The Cheapskate Mom

Take a picture of your plumbing problem

2009-10-23T17:26:00.004-05:00

Does this story sound familiar? You go to the hardware store spend forever trying to buy what you need, go home and realize you bought the wrong thing.

Or how about this story? Something goes wrong and you don't know how to fix it so you hire someone and pay a minimum of $50 for the repair.

I've found a much better solution. Take a picture of your problem before heading to the store. In the past year all 3 of my toilets have broken, a pipe corroded under my kitchen sink and most recently I had a leak at the connection under my kitchen sink (pictured). I have been able to fix these problems for less than $4 each time there has been a problem. Much less than it would have cost to pay a professional.

I simply take a picture of the problem area and take my camera with me to Lowe's. I show the worker where I have the leak and seek their advice on what tools I will need to fix it. They then show me where to find the parts as well as give whatever advice they may have on fixing it. In the instance of the pipe that corroded I also took a picture of the writing on the pipe so that I would know exactly what size I needed to get, not allowing my handwriting to confuse me if I had written it down.

Some plumbing problems can be very complicated and I would recommend a plumber for those but a simple problem such as a leaky faucet can be easily remedied by anyone as long as you know what parts you need. The best part of it all? The satisfaction of acomplishing something and not spending a lot of money doing it!

An Inexpensive Way to Update Your Light Fixtures

2009-10-20T11:10:00.002-05:00

My house was built in the 1970's and the light fixtures have been hanging around since then. I don't have the money to buy new ones and to be honest the thought of switching the wires terrifies me. This is a simple and easy way to give them a little update without doing a whole lot of work or spending a whole lot of money.
1. Buy a spray paint that you can easily apply to metal surfaces. This is a hammered finish spray paint that I bought for less than $7. I wanted my fixtures to look like dark metal but there are all kids of paints for all kinds of decorator styles.

2. Clean off you light fixture and lightly sand it if necessary.

3. Remove glass and bulb. Also, make sure you turn off the power to that light.

4. Unscrew the knob that connects the sconce to the wall.

5. Tape paper to the wall to protect it from the spray paint. I used old Christmas wrapping paper that I buy for pennies at the after Christmas sales.

6. Replace the sconce carefully. Do not put the main screw back on, paint it separately, you do not want it to get stuck as it dries.

7. Spray the sconce until all parts are covered. I made a mistake and didn't get the underside. I'm going to have to redo mine so make sure you got it everywhere the first time.

8. Let dry. Make sure that the paper isn't sticking to the sconce.

9. Remove paper and put main screw back in place.

10. You can also put the bulb back in and even change out the glass. Our Church did a swap earlier this year of old items we didn't need. It was basically a free, multi-family garage sale. There I picked up a big box filled with glass for light fixtures. This one is a little too clear or my taste so I think I will lightly paint the inside white.

This project was super easy and took much less than an hour to complete. I'm happy with the finished product and I'm ready to work on updating the rest of the fixtures in the house. Good bye gold!!!!

Fill Out Those Product Information Forms!!

2009-10-10T21:36:00.007-05:00

You know when you buy a baby item such as a crib, high chair, stroller etc. they come with a little card for you to fill out your information and send it back to the company? They often call these product registration forms. FILL THOSE OUT!

I have much better things to do with my time than to scour random websites to see if any of my child's toys or other items are recalled. However if you fill out those forms and send them in you don't have to search they will contact you.

Recently I received an e-mail informing me that my child's crib (Jardine Americana) had been recalled. The reason? Some super human babies were strong enough to kick and break the wooden rails and 13 of them got minor scrapes and bruises. Not really concerning to me but the good news was I was now eligible for a new crib!

I hated the crib that we originally bought. Pregnancy brain, stress and a husband who was sick of spending countless hours wandering the aisles of Babies-R-Us forced me to buy a crib I wasn't in love with. For the past year I looked at it with resentment, plus my child was able to chew on the wood which made it uglier than ever.

Because I was informed about the recall I immediately was able to contact the company and was sent a voucher for any crib I wanted within the limits of the highest price that I could have bought the original crib at which for me was $299. The one I ended up with was a beautiful, dark wood, sleigh crib that was on sale for $299 down from almost $500.

So my advice - fill out those papers! It could pay off not just in a newer model but it could also potentially save your child from injury. Also, if your child's items fall apart or become hazardous don't be afraid to contact the company. You should at least be able to get a refund and you could save someone elses child from an injury in the future as well as help direct companies to make a stronger, safer product.

Only buy select-a-size paper towels

2009-09-16T11:33:00.001-05:00

After a visit to my parents house I became shockingly aware that not everyone in the world knows of the beauties of the select-a-size paper towel.

I went to grab a paper towel to clean up a small spill and it was as if I pulled a bath towel off the roll. The paper towel was huge! What a waste of money, since I just needed a 1/3 of the towel.

Select-a-size paper towels are no more expensive than regular paper towels. They are the regular paper towel but perforated into thirds. This way if you have a small spill use one towel, medium, two towels, etc.

You will save so much more money in the long run because you will be wasting less. Don't even ask questions. Get the select-a-size next time you buy paper towels. You'll thank me for it.

Food for Fines

2009-09-15T11:26:00.003-05:00

Do you have library fines? Don't worry, no one is judging you. The good news is you have a chance to repent for your evil late book returning ways!

For the month of September, if you live in Jefferson County, Alabama you can exchange a can of food for every dollar you have in fines! This is so great because you give to the needy, pay off your debts and save money doing it too!

