Here’s What to Do When the Power Goes Out in Your Home

 

Photo source:  Readers Digest

"How ready are you for the next power outage? With causes ranging from thunderstorms to natural disasters to electrical grid issues, power outages are common around the country, and they go on far longer than you might think. If it happens to you, and it will eventually, you need to know what to do when the electricity goes out." Comment from Readers Digest

Those of us living in hurricane territory are mostly aware of power outages, however, everyone should know what to do.

Click here to go to the Readers Digest article to find out.

How to tell if your phone is hacked

 

Photo source:  Readers Digest

"Could cybercriminals be infiltrating your bank account or stealing your identity right now? Here’s how to find out if your phone is under attack."  Comment from Readers Digest

I've often wondered about how to check my phone.  Now I know.  Check out the article if you want to know too.

Click here to go to the Readers Digest article.

Grocery Store Items with the Highest Markups

 

Photo source:  Readers Digest

"If you’re trying to figure out how to save money on groceries, you need to shop smart. Start by avoiding shrinkflation—when product sizes decrease, but their prices don’t—a sneaky tactic brands hope you don’t notice. You can avoid shrinkflation with the help of websites like Mouse Print, that advocate for consumers. Get familiar with grocery store secrets and supermarket tricks to conserve cash. And finally, save up to half off your total bill by simply avoiding the steep markup on certain items, including the ones listed below."  Comment from Readers Digest

I need to pay more attention to this article because I am doing everything wrong.  Not a good frugalista thing to do!

Click here to go to the Readers Digest article.

Understanding Food Expiration Date Labels Made Simple UPDATE

 

Photo Source:  Everyday Cheapskate

"Ever tossed out milk the second it hit its “Sell By” date, only to later wonder if you just poured money down the drain? You’re not alone. Food expiration date labels are confusing on purpose (well, almost). The truth is, most dates are about quality, not safety. And knowing the difference between “Best By,” “Use By,” and “Sell By” can save you a small fortune over time. Let’s decode the mystery so you can waste less, save more, and maybe even brag about your grocery smarts."  Comment from Everyday Cheapskate

That is exactly what I was thinking yesterday when I threw away almost a full bottle of milk.  I'd love to get educated on this since I throw away so much.  Could this be a food industry ploy to get you to spend more money?

Click here to go to the Everyday Cheapskate article.

And here is another article . . .

What Best-By Dates Really Mean, According to Food Scientists 
Click here to go to the Martha Stewart.com article.

12 Foods You Must Toss After Their Expiration Date

Click here to go to the Readers Digest article.

Things You Should Always Wash In Cold Water

 

Photo source:  Southern Living

"On laundry day, it may be tempting to lump whites and darks into two big piles to make quick work of the overwhelming mound of dirty clothes in your laundry room. But besides color and fabric type, the temperature of the water you wash your laundry in matters too. Hot water can damage delicate fabrics like wool or silk, or cause them to shrink. Your new satin blouse may be clean, but you don’t want it to come out of the washing machine a size smaller. Cold water is safer for washing these items. Before you separate your laundry, check this list for things to always wash in cold water."  Comment from Southern Living

Click here to go to the Southern Living article and learn how to prevent having to spend money on more clothes by taking proper care of what you have.

Tricks For Unclogging Your Kitchen Sink You Need To Know

 

Photo source:  Chowhound.com

"When it comes to kitchen maintenance issues, nothing is quite as frustrating as a blocked kitchen sink. But before you go calling a plumber at those expensive premiums, there are many ways you can try solving this issue yourself. Whether it's a combination of the best natural ingredients, a heavy-duty chemical solution, or another hack for clearing a drain, there are many ways to resolve a stubborn clog."  Comment from chowhound.com 

I've used some of these tricks and they do work.

Click here to go to the Chowhound.com article. 

Appliance Maintenance

 

Photo source:  Everyday Cheapskate

"It was Christmas Eve, and our refrigerator decided to play the ultimate prank by hitting 70°F. With guests due any minute, I was in full-on panic mode. That’s when I discovered the lifesaving power of DIY appliance service. A little quick maintenance, and we narrowly avoided a holiday disaster. This experience drove home the importance of regular appliance upkeep—something that can save you a lot of headaches and money down the road."  Comment from Everyday Cheapskate

Be prepared to take of these appliance maintenance tasks and save a lot of money.

Click here to go to the Everyday Cheapskate article.

Everyday Uses for Baking Soda That Work

 

Photo source:  Everyday Cheapskate

"Some of the cleverest uses shared below come straight from Everyday Cheapskate readers… longtime subscribers who know a thing or two about stretching a dollar and solving problems with what’s already on hand.

So whether you buy it in the supermarket’s baking aisle or in bulk, here are 40 creative, practical, and budget-friendly ways to make the most of that little orange box."  Comment from Everyday Cheapskate

I have been using baking soda in my cleaning routine for years, but could not believe all the other baking soda uses.

