30 Days of Tips - Supper in Seconds

Tip #30: To save yourself from unexpected dining out bills, bookmark a site like our sister site, Supper in Seconds, for busy, rushed, or sick days. All recipes require only 5-10 minutes of hands-on preparation, making these homecooked meals even faster than a restaurant!

30 Days of Tips - Butter Wrappers

Tip #29: If you purchase your butter or margarine in sticks, don't ever throw out another wrapper! Stash them in a plastic baggie inside the fridge & use them to grease baking dishes. This works surprisingly well, and doesn't contain any chemicals or vinegars that can harm certain baking dishes.

30 Days of Tips - Christmas Gifts that Save

Tip #28: Does anyone commonly ask you what you or your family wants for Christmas? Or do you like giving gifts that save money for the recipient year-round? Consider these Christmas gift ideas that keep on saving.

• an Entertainment coupon book
$30 or so on the front-end can easily save hundreds throughout the year.
• a large toaster oven
An oven in a busy kitchen often consumes the second largest chunk of energy money next to the furnace. With its smaller size and zero preheating time, a double-tray toaster oven can significantly reduce that bill for somewhere in the range (no pun intended) of $100.
• passes to local museums & other attractions
What is more fun than taking off to the museum on the spur of the moment? That's quite possible with a membership pass. Family passes often pay for themselves in less than 3 visits.
• time-saving cookbooks
Cookbooks are a popular gift idea, but the ones focused specifically on time-saving meals can save the most money over the long-term. It's always the times when we are stressed, hurried, or sick when we want to blow our grocery budget on dining out. Meals that only require 5-10 minutes of hands-on prep time could save $30 with each use.

30 Days of Tips - Hosting Dinners

Tip #27: Eating out can be extremely expensive and is a common budget buster for many families. We struggle with this in our own family, even though most of our dinners out are treats from our parents or other older family members.

If you have a relative that commonly takes you or your family out to dinner, consider hosting a dinner at home instead. They can provide most (or all) of the food and you will provide the space, ambience & clean-up. Your relative will probably spend less than half of what he or she would have spent at a restaurant and you will be able to keep the leftovers for an extra meal or two later.

30 Days of Tips - Winter Energy Savings

Tip #26 - For extra winter insulation, try using fabric on exterior walls, especially if you have an older home (which were often built without insulation inside the exterior walls).

Ideas include hanging extra-thick "winter curtains" over the windows or hanging rugs or quilts on blank exterior walls.

30 Days of Tips - Halloween Decorations

Tip #25: Try these ghostly cheap Halloween decorations.

Make small ghosts from a white washrag (or square of fabric) wrapped around a few cottonballs. Tie tightly just under the cottonballs to form a little ghost head & body. Draw or glue on eyes, mouth & other details. Put an ornament hook through the top of the fabric for hanging.

Make a large ghost by hanging a white sheet over a tomato cage. Stuff with a small pillow on top & tie if desired to form a head & body. Cut out eyes & put a lamp (no candles, please!) under the ghost to make him glow or draw on eyes with black or glow-in-the-dark paint. Consider a blacklight lamp under your ghost for a strange effect.

30 Days of Tips - Halloween Candy

Tip #24: Don't groan until I finish this tip for all the parents of trick-or-treaters out there. When you purchase Halloween candy, purchase candy you like because if there is any left over, you'll be able to enjoy it. If you run out of candy, hand out the candy that your child has already received that your family doesn't care for.

I know it's tempting to think it's "too tacky," but let me ask you: is it better to buy more candy than you actually need, thereby stressing your wallet and increasing the demand for unhealthy foods, and then ending up with a bunch of candy you'll never eat that you have to either throw away or constantly fight over with your children? I would prefer to redistribute the candy we'll never consume.

When you dump the contents of the little plastic pumpkin into your hand-out bowl, just do it inside, not on the front porch, OK?

30 Days of Tips - Storing Large Containers

Tip #23: Large items can throw in a wrench in the best storage plans. But using those items as storage containers themselves can open up more space & create a more intentional, less cluttered look to your home.

