Back To School Saving Time

Back to school savings can mean as much to you as to your children. I do my best to buy my yearly office needs during Back To School Sale time.

This week, I can find packages of 10 pencils for 50 cents, 10 pens for 75 cents and 3 relms of printer paper for less than %10.00. All of these on top of writing tablets, markers, computer supplies and even the computer sell for the lowest prices of the year.

Back to School savings are not limited to office supplies or what we think of as things just for the everyday school use.

You will be able to find small refrigerators, fruniture, microwaves and bedding at remarkable savings, too.

If you are like me, it's not to early to think about holiday shopping either. Make your list of who has been naughty or nice and start working on it, now before the prices go back up.

Extreme Coupon Shopper

You do not have to be an extreme coupon shopper to save money on your food budget. I spend about an hour a week looking through the newspapers for coupons and maybe another hour a week searching online. The clipping process may take another hour but I do it while I'm watching my favorite soap, so no time spent there.

I look for coupons of items I already use and know to be something I like. This goes, not only for food items but personal use too. Today I am putting my shopping list together and with the coupons I am looking to save about $19.00 on the items on my shopping list.

That $19.00 will either be spent on other food items, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, that I do not have coupons for or placed in my savings jar for later use. Placing your saving where you can see them, will give you the will power to save even more. If at the end of the month there is money left in your savings jar, use it for a treat for the whole family to enjoy.

Saving $19.00 every two weeks using coupons, adds up to a yearly savings of $456.00. Enough for a week-end away or holiday gifts for the family.

While you may never get to buy 30 tubes of toothpaste or cans of chicken noodle soup, then give it to charity, you can feed and take care of your family better, using coupons.

Back To School Shopping

Even when you do not have school age children, Back To School Sales, are an exciting time of the year for a frugal shopper.

You can look forward to finding all your office needs at a reduced price. Not just pens and paper but desks, chairs or small refrigerators. The items we now connect with going back to school is amazing.

So don't be shy, read those sale papers, cut out those coupons and go buy, while the prices are right.

We are coming into my third most favorite time of the year..Back to School and End of Summer Sales. No, I do not have children going back to school, as mine are all grown but it is one of my favorite times for savings on hundreds of things I use through out the year.

I buy 95% of my office needs for the year. Not only the spiral notebooks, that you can get at an unheard of price, maybe as low as 10 cents for an 80 page note book. I buy pencils, pen, typing paper, printer paper and anything I think I might need for my computer for the next year.

It's an ideal time to buy microwaves, student furniture, lamps, electronics and televisions.

You can find lots of specials on everything from towels, sheets and comforters. If you have been thinking about putting a small refrigerator in the family room, now is the time to do it. Over the next 4 to 6 weeks there will be great buys on anything it will take to set up a dorm room for a freshman.

Take advantage of these savings. If you can't buy a year's worth, buy what you can afford. Even a three months supply of goods, can make a difference in your bottom line.

If you buy holiday gifts for children or teens, it's also an excellent time to place electronic games, movies and other entertainment item on layaway for later use.

Retailers use Back To School sales as a way to measure their sales
for the coming fall and winter season. It's the second most important selling season for them, beat only by the holiday season.

Summer Entertainment on the Cheap for the Kids

Today's post is part of an article I wrong a couple of years ago. I hope you can use this idea in your life and add lots of giggles while doing it. If you want to see the complete article, there is a link at the bottom of the post.


Make Your Own Water Park
Kids are the best at having fun with a water hose and a piece of plastic. A slippy slide isn't expensive but it's small and when you have multiple children all wanting to use it at once, it can become a fight to the finish as to who gets to slide first or more often.

I spent about fifteen dollars on a large [12 feet x 25 feet] sheet of plastic. I cut it in half, making two 6 feet by 25 feet pieces. I found a small downhill incline in my yard and laid it plastic on it. First checking for rocks, sticks or anything that might cut through the plastic.

At the top of the incline I placed the water hose, releasing enough water to form a stead stream. You will want to wet the plastic completely before trying it out. The child has to be able to slide smoothly down the hill.

If for some reason your plastic isn't smooth enough to allow sliding, mix a small amount of dish washing soap in the flowing water, spreading it with your hand or a clean mop. Don't worry about the grass as a small amount of soap will not hurt it. Remember to move the plastic every couple days, so it will not damage the grass from wear and tear of the children.

When all is smooth and slippery stand back and watch the fun begin. Go on mom and dad join in, take a dive!



