Category: frugal


Dec
2012

Frugal Gift Ideas: Personalized Coffee Mugs

categories: crafts, frugal
I saw this idea on Pinterest a while back and thought it would be a perfect craft for my MOPS group.  I’m one of the craft leaders for our MOPS group this year.  The original pin recommended using a Sharpie marker to decorate a dollar store coffee mug, then baking it for 30 minutes at 350.  After a little research I discovered that Sharpies are not food safe.  Uh oh.  Acrylic paint is food safe, so I tried to find a way to incorporate it into the idea.  I found another pin that used paper doilies as a stencil and thought that might work well with the acrylic paint.  I found mugs and doilies at our local Dollar Tree and brought acrylic paint, foam brushes, and Sharpies as well.  Here’s how it went down.   

 Everyone found a mug of their choice.  There were three different shapes and sizes.  I told everyone the could use Sharpies as long as they didn’t put it near the lip of the mug or on the inside.  I shared the doily stencil idea, and demonstrated how to tape the stencils onto the mugs.  Then everyone went for it.  Some folks used just Sharpies, others used just acrylics, and still more used a combination of the two.  I let them all dry, baked them at 350 for 30 minutes, and then let them cool.  The Sharpies ran until they dried, FYI.

Take a look at a few of our finished products.  I used a Sharpie to paint my mug, but kept the marker clear of the area where my mouth would be.  You can see the pattern the doily made on a few of the mugs above and below.

 Some of the mugs that were totally covered in acrylic needed to be glazed after baking.  They ended up with a rough, dry finish.  The Sharpied mugs and mugs with smaller patches of paint looked great after being baked.  If you make these as a gift, be sure to let the recipient know that they need to be hand washed.

What frugal gifts are you giving this year?  


Oct
2012

Our Easy Cloth Diaper Laundry Routine

categories: baby, cleaning, cloth diaper, frugal, parenting
One of the most intimidating things about cloth diapering a child is the actual washing of the diapers.  There’s a different routine for every cloth diapering family, but I’ll share the super easy routine that works for us.  We tried and tested 11 different types of cloth diapers and you can read about that by clicking the link.
Here we go.  We need a few items for our routine, besides the obligatory washing machine.  We use a plastic bucket from Ikea with a lid, bumGenius Diaper Sprayer, and Country Save detergent.
Step One: After The Bear soils a diaper, we spray it off in the toilet with the diaper sprayer.  We spray both poop and pee diapers, to help get the ammonia stink out of the cloth.  The diaper then goes into the bucket, and the lid stays on til we are ready to wash.
Step Two: We wash our cloth diapers every other day.  I turn on the washer on the heavy duty cycle with cold water, and let the water begin to fill.  I add 1/4-1/3 the amount of Country Save detergent I would use for a normal load.  I toss the diapers in, making sure the velcro tabs are closed so they don’t get crazy in the wash.  Close the lid and run that sucker.
Step Three: After the cold wash finishes, I turn the dial back to heavy duty wash, but this time in hot water, with no detergent.  Run it.
Step Four:  We pull out the diapers and hang them on the clothesline if it is nice out or from the shower curtain if it is rainy.
And we’re done.  We’ve learned a few things over this year+ of cloth diapering.  Never soak your diapers because it damages the waterproof liner.  Always double check your velcro/hook and loop.  Don’t be afraid to start using cloth diapers.  You CAN do it.
Do you use cloth diapers?  What is your cloth diaper laundry routine?

 


Sep
2012

Frugal Friday: The Dollar Store – Deal or No Deal?