Here is an example of over-the-refrigerator storage. Inside the fabric-lined canner, you'll find dog leashes, toys & bones. Inside the orange canister, you'll find dog treats. Inside the basket in back, you'll find our dog's supplement powder on one side and clothes pins mixed with a child's garden tool set on the other. And finally, way in the back, we've placed a tall open basket lined with a paper bag that houses old batteries until we can take them to the trash center on a toxic waste day.



Why does TTT spend so much time on creative storage? Because most of us have a single largest payment each month...the one we make to our mortgage company. By deliberately choosing to live in a smaller home, we can significantly reduce this expense. However, living in small spaces requires constant creative solutions, lest we risk becoming so dissatisfied that we start eyeing the larger homes.

30 Days of Tips - Filtered Water

Tip #22: Not only does chlorinated tap water taste bad, it is also not very good for your health. The problem is that the cheap filtration systems (the pitcher & faucet mounted types) don't filter out chlorine & the filtration systems that do are very expensive.

Try this homemade solution. Since chlorine will evaportate out of the water given enough time & air, let your water sit on the counter for 24-48 hours before running it through an inexpensive pitcher filter. In time, it becomes an easy system to maintain. Before bed each night, fill your water containers & set them out. Use the oldest one first for the least chlorinated water.

30 Days of Tips - Handmade Cross Ornaments

Tip #21: Here's a rainy day activity that can double as a Christmas gift when complete. Thanks to L for contributing this activity!



Cut one pipe cleaner into a 2/3 piece and a 1/3 piece. Wrap the small piece around the large piece to make a cross shape. Thread on beads of your choice. Twist the ends to "seal." Twist the top to form a loop to hang from the tree.

30 Days of Tips - Wall Art

Tip #20: Don't spend money on wall art. For larger pieces, try maps, photo collages, or themed item collages (think dried leaves, small twigs, dried flowers or flower prints on a warm-toned fabric background for a Fall theme).

For smaller pieces, try framing children's artwork, old magazine covers, or make your own art. If you aren't confident enough in your drawing or painting ability, consider stamping or stenciling.

30 Days of Tips - Saving Socks

Tip #19: Don't throw away holey socks. Cut them off straight across the top, sew the seam with as little allowance as possible (for comfort) & pass them down to the next-sized person. Dad passes holey socks to mom who passes hers to teenage child who passes to youngest child.

Even socks that aren't your style are warm & comfy under winter shoes.

30 Days of Tips - Coffee Savings

Tip #18: If you drink coffee every day, don't dump out leftover coffee. Refrigerate it for up to 3 days for mid-day iced coffee. If you prefer your coffee sweet, you can make a simple syrup by mixing half sugar with half boiling water. Stir to dissolve the sugar & store the syrup in the refrigerator for up to a month.

30 Days of Tips - Cheap Lodging

Tip # 17: We are planning a trip in two short weeks that will require us to find one night's lodging. After an hour or so of research, I came up with some alternative ideas to a standard motel.

Since our destination is in the south, a camping cabin appears to be our cheapest option for a family. Camping cabins range in price from $35 per night to $150 or above, depending on size & amenities, such as bathrooms, kitchen areas, & linen service. If you are willing to walk to the group bathroom & bring your own towels & bed linens, a basic 10' x 13' sleeping cabin should be found for under $40. These almost always include beds or cots. Note that a camping cabin is very different from a "chalet." Chalets are upscale cabins popular in mountainous tourist regions. They are usually far more expensive than a motel.

Another great option for a single traveller or a couple is a hostel, which I was surprised to find in both US cities that I searched. I had always assumed hostels were only available abroad, but there are in fact many operating here, particularly in more "liberal" or college-oriented towns. Hostels can have dorm-style sleeping only, or some have private rooms available. Most hostels charge by the person, and the average price in the two towns I searched was $22/person making it quite expensive for a family. Private rooms were advertised between $50 and $75. The draw to a hostel was the community atmosphere, the full use of indoor bathrooms & kitchens, & the proximity to the college area. If my husband & I were travelling alone, this would have been my first choice. Things to notice when you search for a hostel: Is there a curfew? How is the security within the hostel (lockers, etc.)? Is there a minimum or maximum stay allowed?