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2442848

Building a Stock Pile

I know most of us have seen the Extreme Coupon show on our local cable stations and wonder how can I do that?

Unless you have a need for 30 tubes of toothpaste or 40 cans of cat food, to me this is a waste of good coupons and money. I understand that some of these people give their overstock to churches and other charities and I have nothing against that, but for most of these familes, the marjority of those items will run out of date before they ever have a chance to use them.

I keep a stockpile of food items in my pantry or under my bed but it's only for what fits my needs. I try keeping 4-6 weeks of extra items on hand. When I come across a good deal, I buy a couple extra and put it in my stockpile. I do this not only for food item but paper and cleaning supplies. Remember to rotate the food items so you do not end up with spoiled goods.

Keeping an open mind and eagel eye on your list of needs will allow you to keep within your budget and come home a winner with or without coupons.

Summer Corn

If you have never tried cooking your fresh corn on the cob in your microwave,,well, get to it boys and girls. Your corn will taste delicious and keep it's beautiful coloring too.

It's simple and easy to do. Pull back the shucks, remove as many of the silks as you can, by gently rubbing a damp cloth over the corn. Pull the shucks back up over the corn and completely cover in plastic wrap.

Cook 6-8 minutes on high for each 2 pieces of corn. If you have not done this before you may have to try a couple before you get the texture and taste you are looking for.

Remove the shucks and the last of the silks. Add your favorite topping of butter, cream cheese or maybe a mixture of both and enjoy.

Simple Holiday Gifts

I hope everyone had as great a Thanksgiving as I did. I know in some parts of the world this wasn't your week for a formal thanksgiving celebration but I do hope no matter where we are, you felt my love, appreciation and thankfulness for having you in my life.

Christmas and Hanukah are moving closer each day, so now is the time to really be thinking about what gifts you are going to give the people in your life. I know with the economy being tight, we all need to double check our wants and needs. This goes for gift giving too.

When we love someone we want to give, give, give, even when we can not aford it. If you haven't already done so, now is the time to put reality in your spending.

Today I am passing along some simple ideas for gift giving to the ones we love.

Parent or Grandparent:
A box assortment of cards, with a small address book [names and addresses already added] and stamps.

A niece did this one year for my Mother and it was something she enjoyed very much. Being able to send a card to someone she was thinking about brought her more joy than the person she sent it to.

Anyone:
A coupon book to be used through out the year:
This idea is good for spreading out the cost of gift giving. You can do a coupon for each month or season, depending on what you are offering to do.

I know I would rather be taken to dinner in January, a much more relaxing time than you rushing to fit me in your busy holiday schedule. If you are pledging to clean gutters or paint the porch, then spring or summer is a better time for that. If you think about it, I'm sure you will come up with something unique for each of your loved ones. Just be sure to not over promise yourself. One or two good items that get done is better than 12 that never get done.

No matter the size or amount of gifts you can aford, the one thing the people who love us, want from us most, is our time. Time to sit with them, talk to them, listen to them, play with them or simply holding their hand. No gift you can ever give them will equal the memories they will have of you being there and spending time with them.

Faylee


www.HassiesKitchenTable.com

Keeping Our Homes Germ Free During Cold and Flu Season

With cold and flu season coming up on us, don't forget to use sanitizing as a means to keep germs at bay.

Don't forget to not only wipe down light switches, refrigerators and stove handles but keep in mind anywhere we touch needs this special cleaning including our keyboards, monitors, mouse and desk.

To help you keep disinfecting wipes in easy reach without high cost, here is a simple homemade recipe for making your own anytime the need comes up.

You will need:

1 roll of Bounty Paper Towels/cut in half, width wise

1 container with lid, large enough to hold the towels in an upright position.
[A coffee can, plastic container or an old wipe container]

1 1/2 Cup Water, that has been boiled and cooled

1/2 Cup 91% Rubbing Alcohol

1/2 Cup Lemon Ammonia

1/2 Cup White Vinegar

Mix the liquid ingredients by lightly shaking or stirring.
Place 1/2 of your cut paper towel roll, cut side down, into your container. Romove the inner core then slowly pour the liquid down over the towels. Place the lid on the container, then move it back and forth, allowing the liquid to be absorbed into the towels. This may take up to 15 minutes.

Open your container and pull a wipe from the middle of the roll. If they seem a little dry, add water 1/4 cup at a time until you get the texture you like.

The liquid can be put in a spray bottle and used to clean through your home. You are ready to face the germs of winter and save money too!