Just grab some non-perishable food from your stockpile and ta-da! All is well with the world!

Most libraries around the country have a program like this to pay off fines. Call your local library and ask when their food for fines program is.

A site to get deeply discounted stuff!

2009-07-22T10:33:00.002-05:00

I haven't purchased from this site yet, but my sister-in-law has it marked as one of her favorites.

MamaBargains.com is a site that sells just one baby or kid item at a time. They get excellent deals from vendors and every item is 50%-80% off the retail price. Each item is very unique (meaning you won't just find it at Walmart). I have seen really cool convertible high chairs, and other baby items for really inexpensive prices. Their site says that they gear items for kids 10 and under.

Check it out every week or so to see if there is a deal waiting for you. This is a great place to get yourself stuff as well as gifts for others.

Pick your own produce

2009-07-20T16:30:00.001-05:00

A few Saturday's ago my family and I spent the morning picking our own blueberries! It was a great family activity and the part that made mom really happy was that we got 4.75 pounds of blueberries for just $4!

We went to

Bear Mountain Blueberry Farm
8227 Clayton Cove Road
Springville, Alabama
681-8656

Look for farms in your area. Pickyourown.org is a site that can help you locate farms in your area. It's a great way for the family to get out as well as get a great deal on fresh produce!

What to do with the bags sheets come in

2009-07-19T16:22:00.003-05:00

I just bought new sheets at Christmastime (thanks Grandma!) and it killed me to throw out the thick, plastic, zippered cases they came in. So what is a mom to do? Upcycle!

I simply sewed a strap to the top (that's the black thing you see). The strap was a thick piece of ribbon. It's as simple as that.

There are pouches in the front and back where the labels for the sheets went. You can stick a picture, label, or card (as seen here) in those pouches and fill your new bag with whatever you want. I chose to hold my handmade cards in this one. But I thought that yarn would be a great thing for these to hold. You could even punch a large eyelet trough the bag and string the yarn through to keep control of the yarn for a project you are working on!

The value of a penny

2009-07-14T16:44:00.003-05:00

If I haven't convinced you to use coupons before maybe this will help...

The total cost of all of the items you see here is 1 penny.

Yes, that's right, that penny that was on the ground that you didn't pick up, was picked up by me and I turned it into all of this!

Using a combination of store sales, coupons, free samples, and CVS's extra care rewards program the total cost of everything ended up being one penny. I bought $40 worth of items that day that
are not pictured here but these were just a penny. Ahhhh.... it feels so good.....

What are you waiting for? Get couponing today!! http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ has helped me learn the tricks of the trade. Let her help you too.

Publix Weekly Penny Item

2009-07-14T16:20:00.003-05:00

As if you needed another reason to love Publix here is one more - the Publix penny item!!

Each Sunday and Monday Publix has a mystery item that they price at just one penny! That's right, one penny! You might as well consider it free.

How it works: You must buy $10 worth of groceries (before coupons and the original cost of the penny item is included) and you can only get one item at that price per visit. There is a coupon in the ad in the Sunday paper but many stores do not require it. The Publix on 31 in Vestavia and Hoover, Alabama do not require the coupon. Make sure the checker discounts it though if you don't have the coupon.

Items that have been the penny item recently have been, apple juice, toilet paper, tortilla chips, salad dressing, window cleaner and more.

I save my shopping for Monday and there are two stores close to my house. I will go to one in the morning to get most of my items and get a penny item then. If there were items that the first store had sold out of I will then go to the other store to get the rest of my items and get another penny item.

Don't forget that Publix doubles coupons up to $.50 and you can pair a manufacturers coupon with a store coupon to maximize your savings. Also, don't forget that they also take competitors coupons so all those Bruno's $5 off a $30 purchase (pre-coupon savings) can be used as well.

What to do with old formula cans

2009-06-12T12:25:00.014-05:00

I love formula cans, there are so many uses for them. You can decorate them to hold anything you want. I have cans decorated all over my house to hold pencils, craft scissors, craft hand punches, candy, cotton balls, crayons, and more! You are only limited to your imagination. They can also be decorated and used to give someone a batch of homemade cookies or candy. There can be a sharp edge around the inside so make sure that if a child will be using it you take precautions to cover the sharp edge with fabric or felt.
I made these little Halloween candy jars using fabric, felt and a hot glue gun. I made a little bag using some fabric I had lying around and glued the edge to the outside of the can. This is to be kept inside the can to cover the can. I then wrapped it with felt (to cover the edge of the bag) and added felt accessories. On the cat, I added wire whiskers. The other is made just using paper, glue and a few scrapbook accessories.

A great way to upcycle those formula cans!

Make Your Own Coupon Keeper

2009-06-10T13:29:00.007-05:00

This picture is just another reminder that buying with coupons and store sales has its rewards. All of the items on this table cost me just under $25. Also, another reminder that the WIC program is a great way to be able to give your babies the nutrition they need. The items on the Lazy Susan in the center (cereal, milk, cheese, juice and eggs) were from WIC. To view my previous post about WIC and to see if you qualify click here.

Now... onto the coupon keeper....

Here is to all of you who say "If you haven't used something in 6 months, get rid of it." Well, I have a hard time following that principle because of days like today. I was in desperate need of a larger coupon holder and I didn't want to have to buy a binder and business card holder inserts. I estimated that to do so would have cost me around $10-$15 which would have defeated the point of all my coupon clipping these past few weeks.