Many homeowners are renting out all or part of their homes on a nightly basis. You can check the classified section of the local independent paper to find these listings. Prices can range from $50 to $200, depending on the size & location of the home. The benefit to renting this way is that you usually aren't charged extra per person, so large families could be quite comfortable for the same price as a motel.

Of course, camping in a tent remains the cheapest overnight option short of sleeping in your own car. Tenting tips deserve an entry of their own; however, you could expect to pay anywhere from free (in state or national parks) to $22 for a campsite with electric & water available.

30 Days of Tips - Snack Dip

Tip #16: If you like sour cream dip for veggies or chips, try this inexpensive, all-natural recipe. To sour cream or unsweetend yogurt, add garlic powder, onion powder (or minced onion), dill & salt.

For an inexpensive fruit dip, try cream cheese & unsweetened yogurt in equal parts, mixed with brown sugar, molasses or honey. Add chopped nuts or vanilla extract if desired.

30 Days of Tips - Toy Sailboats

Tip #15: Save those styrofoam mushroom containers for a perfect rainy day activity: sailboats! Take an empty mushroom container & poke a straw into the bottom (cut off any bendy part at the top). Attach a construction paper triangle to the top of the straw & enjoy watching your sailboat float away.

Kids can float their sailboats inside the bathtub or on sunny days, in a swimming pool. On rainy, rainy days, what's more fun than sailing the boat down the street?

30 Days of Tips - Large Scale Artwork

Tip # 14: Finding artwork for larger scale spaces can be difficult. Bigger pieces of artwork can cost a bundle. From my experience, you can easily find larger frames at yard sales or thrift stores, but the "art" that comes inside is rarely my style.

Try putting maps inside those thrift store frames for an inexpensive large wall decoration. National Geographic magazine puts out lots of different kinds & styles of maps in many color schemes. Try a "Peopling of the Ancient Americas" map in rich hues of brown and red for a study. Or try a "Solar System and Beyond" map in cool black and white for a boy's room. Maybe a map of your favorite European country would look great in the dining area (especially with artisan bread served on the table).

Look for maps of all kinds at thrift stores, yard sales & used book sales. And don't forget to put the word out among family and friends -- almost all of our maps have come to us that way!

30 Days of Tips - Recycled Paper Sources

Tip #13: When you're printing something just for use in the home, like a recipe, map directions, copies of articles for your spouse, or activity pages for the kids, don't use a fresh, clean piece of paper when you can use free paper instead. When you keep your eye out, you will quickly find lots of recycled paper sources.

Try the backs of these:

• employee paperwork, like codes of conduct, policies, announcements, etc.
• any mail that comes in a 9 x 12 envelope
• articles given to you by friends or family that you've already read
• church paperwork you don't need to save
• extra copies of materials you prepared for a group

If someone in the family works in an office, they could set up a small scrap paper collection area. Usually the lid to a paper ream box works great for this. Other office workers are usually glad not to have to throw away all that paper & you can do most of your at-home printing for free. Just be sure to let them know what you're doing so there are no ethical issues.

30 Days of Tips - Workbooks

Tip #12 - For all the home learners out there, when you do workbooks with your children, don't let them mark on the workbook pages. Instead, if the workbook's copyright allows, make a copy of each page you want to use that day. Having an all-in-one copier, printer, scanner makes this very easy, so if you are replacing your computer's printer anytime soon, consider one of these instead of a standard printer. Of course, whenever you're making a copy for one-time use in the home, don't use a fresh sheet of paper. Try recycled sources instead.

If the workbook's copyright doesn't allow for in-home copies & you like to do workbooks together anyway, letting the child "write" with his finger is just as effective for learning the material. Some would argue more so, since you are sitting & learning together.

Clean workbooks have obvious advantages: they can be passed from child to child, traded with other families & sold when you're all finished with them.

30 Days of Tips - Freezing Meat

Tip #11: Here's a tip for freezing meat & other items in perfect serving sizes that comes straight from Amy Dacyczyn in her Tightwad Gazette. I'm allowing myself to reproduce it here because I used it just today and love its simplicity as the perfect solution to my problem.