Faylee

Family Memories and Apple Butter

Fall is closing in on East Tennessee. You can see it in the trees and feel it in the air. It happens to be my favorite time of the year, not just because October first is my birthday but because I love the smells and feel of fall.

One of my favorite memories was my Granny Laura cooking her Apple Butter recipe, over an outdoor fire, in a large copper bottom pot. The apple smells floating through the air as my aunts and mother would peel, core and slice the apples for their mother to cook down to a deep red brown color. Granny Laura would add her spices and stir the hot mixture of sugar and apples until she was satisfied she had made the best apple butter possible.

It was an all day affair. My cousins and I would play in the yard. At times, we would be called to bring more wood to the fire as to keep the apple butter cooking at the same temperature at all times. Most times my Grandpa Birdine would be in charge of the fire but he was known to wonder off until Granny Laura called his name, loud and clear, for him to come back and stoke the fire or to keep one of us grandchildren away from the flames.

When Granny Laura deemed the apple butter was done, clean canning jars would be brought to her and filled one by one. Grandpa Birdine would tighten each jar lid then turn the jar upside down so the heat of the apple butter would speed the sealing of the jar.

One of my aunts or my mother would make a big pan of biscuits so could sample our day's work. Nothing can beat the taste of warm apple butter, cold butter and a hot homemade biscuit, on a cool fall night.

While I can't be part of your own Apple Butter making memory, I do want to give you this recipe that you can make in your own kitchen. Maybe it will give your family one of their favorite fall memories, too.

Easy Crock Pot Apple Butter

Cooking on high, it takes all day to make this flavorful apple butter but because you are cooking in a crock pot you can go away and do other things while it cooks.
Ingredients:
12 - 14 sweet-tart apples (like a Winesap)
2 cups apple cider or juice
sugar
ground cinnamon
ground allspice
ground cloves
freshly ground nutmeg
Preparation:
Lightly spray the inside of the crockpot with your favorite cooking spray. Don't peel, but wash, core and quarter the apples. Put in crockpot. Stir in cider or juice. Cover and cook on high for 2 - 4 hours.
Put the soft cooked fruit in food mill to remove skins and any stray seeds. Measure fruit back into the crockpot. For each pint (2 cups) of fruit add: 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 ground cloves and 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg. Stir well. Cover and cook on high for 6 to 8 hours. Stir every 2 hours. Remove cover after 3 hours to allow fruit and juice to cook down. Spoon into hot canning jars and proceed according to canning jar directions. Or spoon into freezer containers. Allow apple butter to cool and then store in freezer.

Now go make that big pan of biscuits and enjoy.

Faylee

Random Ideas for Savings

As I keep saying there are saving ideas all around us, it just a matter of taking advantage of them, to keep more money in your bank account.

[1] Shoes tend to lose their shape and appearance of newness in a hurry. If you can, buy two or three pairs and wear them interchangeably. They will all look new longer, as well as wear longer.

[2] Buy furniture "just as it comes from the factory — unsanded, unpainted, and unstained" — You can paint or stain it to the color of your choice for much less. There are lots of products to make this an easy job, plus save you lots of money.

[3] If you are going to a pot luck dinner and taking Deviled Eggs, buy medium size eggs. Most of us will eat 2-3 halves without taking notice to the size of egg you used. It will help with the cost for you and the calorie intake for the guest.

[4] Make your own instant oatmeal packets. Use a small zip lock plastic bag and add 1/3 cup of quick cooking oats, 1 teaspoon of chopped nuts, 2 teaspoons of the dried fruit of your choice [raisins, dates, prunes] 2 teaspoons of sugar or 1 1/2 teaspoons of brown sugar. When you are ready to eat..pour the mixture in a bowl, add 1/2 cup water and microwave for 30 seconds, stir and cook another 30-45 seconds, depending on the watts of your microwave.

[5] If summer time has left your feet looking like rough leather, try this little tip. Before bed time, rub a good coating of petroleum jelly over them, then put on a pair of cotton socks and sleep in them. After a couple of nights, you should see a great improvement.

Faylee

Repurpose things you have on hand

Before you throw out something, think about other uses for it. Here are a few ideas.

[1] One of a kind earrings can become push pins for your bulletin board.

[2] Rubber doorstops can provide enough height to allow air to circulate under your laptop to keep it from over heating and crashing. They are light weight, sturdy, non skid on flat surfaces and light weight enough to carry any where.

[3] Treat yourself to a new cookie sheet and turn your old metal one into a message board. You can spray paint or cover it with a cotton material to make it match the rest of the decor.

