Storage Wars!

Have you seen the show Storage Wars?  Where they auction off storage units and then the buyer gets to dive through and keep, sell, throw away their treasures? Well we had a similar experience recently.

Chad was Craigslisting (of course) and was hunting for a computer chair for me.  He ended up finding a listing of lots of things from one gentleman's storage unit and most of the items were things we could use and would have been looking for anyway!  Score!

A few phone calls and cash later and we went to a nearby storage facility and squeezed the following into the car and truck (and I mean squeezed in that I had to lift up the filing cabinet off of the passenger seat of my car to shift in order to drive):

3 rolling leather office chairs - value $150
2 high bar stool type chairs for kitchen island - value $75
1 20 inch old style tv - value $5 (you can't GIVE old tv's away at garage sales even!)
1 hideous fake palm tree - value - who cares!?
1 microwave cart on wheels - value $1 - its CHEAP!
1 three drawer side table that is also a filing cabinet - value $25
1 large plastic mat for rolling office chair - value $10
1 black microwave = $40 value
1 black mini fridge = $50 value
1 desk with hutch top = $50 value

We paid $200.00 for all of this.

We kept the office chairs, bar stools, old TV (garage), microwave cart (movable garage workbench type thing), side table (its better than the storage tote I was using before!), and desk (Launa loves having her own desk!).  These value $306.00!

We put the rest on ...Craigslist of course!  No one wanted the palm or the plastic mat so those were trashed.  We sold the fridge/microwave for $80 (they don't sell quickly as they did in IA).

So I calculate that we received a value of $386.00 of items for $200.00 thereby saving $186.00 for that round of storage wars!

Have you ever had luck buying in bulk and reselling?

How to tell if you are getting a sale or not

How do you know if something is a good price on sale or not?  I use the bulk prices as my bottom dollar.  If I can get something cheaper than their per can, per pound, per loaf price then I consider it a good deal and I buy it.  This is my updated spreadsheet that I keep with me when going through the ads every week.  If its cheaper than these I buy it, if not I keep what I need on the Costco list.  I haven't added toilet paper or paper towels yet but those are generally cheaper at discount stores also.

 

Costco Prices

Mandarin Oranges - $.749/can

Sweet Corn - $.63/can

Fruit cocktail - $1.21/can

Special K Red Berries - $3.98 per sack

Pull Ups - $.31 each

Probiotics - $.175/pill

Kids Vitamins - $.043/pill

Natures Valley Bars - $.48/bar

Kleenex – 260 count - $.68/box

Iron Kids Bread - $2/loaf

Palmolive -$.081/ounce

Frozen Broccoli - $1.73/lb

Corn Dogs - $.357/dog

Bacon - $2.98/lb

Go Gurt - $.110/each

Butter - $1.938/lb

New Deal Site: Touch of Modern

A good friend sent me the link to this new deal site and I thought I'd share it with you folks.  Its for household type items, art work, jewlery, etc. and not just restaraunts like the other sites with daily deals.  Check outTouch of Modern and let me know what you think!  I think the outdoor fire pieces would look GREAT in our back yard surrounded by chairs and pavers.  It doesn't seem to hard to imagine having drinks around that.  But its not in our budget.  Happy shopping!

How to save at groceries- shop the ads!

The biggest and easiest way to save money is to invest an hour of your time into the weekly ads. First, write down what you want from the weekly good deals at each store. Second, I compare my lists to determine who truly has the best deal on milk, fruit, etc. and then make my plan on which stores to get to for sure and which I want to but we can do without if it doesn't fit into the schedule. I carry my list with me all week and try to hit a store if I am already near it. Now that we live in the heat and right in the center of town I try not to make a special trip just for groceries. Save gas and money if I can. This week I wanted to hit a lot of stores so made it a special trip.

Tonight Launa and I went out loaded with our grocery list of sale items and we mostly stuck with it.

We started with the farthest distance store with freezer bags and reuseables in hand. Our deals at Albertsons were buy one get TWO FREE chicken breasts, $.75per pound grapes and 2 for $3 carrots. We put the juice back because it wasn't the $.99 bottles so over all total--$17.77.