When we purchase ground turkey, I like to separate it as soon as I bring it home into dinner portions for our family of three. A bread bag is perfect for this job, as you can put in your portion, twist & tie, put your next portion, twist & tie, and so on. When it comes time to use the turkey, simply cut off each section as you need it. (You can't wash & reuse bags that have held meat, anyway.)

This tip also works for rice (we always cook rice in double or triple quantities), turkey burger patties, and summer watermelon.

If you're interested in reading the original idea in Amy's book, pull the first Tightwad Gazette off your bookshelf. If you have no Tightwad Gazettes on your shelf, then that's your far more valuable tip for today: purchase (not borrow) your own copy of the Tightwad Gazettes. Then read them cover to cover, several times a year.

30 Days of Tips - Bulk Business

Tip #10: Certain things really are much cheaper when purchased in bulk. Here are some examples:

• dry active yeast - purchase at warehouse store for $3/pound
• spices - health food stores carry these in bulk for a fraction of the cost of the little grocery store containers
• organic coffee - buy at Wild Oats for $12/lb or buy online from The Organic Coffee company (Spend $30 at once & get free shipping, too. Split coffee with friends or freeze until needed.)
• vinegar for cleaning...always buy the large bottle
• specialty magazines (not owned by the library) you love and/or want to keep for reference....it's always cheaper to get the subscription

30 Days of Tips - Mops and Buckets

Tip #9: Instead of storing a separate mop bucket somewhere near your regularly-mopped area, use your plastic wastebaskets instead. Most of us have a plastic wastebasket in our first-floor bathroom. It needs to be cleaned anyway, so use it as your mop bucket, rinse well when done & no need to store more stuff & get more unhappy with your (lack of) space.

And on the subject of mops, always buy a mop that has a washable head, like a deck mop. You won't have to replace the head for years. Conveniently, these are also usually the cheapest.

30 Days of Tips - Tambourines

Tip #8: A rainy-day activity to file away that takes virtually no special materials.

Homemade Durable Tambourines
Take two coated cardboard dessert plates (like the decorated ones we usually serve cake on at parties). Put a handful of rice or lentils on one & glue the other onto it, face down, with Elmer's glue. The plain, white sides of the plates will be on the outside. Ideally, this should sit overnight.

When the glue is dry, let your little one decorate it however she wishes. Think about gluing on yarn, sparkles, glitter, fabric scraps. Very wee ones can draw or use stickers. When you're finished, put on some fun dancing tunes, like those from Jim Gill, and get some rainy day exercise!

Even easier tip: I like to keep a small stockpile of plates already glued. If you have any extras from a party, it only takes a few minutes to turn them into undecorated tambourines that will be always be ready for an impromptu activity.

30 Days Of Tips - Accept and Give

Tip #7: Graciously accept whatever is given to you & generously give any excess you have. Stinginess begets loneliness begets poverty in many forms.

30 Days of Tips - Long-Term Grocery Savings

Tip #6: For grocery savings that can easily become habits that last a lifetime, consider these ideas.

• visit the asian and hispanic grocers in your area for deals on produce & high-quality ethnic foods
• make your own baby food for baby by pureeing what you are having for dinner before adding your spices & salt
• maintain your garden, harvest often & freeze the excess if you don't have time to can
• scour the refrigerator twice weekly for leftovers that are soon to reach their expiry & freeze them or turn them into that night's dinner
• become familiar with making popcorn on the stove & serve this as your snacking food
• don't waste undesirable parts of meat -- boil for a nourishing bone broth & make a filling meal of soup & bread

30 Days of Tips - Short-Term Grocery Savings

Tip #5: Here are some quick ways to reduce grocery spending when you're in a crunch. Some of these tips would get tiring after awhile, so are most appropriate for short-term savings.