[4] Use the bed linen bag your new comforter came in to keep all your art and craft supplies in one place. They are usually heavy duty enough to handle the weight of the supplies without ripping apart.

Faylee James

Tips for Your Home

Our food budget is one of the places we can save the most in our home budgets but that doesn't mean we shouldn't look for other places to offer us some pleasures but still saving us money too.

[1] An old pipe rack makes an excellent toothbrush holder. You can find them at flea markets, resale stores and yard sales for less than 5 dollars. You can also spray paint them to match your bathroom decor, giving you eye pleasing savings.

[2] If you have a pet and vacuuming doesn't pick up all their hair, take a spray bottle of water and lightly spray the carpet. The hairs will come up quicker with less electric use and leaving your carpets looking new.

[3] If your window blinds need cleaning but you do not have time to take them down for a water bath, wipe them with a cloth that has been wet with alcohol. The dust and dirt will come off, leaving them shiny clean and dry in minutes.

Don't forget to check our website at www.HassiesKitchenTable.com for more ideas on how to save more money in your food and home budgets.

Faylee

Everyday Savings

Summer is almost gone and most of us are looking forward to getting to our fall schedule, with children back in school, cooler weather and a little time to relax. With all the relaxing, we must not forget about our savings goal. Here are a few ideas to use in our everyday life.


[1] If you have a front load washer, remember to not only use less detergent but bleach also. Instead of using your normal cup, cut it to 1/2 cup and enjoy the savings.

[2] Use a black marker to date any food item you opened but do not use all of, before placing it in your refrigerator . This serves as a reminder for you to use it before it goes to waste thus saves you money in your food budget.

[3] I like the idea of saving money on laundry detergent but it's messy to do it home made, so I came up with the idea of cutting my regular powder detergent with washing soda. You can buy washing soda at most stores for less than 3 dollars. When I mix it with my 7 dollar detergent, I get twice the amount for about 50% of the cost.

[4] If you have small children at home, use clean wash clothes as table napkins. They wash up great and each child can have their own color.

[5] Choose three things each month and either, delete them from your spending or cut them back by half. You will be amazed at the savings.

[6] If you have to stop off for fast food on your way home, order from the $1.00 menu. Think before ordering. If you order 2 of those dollar chicken sandwiches, it's cheaper than the regular sandwich. If you are taking it home, do you need the combo with drink? Most of us have drinks on hand at home. Finding saving in your everyday life, even small ones, leads to more money in your bank account.

Faylee

More Reusing and Quick Cooking Ideas

Good Morning,

Here are a few little things with your home and time in mind.

[1] To keep your burgers all the same size and portion, use a canning jar lid and ring. Use a wide mouth for adults or big eaters and the regular size for children or small eaters. Place your ground meat into the lid set, with ring facing up, use another lid to press down on the meat to get all the air out and fill in the ring. When you have it nice and neat, lift up the patty and push out from the back. You will get even size burgers, allowing for better frying, grilling and of course, eating.

[2] Keep your used coffee grounds to use in your flower pots or garden. They add nutriments and keeps the soil loose for better water retaining. If you are a non coffee drinker, ask at your local restaurant for their's. Provide them a container with lid. Set a day and time you will pick up your bounty that is convenient for them. Your plants will reward you, in a big way.

[3] If you like fresh chives with your soups, baked potatoes or salads but can not afford the cost, here is a quick and easy substitute . Buy a hand full of spring green onions and place them in a glass container on your window seal. Using scissors, snip off the tips as you need them. They will need fresh water every few days to keep them growing but you will always have a supply of fresh onion snips anytime you get the urge. The sprouts will grow back almost as quickly as you eat them.

[my kids reminded me recently, there was always something growing on our kitchen window seal,,and they are right..lol. even now]

Faylee

Tips for Saving Money on Automobile Costs

[1] Slow it down.
Studies have shown that the faster you go the more gasoline your vehicle will use. Lower your speed to put savings in your pocket.

[2] Use your brakes less.
Less speed is one way of cutting down on using your brakes, not tailgating is another. Not only do you burn more gasoline each time you use your vehicle's brakes, you also ware out the brake pads faster.

[3] Do Regular Maintenance on your vehicle
Keeping your filters, belts and tires in the best condition can make a big difference in the fuel use of your vehicle.

[4] Do not let your vehicle sit and idle
If you know you are going to be stopped for more than 30-60 seconds,[not counting time waiting at signal lights] turn your motor off. The motor only needs about 5 seconds of fuel to restart, anything over that is wasting fuel and your money.