Next we headed to Bashas and got three containers of strawberries at $.88 each plus the Nutella Launa keeps requesting.

Walgreens was out of my ink cartridges and said it takes 30 minutes to refill so we scooted because there is cold chicken in freezer bags in 100 degree cars whose air conditioning decides it won't work sometimes.

Fry's was next with $1 eggs, gallons of milk at 3 for $5 so you know we got all three, and water softener pellets since that is now up and running ( my skin is rejoicing just thinking about my shower tomorrow).

Overall we got the cupboard staples and cheap fruit ( which gets frozen when it's on the brink to save to use for smoothies).

As my sister says- if you fail to plan you plan to fail!

Amazon Deals

Amazon has some great promotions right now and I have been browsing the site for an hour or so and thought I should make that time worth something so am passing it on to you deal seekers!


Have you ever considered back to school shopping on Amazon? There are some great deals, or ways for you to help the grand kids without leaving your house and shipping those great college deals to them directly! Some things are cheaper even including shipping so just a suggestion to check them out, especially for the larger items like coffee markers and computers.  They are advertising up to 25% off college essentials.  Deals through 9/30/12.

Lots of summer savings deals on patio sets, grills, and more through 8/30/12.

Pet savings through 8/12/12.

The pictures below will take you directly to category of deals you may need!

How to make homemade cards

We have a birthday coming up so Launa was put in charge of making the card to mail off. She used an olg magazine of mine and cut out pictures that reminded her of her aunt or just pictures she thought she would like. This project took her about two hours, practicing cutting and gluing and was something she was very proud of.

Total cost: $.44- to mail it! We had all the supplies already.


Tonight was our first dust storm and near monsoon- no heavy rains like we wanted before we went to bed though. The kids really love running through these warm rains.

Tomorrow is another day of church and a grocery run so best get to bed!

Garage Sale Days

This weekend is Polk City's annual garage sale day so check it out if you are around.  I am going to miss getting all the good deals this year.

Official Polk City Citywide Garage Sale Map

Frugal Venture....

I've signed up for Thred Up today.  Its a site where you can fill as much of a medium flat rate shipping USPS box with what you can of a certain size of kids clothing and it will go to a good home.  In exchange for signing up you get 2 FREE BOXES to pick out for yourself (you pay $5 plus the shipping of $10.95 per box you order).  My understanding is that every time your box is picked you get another $5 credit to pick out a box for yourself.  It sounds like a great cycle so the more you share the more you get.  I've just listed my first box so wish me luck! (Its also a great way to "Upcycle" clothes)

Have you tried Thred Up?  Thoughts?

Frugal Tuesday Tip: Cleaning your Appliances Saves Money

I read a recent article about cleaning your appliances once a year helps save their life and your money.  Here are some tips I read about:

Refrigerator/Deep freeze:  Vacuum and dust the coils will help it to run more efficiently.  Be sure to pull it out and do the back and also underneath where you can reach.

Dishwasher:  Remove the blades and clean food gunk off of them, run it on a cold cycle with extra detergent and empty at least once a year to remove debris on the inside.

Vacuum: Remove belts (and hair, string, toys, etc. from the belt area) and clean out completely or remove canisters for good cleaning if its a bag less model.

Television: Vacuum the dust off the back as much as possible, while you're back there do the DVD player and all those components too!

This post is part of the Frugal Tuesday Tip.  Check out more of their good ideas here!





Do you have any appliance cleaning/money saving tips to share?  Please comment below!

FINAL WEEK: the green book GIVEAWAY!

As I've told you ELEVEN TIMES, I picked up The Green Book at the local consignment shop, Treasures & More, for $1.00.  I LOVE GOOD BOOK DEALS.

For the last 11 weeks I've posted only a few hints from each chapter but its not even a fraction of the tips given in the book (check out posts labeled Earth Friendly).  I was very impressed about how easy some of the things are to implement and how the authors tell you how much money on average they could save a household.  There is also a huge list of sources and other websites for you to explore at the back of the book. 