So, this morning I went digging in an old drawer and found a picture holder from the 7th grade (yes, that would be 15 years ago). Thank goodness I didn't throw it out! There were a few crummy pictures in it and I hadn't touched it for years. I took the pictures out and created paper tabs (I cut my tabs using my Cricut but you can just fold over rectangles of paper) and stapled them to the inside. I then sorted my coupons.

Simple as that! They are now organized, easy to view, and easy to find. Now I won't be flipping through my messy stacks of coupons trying to find what I am looking for. It's a great way to reuse all those picture books you are not using.

What to do with old cookie sheets

2009-06-07T13:23:00.005-05:00

Here is an idea for what to do with an old cookie sheet. Mine were rusty and it was time for them to die. But since I can't just let things go I had to find a new use for it.

I made this one into a Christmas countdown calendar. I just painted the old cookie sheet red and glued on paper to create the design I wanted. I used mod podge over the whole thing to seal it up. The scalloped square is just a piece of chipboard I had laying around in my scrapbook supply box, I painted and decorated it and glued magnets (I used advertisement magnets that I cut up) to the back. This part moves from day to day. The last two days are glass magnets that I made (using cut outs from magazines), one with Santa and one with Jesus.

You don't have to just make advent calendars. Since they are magnetic you can create a message board, a picture keeper, a place to display your child's art for the day, a weekly meal schedule, etc. The options are only limited to your imagination.

Frozen Pizza Bagels - Under $3 a dozen!

2009-06-03T12:49:00.004-05:00

After last weeks post about coupons my mother said to me, "What are you going to do with all that food?" Well, here is one thing I did with it - made Frozen Pizza Bagels!

For less than $3 for the whole batch I made a dozen pizza bagles. Here is my reciepe and how to freeze them.

6 Plain Bagles
1/2 can spaghetti sauce
1 c. mozarella cheese
2 mushrooms diced
about 15 slices of pepperoni chopped

1. Lay bagel halves on cookie sheet with insides facing up.
2. Coat each one with a generous amount of sauce (some sauce will soak into bagel).
3. Top with cheese and toppings.
4. Lightly press down on the toppings so some sauce touches everything. (The sauce is like the glue of the frozen pizza. If your toppings touch even a little bit of the sauce they are more likely to stay on the pizza when it is frozen.)
5. Place cookie sheet in freezer for an hour or so. Once pizzas are frozen you can take them off the cookie sheet and wrap them however you choose for long term storage. You can place them individually in sandwich bags, wrap in Saran wrap, place in Tupperware etc. Whichever fits you, your budget and your freezer best is what you should do.
6. When ready to cook. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake on cookie sheet for about 10 minutes (approx. time. Make sure you watch them carefully all ovens are different!). You can also place them in the microwave for 2 minutes.

This is a great way to stock up on foods you love and not spend a whole lot of money doing it. These pizzas took me less than 15 minutes to prepare and saved me lots of money! And besides... who doesn't love pizza?!?

Why Coupons Are Awesome!!!

2009-05-23T12:24:00.006-05:00

So I have some great friends who are amazing and have inspired me to start using coupons. The picture above is from my first trip trying out the coupon technique the pros use. I have to admit is was a complete success and I couldn't be happier. The above items should have cost me $92.23 (before taxes) but instead I saved $64.02 and all of this food only cost me $28.21 (before taxes). I was grinning form ear to ear as I left the store revelling in my new triumph.

Now, let me tell you how I did it...

How to get coupons: You can get coupons from the paper, blinkies and stands in the aisles of the store, from ads at the front of the store, from signing up for free coupons and freebies from the manufacturers site, or there are a plethora of websites that will direct you to coupons you can print from your computer. Here is one that I like called Money Saving Mom. Collect as many as you can.

Use them with Buy One Get One Free deals: I shop at Publix which frequently has B1G1Free sales. When chips are normally $4 and you can B1G1Free you don't have to buy two to get the deal you can just buy one for just $2. If you also have a coupon for $1 off you end up paying only $1 for the chips that were normally $4 saving you $3! Many stores also double coupons that are 50 cents or less. So a 50 cent coupon is actually $1. Where you can really stock up is when you have more than one coupon. Check your stores B1G1Free deals for the week and plan ahead. If your coupon is for more that the price the remaining money is called overage and is deducted from another item.

Here's a breakdown of some of the stuff that I bought today and the savings.

A-1 Sauce Various Flavors

Originally $3.79.
B1G1Free Sale Price $1.90
Coupon $2.00 off
Total for each $-.10

Oscar Mayer Beef Jumbo Franks

Originally $3.99
B1G1Free Sale Price $1.99
Coupon $1.00 off when you buy 2
Total for each $.99

Kraft Dressings Various Flavors

Originally $2.99
B1G1Free Sale Price $1.49
Coupon $1.50 off
Total for each $-.01

Betty Crocker Turtle Supreme Brownie Mix

Originally $2.55
B1G1Free Sale Price $1.28
Coupon $.50 off when you buy two but was doubled so it was actually $1 off when you buy two
Total for each $.78 plus there is a coupon on the boxes for 2 free movie tickets with 10 UPC's all I need is 4 more from other participating brands and I get to see Harry Potter 6 for free too!

Lenders Bagels

Originally $2.09
B1G1F sale price $1.05
Coupon $1.00 off when you buy 3
Total for each $.71

Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread Assorted Flavors

Originally $1.99
4 or $5 sale $1.25 each
Coupon save $1 when you buy 2
Total for each $.75

Triscut Assorted Flavors

Originally $3.19
B1G1Free sale price $1.60
Coupon save $1 when you buy 2
Total for each $1.10

I also got a dollar off of the roast beef from a store coupon and the olives weren't on sale, I just wanted them. :) As you can see the savings are significant and I'm not even a pro yet. A friend of mine bought $180 dollars in groceries the other day and only ended up spending $60 a savings of $120!