categories: budget, frugal
I love the dollar store.
Not Dollar General or any other faker store, the real, everything costs $1 or under store, like Dollar Tree or the 99 Cent Store.  But, can you really find great bargains?  Yes!!!  Let me preface this by telling you not everything at the dollar store is a great deal.  While there are a lot of things we buy there often, there are others we will never buy there.  Now that you can use manufacturers’ coupons at Dollar Tree, it’s like a whole new world.  Today I’ll give you the top ten things we love to buy at the dollar store, and a few that we don’t.  This post is dedicated to my late mother-in-law, Carrie, whose love for the dollar store was passionate and true.  
Top Ten Deals at the Dollar Store:
1) Cleaning Supplies 
They have it all, including lots of name brands.  Don’t pay full price for stuff to clean your toilet bowl.
2) Kids’ Books & Coloring Books
They have tons, in English and Spanish.  I already have a bunch picked out for stocking stuffers.  
3) Food
They have our favorite Nature’s Own Double Fiber bread for 1/3 the price of the grocery store 1 block away.  We find name brand canned goods all the time.  The freezer section is often overlooked, but they have a great selection of sweet treats and frozen vegetables.
4) Craft Supplies
From grosgrain ribbon to wreath forms, they have tons of craft supplies.  I just bought mini pumpkins to add to my fall wreath.
5) Holiday Decorations  
Easter eggs, Halloween costumes, Christmas garlands, Fourth of July banners, they have a huge selection for every holiday.    I just bought 4 ceramic pumpkins to spray paint for my fall mantle.  
6)Party Supplies
The best deal of all used to be their mylar helium balloons, but there is apparently a helium shortage and our store has been out for months.  You can find wrapping paper and bows, gift bags, balloons, candles, all of it.  I buy brown packing paper and use it for every gift.  
7) Kitchen Supplies
Paper plates, napkins, and cups, as well as glass, plastic, and ceramic ware can all be found in the kitchen section.  Pie plates and random utensils are often a great deal as well.  
8)Home Decor
I buy candles and picture frames all the time.  There are tons of items with potential if you get a little creative.
9) Pregnancy Tests
Instead of $9-$20 at CVS, try $1 for 2 tests. 
10) Candy
Our dollar store has a big selection of movie theater big box candy, and it makes a great treat.   
Top Five Things I Would Never Buy at the Dollar Store:
1) Electronics
2) Batteries
3) Medicine
4) Clothing
5) Anything I want to last for a long time.
Basically, you pay for what you get.  While the dollar store has tons of great deals, a lot of the stuff is not high quality or regulated for content.  Quality doesn’t matter as much for party supplies and seasonal decorations, but does matter for your vitamins, your baby’s onesies, and your electronics.  
Here’s a great article from Forbes that breaks down everything you should and shouldn’t buy at the Dollar Store.  Thanks to our friend T.J. for sending it my way.    
Do you shop at the dollar store?  What’s the best deal you’ve ever found there?


Sep
2012

Frugal Friday: Mad Money $$

categories: budget, financial freedom, frugal, our financial story, shopping

When folks find out that we are on a strict budget, they often ask questions like, “How do you buy things that just YOU want?” or “Do y’all get frustrated with each other if the other spends too much money?”  Before we went on the budget I had so many questions like those.  We would try to be frugal and something would come along we just had to have, we’d buy it, and then feel guilty.  One of my favorite things about the budget we have now is the concept of mad money.  Every month we budget in a certain amount for both Jed and I to get mad money.  This money is ours individually and we can do with it whatever we want.  WHATEVER WE WANT.  If I want to buy a ridiculous pair of shoes, I can do it.  If Jed wants to buy an expensive flashlight (happens often), he can do it.  We are not allowed to get upset about the other one’s mad money purchases.  Our current mad money amount is not that much ($50 each), but it is plenty to get something we want or save up.  We also get $25 each per month for clothing, that we save up.
One difficult thing about mad money is that we are always trying to convince the other that our intended mad money purchase should really come out of the house fund or the car fund or some other fund.  Sometimes this is true, and we work that out.  Sometimes it isn’t. Our house does not need yet another flashlight.  Sorry darlin’.  The other downside of mad money is that if you make a mistake, your mad money has to pay for it.  For instance, Jed got a speeding ticket the other day, and his mad money fund took a big hit.  Bummer.
Mad money is one of the main reasons we are able to stick to our budget.  I love that I have the freedom to buy whatever I want as long as I have enough mad money.  For a born shopper like me, this is HUGE.  I’ve told y’all before that doing Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover and sticking to a budget has been the best thing ever for our marriage.  With the budget and our mad money funds, we never fight over money.  Ever.  You can read more about our financial story here.