My top favorite new thing I learned was that your television takes up 10% of your electricity bill EVEN WHEN NOT IN USE.  That amazed me.  For this reason I've unplugged the kids' TV.  I will plug it back in when they watch it.  In keeping with the idea that un-used but still plugged in items cost money I've also put their alarm clock/sound machine/space heater onto its own surge protector.  It all gets shut off in the morning when we leave for the day, or even leave their room.  I'm that cheap.  Of course the only thing plugged in in the kitchen is the fridge unless the appliance is being used.  SHUT OFF AND UNPLUG THINGS.  Easy to do and saves you $$.


Anyhow, being frugal and wanting to pass on this advice at a GREAT price I'm hosting a giveaway!  You can enter for a chance to win a copy of this book.  You have THREE chances to enter by doing the following (and then making a separate comment here after each task is completed, hence one comment per entry).  I will announce the winner after a drawing using random.org. 

For your entries you may:

1 - Make a comment here about your favorite frugal environmental tip (either from my posts or one of your own to share with everyone). 

2 - Blog about this book giveaway and post a copy of the link to your blog post in the comments section below.

3 - Share this giveaway on your Facebook page and make a separate comment below letting me know you did so!

YOU HAVE ONE WEEK TO ENTER. 

Good luck and thank you for supporting me!

the green book, week #11

I picked up this book at the local consignment shop, Treasures & More, for $1.00. 

I am a passionate recycler, electricity saver, and cheapskate so I will be sharing a few helpful hints from each chapter with my readers that will not only help our environment but rock your inner frugality at the same time!  Check out these top three hints from this chapter below. 

THIS IS YOUR FINAL WEEK!!! NEXT WEEK I WILL LET YOU POST COMMENTS IN ORDER TO WIN THIS FRUGAL AND EARTH FRIENDLY BOOK!

Chapter #11- building

What can you do to help the environment and save money in the building category?  Here are just a few of the helpful hints that the authors have put together for us.

#1 - Install low flow plumbing.  This could save you alone at least $60 a year on water bills and the US would save $6 BILLION in water bills total.  WOW.

#2- Buy Energy Star appliances (only when your old ones break, don't just replace them without the need and create even MORE waste).  You can save up to $600 PER YEAR in energy costs.  Some companies also help you get the government refunds and cash back programs if you do this.  I know my husband's plumbing company assists you in this regard.

#3 -  Try to use your ceiling fans more than your air conditioner.  The costs comparison for these are AMAZING enough to switch your habits without a look back:
Ceiling fans = $.01 per hour
Room air conditioner = $.16 per hour
Central air = $.43 per hour
DUH. Change made.

We personally set our air at 80 degrees while we are at work (with our programmable thermostat) and have the ceiling fan in the living room (which is nearest to the thermostat) on all day.  Our air hardly ever kicks on and the dog doesn't get super uncomfortable with the tidal wave of air blowing on him (I swear our ceiling fan is similar to a tornado!) 

Stay tuned for next week's giveaway and happy money saving folks!

Tuesday Frugal Tip: Cheap Fun Kid Things

Who isn't looking for cheap and fun things to do with their kids?  This week as part of Learning the Frugal Life's Tuesday Tip, I'll be giving you a short list of things we do to entertain the kids (or the four year old at least because let's face it a spoon entertains the 8 month old!).

*** Limbo.  Last night we took an old wrapping paper roll, shoved it between the doorway and played limbo.  Easy.  Free.  Fun.

*** Story Time at the local library.  I took the kids to story time last week and although it was geared towards babies they both had fun.  Launa enjoyed being the "older" kid who could answer the questions about shapes, colors, etc. and she also got to pick out a movie (Twilight...really? no Dora?) and a book.  She had a super fun time and we only invested 45 minutes and .1 gallon of gas to get there.

***Collections.  Launa has decided to pretty much collect everything right now.  She goes outside and starts a new collection.  We have rocks, acorns, and nail polish sorted into little containers for her collections.  She enjoys finding the things outside.