Think of what this will mean to your budget as well as your food storage. You never know what is going to happen if you will loose your job, a grocery worker strike or a natural disaster with take out the food supply. Won't it feel good to know that your savvy shopping and the food you have stored up will be there when you need it? Doomsday's aside - I'm just happy that I now have brownies on hand for all those parties and Church activities that I will be asked to bring a treat to!

Free Hot Dogs

2009-05-20T09:40:00.002-05:00

We all pretend that we are disgusted by them but let's face it... everyone loves hot dogs!

Go get yourself a coupon for a free pack! Oscar Mayer is giving out coupons for a free package. Click here to sign up.

Sign Up For Free Samples

2009-05-19T14:08:00.005-05:00

Getting stuff for free is awesome. Free samples are the best because you can try something that you may think you want but just aren't sure enough to spend a lot of money to try. Getting free samples of things is also great because you can keep them as a "rainy day" item or keep it in a 72 hour emergency kit. For example a free sample of tampons comes in handy when you run out and it suddenly becomes an emergency. Or you use the last of the dish washing detergent but thank goodness you have that free sample to use before you can get to the store again.

On Walmart's site there is a section where you can sign up for free samples of items. There are also several places all over the Internet you can find free samples of things. Oh and if you're having a baby, sign up for every site there is, you will get free formula, baby products and checks for lots of money to go towards formula. Totally worth it.

If you are concerned about getting a ton on junk e-mail for signing up at these sites just simply open up an e-mail account that you can use for these things specifically. That way, special offers and coupons won't junk up your personal e-mail account.

Discount Days and Free Birthday Food at Moe's

2009-05-11T20:35:00.003-05:00

Well, I just came back from a delicious dinner at Moe's. The best part about it? It was free!! If you go to their site you can sign up for their free birthday promotion. On your birthday they send you an e-mail with a coupon for a free entree. You have 7 days to use it. It's a simple as that! I saved almost $8 and had a lovely evening out with the family.

While I was there I was also informed that Monday's you get $1 off all burritos and on Tuesday's kids eat free! This is the Moe's in Vestavia, Alabama. I am not 100% sure if all Moe's have promotions on the same day so I would check with your Moe's ahead of time. The birthday dinner is applicable at all Moe's locations.

Free Movies From The Red Box

2009-03-15T16:36:00.008-05:00

Many people love Redbox. Redbox is a DVD kiosk that is located in many grocery stores and McDonalds' around the country. You simply pay $1 to rent a movie for one day. If you keep it for longer than a day it is $1 for each additional day. The best part is you can return it to any Redbox in the country and is ideal for long car trips with the kids. If you go to their official site you can register and recieve a promotional code for a free movie.

At the site Inside Redbox you can register and you will be updated with promo codes for free rentals on a regular basis. I have never used Redbox but I have heard lots of others rave about it as well as the free promo code site.

I doesn't hurt to check it out, because what's better than a $1 movie rental? A FREE movie rental!

Baby Yourself with Blue Cross Blue Shield

2009-03-11T12:01:00.003-05:00

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama has a great program for expectant moms called Baby Yourself. The Baby Yourself program is usually free with your insurance coverage plan. To enroll, just follow the link to their site or give them a call.

I participated in this program and was very pleased with what it offered. I had a nurse assigned to me who would call me periodically to see how I was doing. She would also remind me of little things to do that my doctor just didn't have time to tell me, like how much water to drink or foods to stay away from. If I ever had any questions I could call her directly. Not only did I feel special but I also had somewhere to turn to for questions to my answers, even the silly ones, when my doctors office was not available or the question was too trivial to make an appointment for.

They also shower you with free items and information. I received nice books, one was a dad's guide to pregnancy and the other was a book about health complete with charts on what to do in certain situations and when to take your baby to the doctor and when to treat it at home. I also received things such as large mugs for drinking water, items to help with breastfeeding, medicine droppers and more. When my baby was born the nurse called to congratulate me, followed up on how we were doing and sent a nice soft blanket.

It was a great program to participate in, I would encourage all with BCBS to join when you have a baby. If you don't have BCBS, check with your insurance provider. I'm sure that others have similar programs.

Free Gifts and Coupons from Publix

2009-03-06T11:16:00.004-06:00

I love shopping at Publix and less than a year ago I signed up for a great program that they offer for babies, The Publix Baby Club

When you sign up for this club you get a free book "Caring for your Baby and Child" as well as several coupons for practical items in their store. Many of the coupons were for free items such as rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer, cocoa butter lotion and more. They also send coupons for large discounts on items such as diapers, wipes and baby dishes. In addition, I received coupons for items that you just don't ever find coupons for like meat from their deli and other meats.

Before my daughter's 1st birthday I also received generous coupons for ice cream, cake and Mylar balloons. When I say generous I mean coupons that range anywhere from $1-$6. They also accept manufactures coupons and frequently have buy one get one free sales (where you don't have to get 2 things to get the discount).

Publix also has a program for preschoolers called the Preschool Pals Club. I have not yet participated in this program but if you visit the link you can view all of the things your preschooler can receive.

Another reason I love Publix - they have "car" shopping carts which keep my little one entertained (along with sanitizing wipes for the carts), free cookies for kids, free coffee for parents (though I've never tried it) and the service you get there is excellent.

