mixes are too salty in my opinion and this makes for lower sodium servings, besides "stretching" the meal.

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7/3/12 9:33 A

I am a newbie and am glad to see other 'minimalists'. I wasn't even aware I was a minimalist until this year. I thrive on making more with less. Thirty years ago I fell in love with the cookbook "More with Less". Anyone heard of this book? It has wonderful recipes which encourage using less of the world's resources and making more of your meal.
My best tip for stretching a meal is to add legumes, rice, chopped vegetables to any meal. We also have a juicer that creates a lot of pulp. You can make a delicious and hearty bread by adding this pulp. Make more with less.

current weight: 185.0

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Fitness Minutes: (450)
Posts: 17
6/12/12 6:45 P

I live in Oklahoma. Our wild weather from stuff coming straight down from the Arctic and straight up from the Gulf of Mexico makes for crazy electricity bills as we try to adjust. It is far too hot in the summer to skip air conditioning in the summer or heating in the winter but there are ways to manage some of it. In the spring and fall I use the cool nights to cool my apartment overnight, then fans for area cooling during the day, As summer approaches, I use the air conditioner only at night, set to the highest temperature I can tolerate during the day. Then I turn it off and use fans again only in the area where I am. Coupled with the peak/off peak hours pricing available from O G&E I have reduced my bill to $10 per week, about $40 a month down from closer to $85 per month last year.

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5/29/12 11:54 A

Thanks for all the great ideas!