Some tips on saving money the unconventional way

One of the ways that has always helped me save money is to budget.  Keeping track of how much is being spent helps to control spending.  

We opened up a savings account with an automatic deposit every month.  Start with the least amount you can do without and increase the amount as you can. Those regular deposits add up!

Both The Captain and I participate in Bing Rewards.  We simply do all of our searches through the Bing Rewards dashboard and cash in our rewards with Amazon gift cards.  If  you are active on the internet like we are, the points add up fast.  

We also use charge cards that give reward points for purchases.  We pay as many of our bills using the charge cards to build up points fast.  Make sure to have the discipline to not carry over balances of paying those bills.  We cash in those points for restaurant gift cards and treat ourselves to going out to eat at a nice restaurant at least once a month.

Those gift cards are a great way to give yourself a treat without spending money for it!

Here is an article with lots of ideas to save money using unconventional methods.

Why you should have a well stocked pantry

The question to the why is, of course, to save money and stretch your budget to the limit.

The Captain and I are very blessed to have the privilege of having access to our local air force base commissary.  We always shop the seasonal case lot sales, take advantage of monthly sales and plan for our purchases with their listings of sales on the internet.  

Last year we bought a case of Kraft Mayonnaise that cost us 75 cents per bottle. Big savings and we didn't have to worry about buying mayo for over a year. 

My favorite case lot sale included Pepsi products that equated to a 2 liter bottle of soda for 35 cents each. We stocked up with massive quantity buys since we go through a fortune in Pepsi products.  Yes, we saved a ton of money on that one sale.

Although I have not been a member of Sam's Club type of store, I am sure similar savings can be found if you take the time to find those bargains.  Make sure those big purchases are for items you often use and won't just sit there in the pantry.

Click here for a well written, informative article titled "Why to Have a Well-Stocked Pantry."

7 Weird Ways to Save $4000/Year

Yep, it says weird ways to save money.  It doesn't involve making any cuts or changes to your current budget and savings methods.  Having said that, making little changes to our spending habits along with doing some of the weird little things that may seem insignificant, we can have extra money to either save for something special or stretch the monthly budget to a comfortable level.  It all adds up!

The Captain and I have utilized weird ways of making a little extra money, like using Bing to do searches and get paid in Amazon gift cards.  We accumulate the gift cards until we have enough for a purchase we have set as a goal.  While it didn't put money in our pockets, we were able to purchase a little treat just for doing searches on the internet.

We also use Google AdSense on all of our blogs to make actual money.  Check it out if you haven't already.

Filling out surveys and watching videos is another way to make money on the internet for those who have the time to dig in and do those things.  We have done those too and were paid in Amazon gift cards.

Rewards points from charge cards can certainly add up.  We are awaiting our first $50 Red Lobster gift card just for using our charge card.  Of course we have come up with a plan to just filter all the expenses through the card and pay the card immediately so we don't accumulate a balance . . . just valuable points.

I could go on and on with little things you can do, but you get the idea.  Think outside the box!  Click here for those 7 weird says to save $4000/year.

Frugal Household Remedies

I love discovering new uses for stuff that is

already on hand, much less inexpensive or a 

quick fix for those pesky household problems.  

Here are a few . . . 

Use ketchup to remove tarnish from copper and brass cookware. Squeeze ketchup onto a cloth and rub it on pots and pans. Rinse with warm water and dry with a towel.

Does anyone have a natural remedy for cleaning stainless steel cookware?

Use oatmeal to scrub very dirty hands. Make a thick paste of oatmeal and water . . . rinse well.

Use glycerin to remove dried wax drippings from candlesticks. Peel off as much wax as possible, then moisten a cotton ball with glycerin and rub until clean.

Scuffed Linoleum

Rub the spot with white toothpaste and a dry cloth or with an eraser. Or spray WD-40 on a towel and rub lightly, making sure to degrease the area afterward with liquid dishwashing soap and water.

Stuck Sliding Windows

A little silicone spray lubricant (sold at hardware stores) will grease the skids. Spray it onto a rag and wipe along the tracks.

Stained Tub

Combine equal amounts of cream of tartar and baking soda with enough lemon juice to make a paste. Rub the mixture into the stain with your fingers or a soft cloth. Let sit for a half hour, then rinse well with water.

Clogged drains 
Sprinkle 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, then pour 1 cup of white vinegar. Follow immediately with 2 cups of boiling water. It will fizz and bubble then "poof" your drain will become unclogged. Do this once a month to keep drains free and clear. 

Save money with freezer meals

With the grocery store taking a huge portion of our budget, learning how to get the most from available food dollars is becoming more important every day.  We take advantage of the buy one, get one free deals on a regular basis, occasionally use coupons, but have not tried bulk buying and cooking, then freezing.

Natalie from A Turtle's Life For Me recently posted an article on how she saves money by bulk cooking and freezing.  The article is full of money-saving tips!  Check it out . . . click here.

I'm impressed and amazed at the system she's come up with . . . we plan on trying out many of her techniques in an effort to save money on groceries.