Free Immunizations For Your Kids

2009-03-03T15:00:00.005-06:00

Immunizations can get really expensive! Even if you have health insurance the co-pays can really add up. Did you know that you can get free immunizations for your kids?

Jefferson County here in Alabama has a program called Tot Shots. Each month at various places around town (mostly churches) nurses from area hospitals as well as nurses from the health department administer immunizations to children.

How it works: You call or go to the website and find the location and time of the Tot Shot Clinic near you. Clinics are held several places each month. Bring your child's prior immunization forms and they will give your child the immunizations that they need for their age. There is no financial hardship requirement or insurance necessary. Even if you have insurance you are welcome. Anyone is allowed to participate in this program. There is usually a short wait 15-30 minutes. They are very professional and take good care of the children. They also record and send the immunization information to your child's doctor. If you are not happy with the program you are not obligated to continue with it. But I would strongly recommend continuing to get immunizations through your family doctor.

If you don't live in Jefferson County, Alabama, call your local health department or ask your pediatrician for information about your areas' immunization program. Many health departments offer free or greatly discounted immunizations for children.

Don't allow your children to be unprotected from disease just to save cash. Check out programs like these and you will be glad you did.

Before You Go To The Book Store Check Out The Library

2009-02-24T11:36:00.007-06:00

I love to buy books. I know that at the library you can check out books for free, but sometimes you just want to keep a book for your own read it over and over again, crinkle the pages and bend the covers.

But the library isn't just for rentals anymore. At many libraries you can buy books too. Libraries are constantly buying new books so they have to make room for them by selling their older books.

Many libraries give books away, some have sales a few times a year and some have permanent bookstores. The Hoover Public Library has a permanent bookstore. Books, CD's, Books on Tape, Encyclopedias, and Movies are all sold and range in price anywhere from .25 cents to $1.

Not all the items for sale are books that are ancient and uninteresting. There was a whole section of awesome hands on science and craft books, CliffsNotes and even those travel books for foreign countries that people like to buy before a big trip. There were so many books in there to chose from I can't list them all here.

So next time you are looking for a book to buy, check out the library first. You'll be getting a great deal and you'll be giving back to library too.

Make Inexpensive Play Clothes

2009-02-18T14:08:00.004-06:00

I can't believe I'm sharing this old photo with the world (by the way I'm 6 months pregnant here). I've been making this costume for Halloween for several years now because it is cheap, it is easy to make and it lets me be creative. With 4 paper grocery bags I am able to create last minute cowboy costumes for me and the Mr. Get creative with scissors and markers and you can do anything.

Play clothes don't have to cost a lot if anything at all. It can also be fun for your kids to make them themselves. I cut the bags to what I want them to be, it's as simple as that. The bags are sturdy and have a leather appearance after you crinkle them and smooth them. I've also made Indian costumes with these too. You can punch holes in the chaps and string yarn trough. The belt buckles were made from cardboard and tin foil. I have also made guns in the past from cardboard, toilet paper rolls and tin foil. You can color these costumes to look like cow hide and even include a shiny sheriff badge.

Martha Stewart has other creative how-to's on seven different homemade and inexpensive costumes. Of course she is Martha and her costumes blow this one out of the water. Try making paper bag costumes or try one of Martha's. I promise, you and your kids will have a blast!

Listen to Free Music

2009-02-07T20:27:00.005-06:00

Okay, so everyone that I've talked to about what I'm about to post has laughed at me because I am the only 26 year old on the planet that is so technology impaired but I'm going to post about this anyway because maybe there is someone out there like me.

I recently discovered Playlist.com. It's the most amazing site! You can add as many songs as you want to a play list. You can put the play list on your Myspace, Facebook, Blog etc. or you can just listen to them straight from Playlist's site on your computer and much more. The best part is it's completely FREE!!

I have created 3 play lists so far, my favorite songs at the moment, one for kids songs for my daughter and one for Sunday songs. I love it! I will put my play list on and listen to it for hours while I craft, clean or just have a dance party with my daughter. A word of caution though if you are creating a play list for a child, make sure you sample the song before you put it on the play list. I discovered some of the Sesame Street Songs that came up on my search were not actually Sesame Street songs but rather vulgar parody songs of original Sesame Street songs, so just be careful.

I have posted my play list of favorites at the bottom of the page if you want to check it out!

Never Buy Another Shower Curtain

2009-02-07T20:15:00.003-06:00

Is your shower curtain or shower curtain liner disgusting? Don't beat yourself up about it, it happens to the best of us. Just don't throw it out and buy another one!

Instead of throwing it away and buying a new one you can just throw it in the washing machine with a little bit of detergent and bleach. When it is done washing just hang it right back up to dry and it will be as good as new.

I have a fabric shower curtain (that I bought on clearance for $4) that I will wash with my other linens but the liner I have has been washed this way several times. It is still as sturdy as ever.

The Only Way to Buy Ribbon

2009-01-30T14:35:00.007-06:00

Little girls love ribbon! And big girls do to! It is great for crafts, scrapbooking, clothes, hair, presents, the uses are numerous.

I have collected a varied and plentiful supply of ribbon and have paid just a few dollars for all of the ribbon I have. How you ask? I buy remnant ribbon packages! What they are are packages of 30 yards of ribbon in various widths, textures and colors. Each package is different but each has about 3 yards of 10 different kinds of ribbon. The best part about these packages is that they cost only $1.99! You can barely buy a spool of 15 yards of ribbon for that little.