Do you have a mad money fund or something similar in your house?  


Sep
2012

Family Travel: Hiking with a Toddler

categories: baby, colorado, family, frugal, travel

Hiking is one of my favorite activities in the world.  Jed and I have loved hiking together since we first started dating.  Many of our first dates included exploring the mountains of western North Carolina together.  We were excited to take The Bear hiking for the first time during our trip out west.  He LOVES being outside, so we thought he would really enjoy it.  We were so right.  We took many hikes with him this summer and while we did some things right, we made a lot of mistakes and learned a lot about hiking with toddlers.

Our Top 5 Hiking with Toddlers Tips
1. Bring a comfortable carrier – comfy for you AND your wee one.    
2. Be prepared to go slow and stop a lot to play.  
3. Bring snacks and drinks – for all of you.
4. Layer clothes and sun protection.
5. Know exactly where you are going.

I’ll explain a little more about each tip.  Some might seem like common sense, but believe me when I tell you we had to learn some things the hard way.  
1. Bring a comfortable carrier – comfy for you AND your wee one. We love our Ergobaby carrier.  I won it off a blog giveaway and it is by far the most comfortable one we’ve tried for big babies.  With a toddler, a carrier with a back carry option is going to be your best bet.  Front carry will kill your back after a few hours.  We were able to hike comfortably with the Bear (27 lbs) for 3-4 hours wearing the Ergo.  We loved the Moby Wrap when the Bear was teeny, but he weighs a lot more now and we need more structure.  We also used our Bob stroller (handed down from Sam and Michelle) for flatter trails.  It was awesome.  To push a hiking/jogging stroller up or down any kind of incline you need serious strength, so be prepared for that.  Always use the safety strap.     
2. Be prepared to go slow and stop a lot to play.  If you are used to hiking pre-baby, the pace is going to be completely different.  The Bear can go for 3-4 hours happily if he gets to get out and play every 30 minutes or so.  We hold his hands and let him walk for a bit, throw rocks in creeks, throw sticks, explore, etc.  This makes a HUGE difference in his attitude.  
3. Bring snacks and drinks – for all of you.  On one hike we packed plenty of snacks for the Bear, but not enough for us.  We were starving and cranky by the time it was over.  Not fun.  Bear loved hiking with his snack trap full of cheerios, and a few chipmunks may have been fed during the process.  Water is so important for the whole family, especially at high altitude.  Bring more than you think you need.  
4. Layer clothes and sun protection.  When you change elevation, the temperature can change quickly and drastically.  We knew this but sort of forgot during one hike, and the poor Bear got so cold.  I felt like such a rookie.  The sun is also more powerful at higher elevations.  We used sunscreen and hats for ourselves and the Bear.  We love Babylegs legwarmers for layering.  We use a pair that is breathable and SPF 50, as well as the regular cotton pairs.  They also have ones with bug protection now, but we don’t have those yet.  They are great because they make on the trail diaper changes super easy, and are easily removed and stored if the temp rises.  

5. Know exactly where you are going.  Ah yes, our biggest mistake.  We got lost.  For a long time.  With a one year old.  Not good.  We had a map but forgot it, and decided to keep on going.  This was not a wise decision.  Thankfully we finally ran into a family on four wheelers that pointed us back to civilization, but it could have gotten ugly.  From here on out we will always have a map or a well marked trail to follow.  Even if you are an experienced hiker, don’t take it for granted that you won’t get lost.  It happens all the time.  We’ve been hiking for years and it happened to us and was pretty scary.

Have you ventured onto a trail with your kids?
What hiking tips do you have to share? 


Aug
2012

Frugal Friday: Making the Most of the Library

categories: financial freedom, frugal, kids

As a voracious reader, one of the first things I do when I move to a new place is get my library card. I’ve always loved the library, but in my new role as a full time mama I’m realizing just how awesome it really is.  This week The Bear checked out his first books.  This kid LOVES to read, especially books about trucks.  The book in the picture above had to be returned after a couple of days because the plastic cover proved too much temptation for little toddler hands.  We’re sticking with board books for now.  How do I love the library? Let me count the ways.