[5] Check for alternate routes
If you travel the same route to work or events, look for other routes. Sometimes we can find shorter routes or less fuel use ways. Look for routes with less signal lights, pot holes or hills to climb. All these things cause you to use more fuel. Saving one dollar a day is 365 dollars in a year. Do this with 5 different everyday events and you will have saved $1825.00 in one year.

[6] Lighten the Load
All of us carry little used items in our vehicles. Unload them, put them in the garage, where they belong. Every extra pound of weight you carry in your vehicle, adds to your fuel cost.

[7] Roll down the windows
Air conditioning can account for 25% of your fuel cost. For slow city travel, roll down the driver's window a few inches. Do the same to the back passenger window on the opposite side for increased air flow. When going faster, close the windows and turn on the ventilation fan. Only use your vehicle's air conditioner on high heat days.

Using one or several of these suggestions will not only lead to more money in your budget but less ware and tare on your vehicle, allowing it to last longer.
Ways to save money are all around us, we just have to be open to using them.

Faylee

Frugal Use of Your Food Budget

[1] When going grocery shopping instead of making a shopping list, make a list of what you have in your pantry and refrigerator. This way, you will not buy duplicates items or things that can not be used with items you already have on hand.

[2] One to 2 days a week, eat from what is in your pantry or refrigerator. Delaying your weekly shopping even one day a week will save on your food budget. It's like eating free 4 days a month.

[3] If you are at a pot luck where food is left over, ask to make yourself a plate to take home. Even one free lunch will save on your food budget.

[4] Always ask for a doggie bag when eating out. Leaving half of your food on the plate is like giving away part of your food budget.

Happy Savings, Faylee

Back to School Saving Ideas for Your Home

Not only is back to school season, a good time to buy your home office supplies for the coming year but it's a good time to refresh your children's bed or play rooms.

Often you can find festive furniture or bedding, to add color, new style or completely change a room for a lot less. You can update your little girl's room to the teen she is becoming, with the help of dorm furniture. Add a small refrigerator or microwave to your family room for easier snack time. Buying them all during Back to School Savings time.

Happy Savings,

Faylee

Saving Money the ReUse and Make Do Way

We all have things we use in our everyday lives that help us keep our budget down but still enjoy the good life, these are a few of mine.

[1] Planning a backyard party..Use your beach towels as table coverings. They will add a festive touch without you spending any money.

[2] If a storm leaves you with trees down and you have no way of getting them cut up for disposal, put an add in the newspaper or online for free wood. You will be surprised at how fast it will disappear.

[3] Using Comet Cleanser around your baseboards and windows will keep ants out. It clings to their bodies, then they carry it back to their nest, where it will kill the colony. It takes a little longer to work than chemicals but the ants stay gone longer, once it does.

[4] A good reuse, recycle and make do item is an old popcorn tin. You know the kind you get popcorn in at Christmas. It makes a wonderful portable charcoal grill for picnics or camping. Use a pointed tip can opener to make some air holes an inch from the bottom of the can, for air circulation, add your easy light charcoal in the bottom. Then using an old rack from a cooking stove, refrigerator or canner, you can have dinner quick and easy. The tin will last 1-2 seasons depending on how often you use it.
Using the same method you can also have a portable smoker by adding damp to wet hickory chips to the charcoal then placing a grill a few inches above the chips [my grill was the insert from my old canner, turned upside down] then placing your meat on the grill. To make a smoke release, simply punch holes in the top of the tin. I used a hammer and a large nail. Soon you will be the best cook at the camp grounds.

Faylee

No Lemons but Still Making Lemony Aid

I often find lemons are expensive to keep on hand for everyday uses. Desperate for lemon juice one day last winter for a salad dressing, I searched my pantry for something lemony. I found a package of dry unsweetened lemonade drink powder. I decided to reconstitute it with 8 ounces of cold water and try the resulting mixture as a lemon juice substitute in my recipe.
It worked great and no one was the wiser. I have since used this mixture in many recipes calling for lemon juice; salad dressings, drinks, coating fresh fruit, etc. I store my "lemon juice" refrigerated in a glass jar, tightly sealed to allow for shaking before using. For just pennies per package, I have a ready supply of a great citrus stand-in!

Another use for the lemony mixture is making your own lemon wipes, using 2 tablespoons of the citrus mixture. Fold up to 5 or 6 paper towels, place them in a zip lock plastic bag, then gently pour the mixture over them and close the bag. Take them when you eat out or have picnics. They are always ready to clean sticky faces, fingers or taking food smells off your hands.