Where can you find them? I have seen them at many craft stores but I can confirm that they are $1.99 at Hancock's and Hobby Lobby. Each time to go I get a little goddie bag full of beautiful, satins, organza's, and grosgrain ribbon. Check it out you're never by spool ribbon again!

* Oh yeah, and don't forget to save the ribbon on packages that people give you!

Tank Top Bags

2009-01-16T20:04:00.003-06:00

Have an old tank top that is in good shape but just doesn't fit you anymore? Turn it into a bag!

I created this bag from one of my favorite shirts that just didn't fit any more. Each tank top is unique and how you sew it into a bag will differ. This one has french seams and gusseted corners. Bags like this are great for beach bags or whatever you need a bag for.

Make yours today or you can buy this one from my etsy site. www.cuttscreations.etsy.com

Don't Throw Out Those Old Pots and Pans!

2009-01-14T16:38:00.007-06:00

When I was in college I had the pots and pans that my parents used well before I was born. I have gradually updated my kitchen supplies but I didn't throw much of the old stuff out. There are many uses for pots, pans, lids, Tupperware, wooden spoons etc.

The following are other possible uses for these old items. Get creative and discover your own uses!

Pots and Pans: Tie-dye, make soap, melt candle wax
Pot Lids: Use as a "catcher" or a hot pad for your hot glue gun.
Bowls: Tie-Dye, soak your feet
Tupperware: Store Play-Dough, store small kids toys, store nails or nuts and bolts
Tupperware lids and old plates: Use as a paint pallet

The options are endless. What are some of the things you use old kitchen stuff for?

Download and listen to free music

2009-01-02T16:30:00.005-06:00

As with many women I am head over heels for all things Twilight. I was debating if I wanted the The Twilight Score music or not and I found this site which lets you listen to a sampling of each song. I love to listen to it over and over again. I'm going to ask for the full soundtrack for my birthday.

Beacuse of this I followed the link to Amazon MP3's and discovered a whole treasure trove of free and very cheap music. Most of the free music is stuff I don't immediately recognize but that is when you find the best stuff. It looked like there was a lot of classical, jazz, Christmas but also some more modern lesser known artists. They also only charge $.89 for regular song downloads and had entire albums between $4 and $8. Check it out!

Create your own fabric baskets

2008-12-31T11:13:00.003-06:00

I got sick of looking at the ugly yellow bucket that my laundry soap came in and the pile of dirty dish rags and bibs that accumulated on the floor of my laundry room, so I created these cute little fabric baskets for them, for FREE!

I see cute fabric baskets at the store for a minimum of $10 each (and that's talking Walmart, can you imagine Pottery Barn?!) . Since I am a cheapskate mom, I searched my basement for suitable sized boxes and covered them with fabric items I had laying around my house.

The big basket is made from a crock pot box and a table cloth that doesn't fit my new table. I got the table cloth for $1 at an after Christmas sale a few years ago. I simply wrapped and folded the table cloth around the box and slid the laundry soap bucket in.

For the small box I used an Eggo waffle box from Sam's club and put an old flannel pillow case that we never use over top. I secured the corners underneath with clear packing tape. I chose to leave the fabric bunched on my baskets for texture but you can wrap these up as tight as you want to. Both boxes are very sturdy.

I now feel much better about my laundry room and it didn't cost me a penny. Feels good...

Think Outside the Christmas Box

2008-12-12T16:38:00.004-06:00

Everyone knows that after Christmas is the best time to buy things for the next Christmas. For example last year we got $50 from our grandma for Christmas. My husband and I bought a 6 1/2 foot tree with lights, and over 200 christmas ornaments. We saved hundreds of dollars since the tree alone was over $150 the day before.

But what many may not think about is that this is also a great time to stock up on items for other times of the year too. There are always table cloths and plate sets and other house hold items that we never think to look for that are also majorly discounted. I have several beautiful table cloths and place setting that I have purchased for pennies that don't "look" Christmasy so I use them all year round. For example plain white or a beautiful sage green, both of which match my kitchen.

Think about other special occasions as well. I was getting married in April and I knew that my colors were going to be black, white and red accented with gold. My mom and I went to an after Christmas sale and stocked up on red and white candles, gold platters and thousands of white lights. We used them to decorate my reception. It looked elegant and not like Christmas at all. The money we saved was spent on the designer dress I just had to have and our honeymoon at Lake Tahoe. A much better allocation of funds.

Also, be sure to check out clothing departments. You can always find very nice dress clothes for your kids at very low prices. Some dresses and things are clearly Christmas but many can pass all year round. If it's an item that is clearly Christmas that you just love buy it in the size you think your child will wear next year. If it doesn't fit them when the next year rolls around sell it at a consignment sale. You'll probably get more for it than you paid for it.

This year, think outside the Christmas box and save youself a lot of money on things you can use year round!

Grate your Cheese

2008-11-25T19:17:00.002-06:00

Could cheese be any more expensive? I love cheese. I think it is one of the greatest foods on the planet. That is why whenever I buy it I eat it as fast as I can, or at least I used to...

I discovered that when I would buy block cheese I had no problem cutting large chunks of it and eating it. My cheese wouldn't even last a week. When it costs anywhere from $7 or more (sometimes much, much more) for a two pound block of cheese it can add up.

The remedy? Buy grated cheese or grate it yourself. Why it works? When cheese is grated you eat less of it. You are less likely to snack on grated cheese. When you cut slices or cubes you are using up a great deal of cheese. With grated cheese it looks like you are using a lot of cheese when you really aren't. It's almost like a mind trick.