***Exercise.  Last week I let Launa be my exercise instructor for an hour.  She had me doing all kind of back bends (okay attempting them) and running around the house like a crazy person.  It was really cute.

***Dance party.  We have dance parties in her room to Kids Bop songs.  Of course she's says my dancing is too weird and embarrassing.  ALREADY!?

Enjoy these tips and check out more from other bloggers by clicking the link above to the weekly tips.

the green book, Week #10

I picked up this book at the local consignment shop, Treasures & More, for $1.00. 

I am a passionate recycler, electricity saver, and cheapskate so I will be sharing a few helpful hints from each chapter with my readers that will not only help our environment but rock your inner frugality at the same time!  Check out these top three hints from this chapter below.

Chapter #10- money & finance

The biggest help to our environment using your least amount of effort in the money and finance categories include the following helpful hints:

#1 - If given the option, don't get your receipt to save it from being printed while shopping or using the ATM.  ATM receipts are on of the TOP sources of litter on the ENTIRE PLANET.  Or if you take it, bring it home to recycle it!  

#2 - Get your paycheck automatically deposited.  You get your money faster, save gas to the bank, save paper from the checks, save your own time, etc.  WIN WIN.

#3 - Go paperless in your banking.  Get online statements, do online payments and transfers.

Do you have automatic deposit for your paychecks? Do you love it or hate it?

the green book, week #9

I picked up this book at the local consignment shop, Treasures & More, for $1.00. 

I am a passionate recycler, electricity saver, and cheapskate so I will be sharing a few helpful hints from each chapter with my readers that will not only help our environment but rock your inner frugality at the same time!  Check out these top three hints from this chapter below.

Chapter #9 - Sports

The biggest help to our environment using your least amount of effort in the sports category includes the following hints:

#1 - Consider leasing/renting sports equipment.  How many amateur golfers have bough an entire set of clubs only to have golfed three times in their life (cough cough**my husband**cough cough).  Before you try a new sport and invest the sometimes hundreds of dollars getting started consider renting or leasing your items to see if you will stick with it or not. 

#2 - Buy recycled rubber soled shoes.

#3 If you play/watch outdoor sports CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELVES AND YOUR CHILDREN.  This seems like just plain manners here but its apparent that some people now weren't taught to clean up their messes as children.  Popcorn buckets, candy and gum wrappers do not belong on or near the soccer field or baseball complex.  If you go to a game don't just toss that water bottle you bought at the concession -bring it home to be recycled.  Better yet - bring your reusable water bottle with you and save $4 in the process!

Any helpful hints for frugal environmental tips you've come up with ? Please share here!

Green Weekly #8

I picked up this book at the local consignment shop, Treasures & More, for $1.00. 

I am a passionate recycler, electricity saver, and cheapskate so I will be sharing a few helpful hints from each chapter with my readers that will not only help our environment but rock your inner frugality at the same time!  Check out these top three hints from this chapter below.

Chapter #8 - Health & Beauty

#1 - Invest in a reusable water bottle for the gym.  It could save you up to $200 a year instead of buying a new one every time and eliminate 14 pounds of plastic.  This is a NO BRAINER.

#2 - Use a razor with refillable blades.  Disposable razors are not recycle or biodegradable.  Do your part so you are only ditching the refill blades into the garbage can.  Better yet go green and stop shaving! (I WISH!)

#3 - Soap - use bars instead of body wash.  For the same reason as you should for your babies, bars are cheaper and come in less packaging.  If you are set on using the body wash that is FOUR TIMES as expensive as a bar of soap, at least recycle that bottle!

Only four more chapters to go before the big giveaway for this book!

Go Green, Week #7

I picked up this book at the local consignment shop, Treasures & More, for $1.00. 

I am a passionate recycler, electricity saver, and cheapskate so I will be sharing a few helpful hints from each chapter with my readers that will not only help our environment but rock your inner frugality at the same time!  Check out these top three hints from this chapter below.