1. It’s FREE!
2. story time for kids
3. books, magazines, and movies
4. the queue
5. It’s close.
1. It’s FREE!  Totally, completely free.  Just bring your stuff back on time or recheck it online and you won’t ever have to pay a dime.  Free, air conditioned entertainment can’t be beat.
2. Story time for kids.  Most libraries have some sort of story time for children.  Dallas libraries do a really great job of this.  We go to story time at the Lochwood, Lakewood, White Rock Hills, and Northpark Mall branches all the time.  They have different offerings for each age group from birth on up.  The Bear LOVES it.  He runs around, claps his hands, and has the best time.  We even found a story time at the library in Vail, CO, and visited while we were traveling.  And again, it’s FREE.
3. Books, magazines, and movies.  You can borrow any of these, as well as books on CD for long road trips, CDs to listen to, and so much more.  A lot of libraries are even starting to carry ebooks.  All FREE.
4. The Queue.  The might be my favorite thing about the library.  You can go online with your library card, search for the books or movies you want to read, and add them to your list.  You will be placed in line if there are more requests than there are books available, and then notified when the book is yours.  The best thing about it is that the books you request will be sent to the branch you choose, and held with your name on them for a week.  This is so great for when you get a book recommendation from a friend, magazine, or blog, and want to remember to read it.  Put it on your queue and it will soon be yours.  Awesome.  And FREE.  
5. It’s close.  In most places there are multiple library branches, so there is bound to be one close to you.  We have 2 within 5 minutes and another 2 within 15 minutes.  We are so spoiled.  
Do you make the most of the library?
Does your local library do anything special?


Aug
2012

Frugal Friday – Our Top 8 Frugal Family Travel Tips

categories: budget, family, financial freedom, frugal, toddlers, travel
Here’s our little family high atop the continental divide near Cottonwood Pass in Colorado.  We took an incredible 8 week road trip this summer and spent as little money as possible.  We mulled over what we did right and how we screwed up and decided to share the good with you first.  Drumroll please…
1. Bring your own food for the road.
2. Grocery shop and cook at “home.”
3. Find FREE entertainment wherever you are.
4. Make the trip the thing, not souvenirs.
5. Ask for favors.
6. Utilize local resources.
7. Find travel deals online.
8. Piggyback on a work trip.
Let’s dig a little deeper.
1. Bring your own food for the road.
We packed lunches for driving days, kept an ice chest full of drinks and snacks, and brought reusable water bottles.  If we hadn’t prepared we would have spend an average of $5 per stop on snacks and drinks and $15-20 on lunches.  That adds up really quickly.  The bonus to this tip is that you can make the snacks and meals as healthy as you choose and not be bound by whatever fast food you can find.  If you do order fast food, order a bigger meal for yourself and share it with your child (if they are small enough), rather than ordering a kid’s meal.
2. Grocery shop and cook at “home”.
Stay in places with kitchens or kitchenettes whenever possible.  You will save so much money cooking at home.  Grocery stores in tourist towns can be pricier than at home, but most chains are interconnected so you can use your saver cards from home.  We meal planned throughout our time so that we wouldn’t waste food and wouldn’t be caught by surprise when dinner time came around.  We did go out to eat several times, but we used online menus to check out the restaurants beforehand.
3. Find FREE entertainment wherever you are.
Hiking, biking, exploring, window shopping, cruising around, and seeing the sights are all usually free.  Pick one activity that costs money and try to make the rest of your fun free.  We paid for one activity the whole trip (riding the ski lift at Red River) and it was well worth it.  Look for local entertainment guides that often contain coupons for activities.
4. Make the trip the thing, not souvenirs.
It is incredibly tempting, especially when traveling with kids, to become convinced that you must buy that t-shirt/stuffed animal/taxidermied jackalope/etc.  You don’t need it.  The trip is what you came for, not the junk.  You took your child on an amazing vacation.  They don’t need anything but memories to prove it.  If you love souvenirs, pick one thing that will remind you of your vacation to take home.  I like shells found on the beach, river rocks, and other found objects.  I also love a good Christmas ornament.  Magnets and coffee mugs are good, cheap reminders of your trip that you will actually use daily.
5. Ask for favors.
We asked our friends for help, and they responded generously.  What do I mean?  We ask to borrow houses, stay on couches, and get “friends and family” rates on vacation rentals.  A friend’s guest room is way better than a hotel any day of the week.  You would do the same for them.
6. Utilize local resources.
Ask locals for help with recommendations, must do activities, restaurants, etc.  They will usually be excited to help you.  We also found the welcome centers and Chambers of Commerce to be helpful in several towns.  Become a pamphlet reader.  Look for local blogs.  Do your research.
7. Find travel deals online.
We used Travelocity‘s Secret Hotel deal, Priceline’s Name Your Own Price app, and the GasBuddy app, several times.  We used VRBO to find rentals.  Read reviews online and listen to them.  We got burned by ignoring bad reviews of a hotel.  There are tons of great online resources for couch surfing and house swapping as well.  Again, do your research.
8. Piggyback on a work trip.
I know this may seem random or complicated, but it worked really well for us.  I had to be in Colorado for a month for work, so we planned our crazy road trip around my work trip, because my company paid for our mileage there and back.  This won’t work unless you travel for work, but might be easier than you think.  Our friends the Mitchells took their family to Disney World and got their mileage and most of their hotel paid for by his work because he decided to drive to Orlando for a conference instead of flying by himself.  Genius.
There you go friends, our top 8 travel tips for now.  We’ll be back later with our top blunders and screw ups.
What’s your best frugal family travel tip?