What I do is buy a 5 pound bag of fancy grated cheese from Sam's Club for $14. I take it home and fill smaller bags with the grated cheese. I keep one bag in the fridge and put the rest in the freezer. When I need a new bag of cheese I just pull it out of the freezer. It thaws in just a few minutes. I can still snack a little on the grated bits and it is very easy to put on the meals that I cook. I use less and it lasts weeks longer than when I was buying block cheese.

Try it... your waistline and pocketbook will thank you.

Free Books for Your Preschooler

2008-11-25T19:00:00.004-06:00

Dolly Parton has created a wonderful foundation for children called Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

What it is: It is a program for preschool age children to receive a free book once a month.

Who can sign up: Any child ages 0-5 who lives in an area that participates in the program.

How it works: This description was taken directly from her site:

"A community must make the program accessible to all preschool children in their area. The community pays for the books and mailing, promotes the program, registers the children, and enters the information into the database.
From there The Dollywood Foundation takes over and manages the system to deliver the books to the home."

How to sign up: Visit her website . You can sign up and get all details there.

How I feel about it: My daughter is a participant and I think it is great! Each month she gets a new book in the mail. It is a lot of fun. They are very nice quality books and age appropriate. Thank you Dolly! We love reading your books!

Buy Expensive Wipes to Save Money

2008-11-25T18:34:00.005-06:00

Just because a box of generic wipes is cheaper at the store it doesn't mean it is a better buy. For example, the last time I bought wipe refills at Sam's Club the store brand was $13 the Huggies brand was $15. I decided to save $2 and go with the store brand. Big mistake. Not only were they a little rough (causing me to use a little more diaper rash cream) but they refused to tear in half. Most of the time you don't need to use a full wipe, especially when wiping a face or changing a wet diaper. Spend the extra $2 and get the name brand wipes. They will work better, last longer because you can easily tear them in half and will save you a lot more money in the long run.

Consignment Sales

2008-11-09T15:12:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite ways to buy inexpensive things for my daughter is through consignment sales. There are many consignment businesses open year round as well as organizations that do sales on a yearly basis.

My favorite, and the largest that I know of, is in Birmingham, Alabama. It's called Kid's Market. It is held biannually and is housed in an old grocery store. You can sell your child's old items and you can buy new ones.

I like to look for toys, bedding, books and clothes. Kid's Market has strict rules on items in working and good condition so you almost always find great items in great condition for great prices. At the close of the sale items are sold at 50% off which makes many items practically free. Try selling old items at these sales and if you are unsuccessful you can then donate them.

Check around for consignment sales in your area. Also look for Mother's of Twins sales, double the stuff for half the price! You can save and make yourself a lot of money.

WIC Program

2008-11-09T14:44:00.004-06:00

What it is: WIC stands for Women, Infants and Children, and is a prenatal and post natal nutrition program provided by the government.

How it works: After you go through the initial application and process to sign up (see site for details) you are given "checks" each month with the items that you are able to purchase, appropriate to age. Each check will have a list and quantity of what you can get. You simply get the items on the list and use the check to pay for them. Most stores are participants. Items include, formula, juice, milk, cheese, tuna, beans, cereal.

Who is eligible:
Women:
pregnant (during pregnancy and up to 6 weeks after the birth of an infant or the end
of the pregnancy)
postpartum (up to six months after the birth of the infant or the end of the pregnancy)
breastfeeding (up to the infant's first birthday)

Infants: (up to the infant's first birthday)

Children:(up to the child's fifth birthday)

*There are also income guidelines. Many people are surprised that they qualify. Check out this chart to see if you are one of them.

What I think about it: I think that this is a great program to help parents give their children the nutrition they need. Especially young parents who struggle to make ends meet. You can save your family a lot of money, especially on things like formula and dairy. It is also a fairly simple program to sign up for and participate in. If you are hesitant to use a government program remember this, you pay (or will pay) a lot in taxes, also it is not fair to your child to withhold nutrition in an attempt to save money. If you need it, use it!

Barack Obama's Economic Jumpstart Plan

2008-11-09T14:34:00.005-06:00

Millions of Americans voted for Barack Obama and millions did not. He still is going to be our next president and what he does can have a big impact on our families. In an effort to help you understand what his plans are for the economy, I have included his plan to "jumpstart the economy". The following has been taken directly from his site. If you would like more information about his economic and other such plans you should visit his site.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden's Plan Jumpstart the Economy

Enact a Windfall Profits Tax to Provide a $1,000 Emergency Energy Rebate to American Families:Barack Obama and Joe Biden will enact a windfall profits tax on excessive oil company profits to give American families an immediate $1,000 emergency energy rebate to help families pay rising bills. This relief would be a down payment on the Obama-Biden long-term plan to provide middle-class families with at least $1,000 per year in permanent tax relief.

Provide $50 billion to Jumpstart the Economy and Prevent 1 Million Americans from Losing Their Jobs: This relief would include a $25 billion State Growth Fund to prevent state and local cuts in health, education, housing, and heating assistance or counterproductive increases in property taxes, tolls or fees. The Obama-Biden relief plan will also include $25 billion in a Jobs and Growth Fund to prevent cutbacks in road and bridge maintenance and fund school repair - all to save more than 1 million jobs in danger of being cut.

Cheap ways to lift weights

2008-11-09T14:06:00.005-06:00

You don't need a gym membership or fancy equipment to get toned muscles. You can get that work out without feeling like your working out or spending a lot of money. Here are some easy ways to get buff.