Chapter 7: Shopping

#1 - Paper or plastic?  Choose paper if you don't have reusable canvass bags.  Baggers can get more of your items into paper bags so you have less to carry and paper bags are more apt to be recycled.  If you have to get plastic reuse those for trash liners or take them back to the store for recycling at your next trip.  I personally reuse my paper bags as my weekly newspapers and recyclables and then just dump the sack and all into our bin and it works out perfect. 

#2- Baby items.  Buy a bar of soap for your baby instead of a plastic tube of body wash. Its cheaper with less packaging.  200 THOUSAND pounds of trash could be saved if EVERY baby this year bought bar soap.  If you do buy body wash please recycle that bottle!

#3 - Buy items with less packaging.  Check out your options and weigh your prices.  $1 of every $11 spent at the grocery store goes towards packaging alone.  Recycle what packaging you can.  If your item comes in the plastic bubble melded onto a piece of cardboard that piece of cardboard can be recycled.  Its the little things folks!

Please share any shopping hints you have!  And remember - I'm giving away my copy of this book when I'm done reading this!  So stay tuned!

Go Green, Week #6

I picked up this book at the local consignment shop, Treasures & More, for $1.00. 

I am a passionate recycler, electricity saver, and cheapskate so I will be sharing a few helpful hints from each chapter with my readers that will not only help our environment but rock your inner frugality at the same time!  Check out these top three hints from this chapter below.

Chapter 5: Work

A lot of people have the attitude at work that its not their problem to recycle, reduce or reuse at the office if its not a system already in place.  BLASPHEMY.  Start your system at work or be an example and get others to follow you!

Here are a few things the authors of The Green Book have said would make the biggest impact with the least amount of effort at your job.

#1 - Double side your copies.   The annual savings of 130 BILLION sheets of paper would result if just 1 of 4 office workers double sided their paper.  I have taken to doing this at work.  We have lots of "form" letters with the same enclosures for all clients, etc.  The form letter is the most important copy so I double side my attachments in case we need proof later that it was sent.  If I have a large stack (we often send PILES of medical records to doctors), I go ahead and scan those to save to the electronic file, copy only the cover letter, and make a note that all attachments were scanned if we need proof of sent items later.

#2 - Carpool.  One person carpooling to work every day saves 500 gallons of gas and 550 pounds of exhaust emissions EVERY YEAR.  That's at least $1445.00 in gas at Iowa's prices today!  I approached my job on the second week there asking for new hours so I could join a carpool.  They didn't hesitate to let me change my hours and save money in the process.  You also save wear and tear on your vehicle and can sometimes even get a deduction on your car insurance if you then travel less than 10,000 miles per year.  Its a win win situation!

#3 - Use a ceramic or reusable coffee mug.  Styrofoam cups live for 9 GENERATIONS.  Is it that hard to take your mug home to wash it if you don't have a sink?  I often hand wash throughout the week then bring it home on the weekends for a run through the dishwasher.

Has your work implemented any easy environmentally friendly policies you can tell us about? 

LEAVE IT IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.

Go Green! Week #5

I picked up this book at the local consignment shop, Treasures & More, for $1.00. 

I am a passionate recycler, electricity saver, and cheapskate so I will be sharing a few helpful hints from each chapter with my readers that will not only help our environment but rock your inner frugality at the same time!  Check out these top three hints from this chapter below.

Chapter 5: School

#1 - Paper.  Use both sides of your paper.  Get the school to buy recycled paper or paper without chlorine.  If all paper use was cut in half it would clear the space currently taken up by one THOUSAND landfills.

#2 - Lunches.  Pack waste free lunches, e.g. no baggies, plastic silverware, napkins, or disposable lunch bags.  Get reusable lunch sacks, bring real utensils and Tupperware like containers to bring home for washing every night.  It would save the average person $250 per year in cost of buying those disposables plus it would save the amount of waste equal to the weight of a 9 year old from going into the landfill.

#3 - Walk to school when possible.  If not possible carpool or ride the bus.  Parents who take their children to school individually are wasting gas (and precious space during rush hour times!).  Plus its spoiling your kids (that's my take not the authors BTW)

Are you a school professional? How has your school implemented environmentally friendly habits?  Please share!