Follow Becca’s board Family Travel on Pinterest.


Jun
2012

Scenes from the Road – Texas

categories: frugal, texas, toddlers, travel

The first leg of our trip was a great success. Everything fit into the car which was no small miracle. Packing is Jed’s spiritual gift. The Bear was GREAT in the car minus the fact that he only napped for 27 minutes all day. We stopped for lunch and play time at Lucy Park in Wichita Falls thanks to a rec from the Berres. It was perfect. Bear loved the duck ponds and chased duck after duck into the water. He even started saying duck (du du). Our next stop was at an awesome fair park in Childress, TX, where the bathrooms were glorious and the baby swings in the shade. Travel magic, people. We found a great hotel deal on Priceline and rolled into Amarillo right on time. If you are rolling with a toddler we highly recommend the Ashmore Inn. There was a nook in our room just perfect for a pack n play. We got a dinner rec on Twitter and hit the Coyote Bluff Cafe for fabulous burgers and fries. I love fun local joints like that.

• I’m posting from my phone so it may not look exactly right. Thanks for understanding.


Jun
2012

Our Crazy 8 Week Road Trip with a Toddler

categories: arkansas, colorado, family, frugal, texas, toddlers, trail west, travel
This summer we are embarking on an eight week road trip across Texas, Arkansas, Colorado, and possibly Florida.  With a one year old.   To the casual observer this might seem totally crazy, but we are really excited about it.  The trip will be a combination of work, play, and family time.  I am referring to it as Gypsy Caravan Summer Tour 2012, in reference to a summer spent similarly in 2006.  We have gotten a lot of surprised/horrified reactions from friends because of the length of the trip and the age of our child.  There is this idea out there in the world that you can’t travel with a toddler.  I believe that we can and hope that I won’t be proved wrong over the next 2 months.  
I plan to sit here a lot.  

We are packing our bags and finishing up details for our trip right this minute.  I hope to chronicle it for you here on the blog.  We have our housesitter lined up, and Jackson the Wonder Dog is at Camp Grandma and Grandpa for the immediate future.  There was a small baby biting incident a few weeks back that I’ve yet to write about.  Let’s just say Jackson is lucky that my parents love him and have a big backyard.  We have a big checklist going of all the things we need to do and pack before we leave.  The excitement is building.
We’ve had a TON of questions from friends and family about our trip, so I decided to address a few here.

 Can’t. Wait.  

Where are we going?  Our first stops will be Amarillo, TX, and Salida, CO, on the way to Young Life’s Trail West Lodge in Buena Vista, CO.  I will be working at Trail West for a month as the women’s summer staff coordinator.  After our month at Trail West we will be staying a week in Vail, CO, possibly a stop to see friends in Pagosa Springs, CO, then almost a week in Red River, NM.  We will then head to Little Rock, AR for a wedding and to see family.  After that there may be a beach trip involved, but that is yet to be determined.