• eat what you have on hand rather than planning menus based on new recipes
• purchase only in season produce
• plan to eat 2 meat-free meals each day -- use cheaper sources of protein for these meals such as nuts, nut butter, beans, cheese, milk, yogurt & eggs
• use your freezer supplies!
• rather than discard dinner-gone-wrong, modify food that isn't your favorite (as long as it's in your diet plan)
• stop buying plastic wrap, aluminum foil & plastic bags -- recycle consumer packaging instead
• stop buying napkins & paper towels -- use cloth instead & designate specific selections for paper towels
• never accept substandard grocery items -- take it back to the store or write the company to receive coupons for free food
• accept any meal invitation that is extended
• vocalize to friends and family that you would love to take off their hands foods they have purchased but didn't like

This is the time to really use your crockpot & to double recipes each time you make them. As the house gets emptier of food, temptation to eat out increases exponentially. If you plan dinner at 11:00 a.m. (and even start it in the crockpot), you'll be safe from this temptation. Trying to pull together strange pantry ingredients at 4:45 p.m. is a recipe for credit card disaster.

30 Days of Tips - Scattering Money

Tip #4: I usually don't give suggestions on investments or how to keep your money or any bank matters at all, really. But I have found this one to be very useful & I want to share it. Most of us suffer from Burning Pocket Syndrome. It's evident in that once we have a certain amount of money banked, we always tend to spend it. Now the amount that we need to have banked before spending varies for each of us, but we all have that dollar amount where, when we see it on our account statement, we start spending. I believe this is a psychological phenomenon, similar to how it feels much easier to put $250 on our credit card than to spend $40 in cash.

So one of my solutions for this has been to scatter our money. We currently have several different bank accounts, none of them very full, but each of them with some small sum. We rarely reach that psychological point of spending, plus, we usually have money to draw on if we decide we need something right away.

30 Days of Tips - Modifying Clothing

Tip #3: Let's face it, there are some great deals to be found at The Crap & all its associated venues. The regular stores have decent clearance racks, Old Navy stores have great end-of-season clearance racks & The Crap Outlet almost always has something on sale for 99 cents. Just tonight, they had all women's & girls' sleeveless & tanks on sale for 99 cents & all men's short sleeves for the same. Problem is, when you get them home, they just hang blandly in the closet along with all the other Crap clothes that look the same as the one next to it as the one in the next house over as the one in the house after that. What to do?

Some ideas:

• dye it, one color or tie-dye
• add vintage elements picked up on a thrift or garage sale budget
• add an image to the front using ink jet iron-on transfers
• add an embroidered or knitted shape to the front
• add a fuzzy collar to a plain sweater from that old boa in your daughter's dress up clothes
• cut jeans into capris into shorts
• use advanced sewing skills to turn a dress into a shirt or a tank into a toddler dress
• buy the "tent dress" for $1.99 & use the fabric for a skirt and a shirt and a tablecloth and a dress for your daughter (I must wonder, who really thinks they can wear a "tent dress" well?)

30 Days of Tips - Nine In Nine Out

Tip #2: Who thinks they could use some more space, raise your hand. Who wants a larger mortgage payment, raise your hand. Now who wants more space with the same mortgage payment? Ah ha, now we're talking.

This is your new rule, whatever comes in, the same number goes out. Nine new articles of clothing at Christmas time? Nine articles to Goodwill the day after. Food & other consumables can be an exception.

On a practical note, the system works best if you keep a box somewhere unobtrusive & fill it with your outgoing items, then donate when full.

30 Days Of Tips

The Tightwad Trainer has returned! A month late & a month more knowledgable, I will bring to the table 30 days of tips! Why? Because everybody loves tips. Because tips are easy to implement. Because tips are short & easy to read. Because I want to reward the tightwads-in-training who haven't removed me from their bookmarks this summer.

Tip #1: Fall in love with handwashing again. This method is great for small loads & helps break the dependency on the automatic washer, plus, you don't have to trek up & down the basement steps. And since it's an organic, hands-on activity, it's more fun, too.

First, figure out what container you're going to use for washing. Ideas include small plastic wastebaskets, empty plastic cat litter containers, plastic mop buckets, plastic paint buckets. Add water, detergent or soap of your choice & small load. Swish with your hands or a long spoon. Let sit for at least a couple hours. Next day, swish again & let sit a bit. Dump out water. Rinse. A laundry basket can be a great container for rinsing. Wring out wet clothes. Hang to dry or lay on heating vent in winter.