When going for a walk, working out to a video or just watching TV, grab cans of food from your cupboard. Do reps with them just like you would with regular dumbbells. When you want more weight, use bigger cans, or take old milk jugs and fill them with either water, beans or rice to add extra weight. Change positions to pinpoint all areas of your body.

One thing I like to do, and my daughter loves, is to lay on the ground flat on my back and bench press her into the air multiple times. I will also have her sit on the tops of my feet while I lay on my back. I lift my feet in the air with her on them as I do a crunchie and make faces at her. It's a great leg workout and she thinks it's a fun ride.

Save Money on Auto Insurance

2008-11-08T15:20:00.003-06:00

When you are looking for auto insurance make sure that you ask about discounts that you may be eligible for. Many places are happy to tell you what discounts you can receive but you have to ask first.

Some discounts I have received in the past include: safe driver, student, homeowner, multiple car, and continued customer.

Another way to save money is to pay your 6 month premium all at once. I have insurance through Progressive and if we made payments every month our 6 month cost for insurance would be $407. Since we pay for the whole 6 months at once we are given a discount and pay only $351. A savings of $56.

In order to ease the burden of a big bill. My husband sets aside "an insurance payment" every month into a separate savings account. It's like an escrow account for our car insurance. When the premium is due we already have the money ready to send out.

Save money on auto insurance the smart way. NEVER cheat yourself out of the proper coverage you need to protect your family just to save a few pennies. Always buy the most coverage you can afford.

Revamp Your Kids Toys

2008-11-08T14:57:00.005-06:00

Don't pass up toys at garage sales or throw out your kids toys because they are starting to look shabby. Look for ways that you can turn those junky looking toys into treasures.

This is a sit and spin that I got at a consignment sale for $4. The stickers were hideous and torn. What I did was recovered those ugly stickers with cute paper I had in my scrapbook collection. I used Mod Podge to secure and seal the new paper.

This is something you can get really creative with and you can even personalize your children's toys with letters, stamps or special paper. My daughter uses her sit and spin all the time, it's cute, unique and the best part is, it was cheap!

Wallgreens Super Saver Program

2008-11-08T14:34:00.006-06:00

Walgreen's has a great program to save you money. It's called their Super Saver Program.

What it is

Each month they publish a new Super Saver catalog. You can get it from their website or in the store. The catalog has a ton of coupons as well as rebates on select items. Many of the rebates are very good and cover a large portion of the cost of the item. Each month they also feature select items that are free.

How it works

Go into the store during the designated dates and purchase the items you need from the Super Saver catalog. Save your receipt. You can then redeem your rebate via Internet or mail. I have found that the Internet is the best way. You just go to their site and type in the necessary receipt code and they will review your receipt and either send you a check for your rebate or you can choose to get your rebate in the form of a Walgreen's gift card. If you choose this option they will give you an additional 10% of what your rebate is worth. I have received my rebate in less than a months time. *Note: the state taxes you pay are not refundable in the rebate.

What it's saved me

I've only been participating in this program for two months but the savings are already awesome. The following items are things that I have received for free through this program.

L'oreal face moisturizer - $19.99

Rimmel foundation - $7.49

Alamay mascara - $6.99

L'oreal facial cleanser - $6.99

8 x 10 photo - $2.99

Total Savings: $44.45

Roasted Garlic & Tomato Pasta

2008-11-08T12:13:00.003-06:00

COST: $4.50 *estimate, may vary

1- 1 1/2 c. grape tomatoes
4-5 cloves garlic - large chop
10-15 leaves fresh spinach - sliced
1/4 c. fetta cheese
1/4 c. Italian dressing
1 box bow tie pasta

1. Place tomatoes, garlic and Italian dressing an a small baking pan. Roast at 400 for about 20-25 minutes or until tomatoes start to split and garlic begins to brown.

2. Boil bowtie pasta. Once cooked, drain and place in a large bowl.

3. Mix spinach, fetta cheese and tomato/garlic mixture in with the noodles.

10% Savings

2008-11-07T15:34:00.003-06:00

Many people pay 10% of their gross income to their church as a tithe. Why not give yourself 10% too?

Don't expect the government to take care of your retirement. The only way to ensure your financial future is to take personal responsibility for it. Saving and investing at any age is a good idea but the younger you are when you begin, the more your earnings can add up. Building up your savings can be a difficult thing but follow these tips and you might discover that it is easier than you think.

Step#1: Discuss with your partner what your savings will be for (retirement, home, college) and when it is okay and not okay to dip into it.

Step#2: Discuss how much you will always put into your savings. 10% is a good number to start with but more is always better if you can afford it.

Step#3: Decide what type of account you will keep it in. Money Market accounts and CD's from your bank are safe places to keep your money while gaining a little interest. IRA's, HMO's and other investment accounts have higher earning rates but can fluctuate over time. Discussing options with a financial planner, your employer or your bank will help you decide the best option for you.

Step#4: JUST DO IT! When that check comes in at the end of the month put your designated percent in your savings account right away. If you don't do it immediately you'll spend it. Trust me. Some employers and banks even have options through direct deposit to place percentages into your different accounts. Other employers will match what you put into a retirement account.

Step#5: Stick to the plan. Be consistent and don't borrow for unnecessary things. Better yet, don't borrow from it at all. If there is an emergency and you have to borrow, pay yourself back as soon as possible.

Step# 6: Teach your children how to save. You can never be too early to start.

Step #7: Enjoy your financial freedom and peace of mind. You deserve it!