Wait, I thought you were becoming a stay at home mom.  What’s with working all summer?   Yes, my last day as a Young Life staffer is June 30th.  I will be working at Trail West as a volunteer.  We believe in the mission of Young Life wholeheartedly and are thankful for the opportunity to serve at Trail West.  After that I will be a full time mama.

How can y’all afford this?  Did you throw the Dave Ramsey budget out the window? Nope, we budgeted FOR the trip.  That’s the beauty of a budget, you can add stuff to it.  We have a vacation fund as well as some very generous friends who are loaning us places to stay.  Our month at Trail West is free because we are working, and our gas to and from camp is reimbursed.  We budgeted for food, gas to other places, hotel stays on the road, and incidentals.  We plan to do lots of free stuff and have lots of free quality time.  If you have free fun ideas for us in any of the places listed above, PLEASE pass them on by emailing me, tweeting me, or commenting below.  Our neighbors are also housesitting for us in exchange for lawn mowing services.  Thanks neighbors!

That’s great and all, but are you seriously hauling a one year old across the country?  Yes, yes, we know it is crazy and we think it will also be awesome.  Our little boy is such a joy and hopefully we be so on the road with lots of park stops on the way and hotel pools to swim in.  I will be tweeting all summer with the hashtag #toddlertravel so you can see how it goes.  If you have any travel with toddlers advice, I’d love to hear it.

What about your life in Dallas?  How can y’all just pick up and leave for 2 months?  We will obviously miss our friends here.  I have a gypsy soul and need to just GO sometimes.  Dallas is hot as hell in the summer time, and sooo humid.  We live in an old rent house that is very difficult to keep cool.  Jed is a teacher so he is off til mid August.  I love being able to just leave.  For years I kept my passport in my purse, just in case.  That habit faded with marriage, a child, and a job that needed me 24/7.  My longing to wander will be satisfied for a little while by this adventure.

Do you think we’re crazy, or do you wish you were packing right now, too?


May
2012

Burlap and Pinwheels – A Summer Wreath

categories: crafts, decorating, frugal

I’m still in love with my interchangeable burlap wreath.  It just makes switching out seasonal decorations so easy.  For summer I left the grass and flowers in from my spring wreath and added pinwheels from Dollar Tree that were 3/$1.  They happened to match the ribbon I used in the spring wreath.  Click here to see my spring/Easter version and here to see the Valentine’s Day version.  

 Getting the pinwheels to stick in the wreath was far more difficult than I thought it would be.  I thought the stakes would poke through and make the pinwheels stand up.  Nope.  They broke off instead.  I weaved each stake through the grass a little bit and then used straight pins to secure the stakes onto the back of the wreath.  Because the wreath is on our front door and gets opened and shut a lot, I’ve had to readjust the pinwheels several times.  I’m ok with that.  I love the whimsical look of this wreath and the fact that it cost only $1 to switch to a summer version.

Pinwheels, flip flops, Americana, beach flair… 
How do you decorate for summer?  
I love linking my ideas at these blog parties.  Click the links to check them out and find crafty inspiration.  If you’ve never visited a blog party, you will be blown away by the creativity shared and imaginative ideas.  
Monday: CraftOManiac, Mad in Crafts, It’s So Very Cheri, Sew Chatty, The Girl Creative, Keeping It Simple, C.R.A.F.T., Boogie Board Cottage, and Sumo’s Sweet Stuff   
Tuesday: Raising 4 Princesses, The Kurtz Corner, Hope Studios, Today’s Creative Blog, Coastal Charm, and New Nostalgia 
Wednesday: The Trendy Treehouse, Polka Dots on Parade, Lil Luna, and The Thrifty Home
Thursday: Somewhat Simple, Tales from Bloggeritaville, The Shabby Creek Cottage, and House of Hepworths
Friday: Sugar and Spice, Kojo Designs, and The Shabby Nest
Weekends: Tatertots and Jello, Serenity Now, and Candace Creations