A Sam's Club Run saves

Frugal Tip for the month:  Baby Food.

MAKE YOUR OWN YOU IDIOT!

Making baby food is one of the simplest and easiest ways to save on costs of those cute little bundles of joy.  Here are tips of my process you may want to consider installing into your monthly routine.

First, check your local freecycle, craigslist, or daycare for empty jars of baby food that you can have. 

ZERO DOLLARS investment AND environmentally friendly.

Next, I had my sissy take me to our local Sam's Club (or any bulk store in your area) and I purchased both of these cans for around $6.  (None of the fresh fruits and veggies looked okay to me this time).  Ideally this would be best if you had your own garden and could eat from your own plot, however with the one tomato plant I attempted to grown (and from which not one tomato grew and even the bugs thought it was too sad and dead to try to eat it away for me), I've all but given up on food gardening.  Maybe someday I'll resume when the hubbs will help since he is a food connoisseur.

Ok digress....two huge cans for around $6. 

Open and drain all juices.  These are extra salty, sugary, etc.  Your baby doesn't need them.

Pour in blender (I kept some aside for sides at dinners and lunches for the toddler and adults). 

The pears had enough juice to sustain the blender.  If you need to add any juices to veggies I always use V8 instead of the juice in the cans.  Its chalked full of salt. 

Any wal-la you have.......

126.5 ounces of servings (roughly 19 dinners for the baby) and 6 sides for dinners for the adults/toddler.

The average US wide cost of baby food is $.60 per 6 ounce jar.  This would have cost me $12.65 in baby food and about $4.00 in adult canned veggies.  I paid $6.00, or saved $10.65 AT MINIMUM.  I've never really priced baby food because this way works for us.

Ice cube and muffin tin trays are AWESOME for freezing baby food (or breast milk!) and  you don't have to spend money on the freezer bags.  One cube or small muffin tin is about 1 ounce of food/milk.  Just pour, cover in Saran Wrap, pop out when frozen, and store in a Ziploc or container of your choice.  I've also just left them in the trays of I'm not going to be making up any other food for awhile.

Don't hesitate to save any dinner leftovers either.  I've blended up left over Mac & Cheese, Beef Stroganoff, squash, etc.  If you just blend what the adults eat that will give you even more savings! 

Super easy and a huge savings.

On a related note, I found an article about the cost, labeling, and nutritional facts of store bought baby food vs homemade.  Check that out HERE.

Communication/Techology Savings Tips

I picked up this book at the local consignment shop, Treasures & More, for $1.00.  I am a passionate recycler, electricity saver, and cheapskate so I will be sharing a few helpful hints from each chapter with my readers that will not only help our environment but rock your inner frugality at the same time!  Check out these top three hints from this chapter below.

Chapter 4: I Can't Hang Out with You Because I Have to Call, Text, IM, and E-Mail My Friends All Day

#1 - Unplug.  10% of the electricity used in your house is from devices plugged in that are not in use.  If your cell isn't charging, unplug the charger.  If you aren't expected to use the computer, TV, etc. for multiple days in a row unplug them. EASY PEASY.

#2 - Enable power mode on your computer.  Make the settings go to screen saver and sleep mode after just 15-20 minutes so your machine uses less power when not in use and if you are unable to shut it down totally.

#3 - Use power strips and turn them completely off when not in use.  I purchased a Smart Strip, which was featured on Oprah.  You plug your main item into one specific plug (the computer) and the other items which cannot run without the computer being on (printer, shredder, etc.) into the secondary plugs.  No power is given to the secondary items unless the main item (computer) is turned on.  If you go on vacation turn the entire strip off and unplug it.  This is having you money without doing anything extra but rearranging where you plug the accessories in at.  This would also work in the TV area with the DVD, Satellite, etc.  The strips run about $50 but are said to pay for themselves in no time. 

Try to implement these three tips this month and see if you find you save money.

Do you have helpful ways to save money and conserve energy in technology?  Do share!