Click here to go to the Everyday Cheapskate article to learn all those baking soda secrets.

Safely Wash Dry-Clean-Only Clothes at Home

 

Photo source:  Martha Stewart

"The dreaded "dry clean only" tag may have you skipping over that boutique item even though it would make a gorgeous addition to your wardrobe. But is there a way to wash dry-clean-only items at home? 

Below, garment care experts and laundry professionals share how to wash dry-clean-only clothes at home—and when a professional dry cleaner is absolutely necessary."  Comment from Martha Stewart.com

Back in my working days, I would go to the dry cleaners once a week and spent way too much money.  Not now!

Click here to go to the Martha Stewart.com article and find out how you can save money on dry cleaning.

Easy Ways to Make Your Jeans Last Much Longer

 

Photo source:  Everyday Cheapskate

"Ever feel like your jeans give up on you way too soon? Turns out, most of us are literally washing them to death. The fix is surprisingly simple and it doesn’t require fancy detergents or expensive denim care kits. A few small changes to your laundry routine can keep your jeans looking brand-new for years."  Comment from Everyday Cheapskate

Since I have made some of these changes, I have noticed a big difference.  With the price of jeans these, I really appreciate all that I have learned.

Click here to go to the Everyday Cheapskate article.

The Frugal Habits That Never Go Out of Style

 

Photo source:  Everyday Cheapskate

"Anyone who’s spent real time testing what actually saves money knows the truth: It’s not the flashy stuff. It’s the quiet, repeatable habits, the ones that work whether the economy is booming, sputtering, or doing something in between."  Comment from Everyday Cheapskate

I've written about some of my frugal habits.  They are little things that adapt to my lifestyle.  If you are serious about being sensible with your spending habits, you will find a way since you know your needs.  Check out Mary's article and it may inspire ways that will conform with your routine.

Click here to go to the Everyday Cheapskate article for some inspiration.

What Happens To Your Fridge Food When The Power Goes Out

 

Photo source:  Family Handyman

"A power outage can spoil more than your day—it can ruin what’s in your fridge, too. Our friends at Reader’s Digest break down how long food actually stays safe in a powerless fridge and share practical tips to keep your home running smoothly when outages strike. "  Comment from Family Handyman

Since I live in Florida, it is quite a concern with daily storms and threats of hurricanes in the summertime.  I've learned to make an attempt to not keep too much in the fridge, especially when there is a threat of a hurricane.  It is heartbreaking to lose everything in a fully stocked refrigerator.  I've gone through it many times. 

This article from Readers Digest is very thorough in giving facts about food safety, what foods spoil the fastest, how long it takes for certain foods to spoil, etc.  Excellent article and a must read, especially if you live in a climate like mine.

Click here to go to Readers Digest's article to learn how to deal with this problem.

Ways To Use Christmas Decor Basics Year After Year

 

Instead of buying new Christmas decor every year, wouldn't it be nice to learn how to use what you already have every year? 

When I was a kid, I remember having the same Christmas stuff year after year that was so special and I looked forward to them coming out of the boxes so I could enjoy them again.  They were more of a tradition than decorations, more like little treasures.

What has changed since then?

Perhaps the featured article from Thrifty Decor Chick holds the key to that question.  Click here to go to the article.

How To Save Money on Black Friday

 

Photo Source:  Positively Frugal

Black Friday is creeping up on us!  

Sarah at Positively Frugal has posted an article to help you frugally spend on Black Friday and other holiday sales.

It is not too late to plan your spending so you won't be swept away by all the hype of the sales season.

Click here to go to the article!

While you are there, subscribe to her newsletter and get a FREE Budget Worksheet.

Holiday Shopping Mistakes to Avoid This Season

 

It is coming next Friday!  Beware the allure of Black Friday with all the advertising trying to coax you into buying things you or your loved ones don't need.  Research and plan before you run off with the influence of all the hype of the day.

You know a little about my past life before the frugalista mentality hit me . . . work like a dog so I could spend, spend, spend on stuff I didn't need that now clutter my house.  My biggest vice was the Home Shopping Club.  Oh my God . . . that was instant in your face hype.  They wanted to make you think you could not live without the item they were trying to sell at the moment.  I really didn't have time to think about making the purchase, like do I need this.  It got me into big trouble!

Don't fall for the hype!  My best advice to you is to check out the article Mary from Everyday Cheapskate has posted on advise for not making holiday spending mistakes.

Click here to go to the article that will help you save money this holiday season!

How to Make Oxiclean - DIY Oxiclean

                                                        

Photo source: Homesteading in Ohio

Many years ago I started making my own cleaning concoctions that have saved me a whole lot of money.  For instance, I have a new respect for vinegar.  Just vinegar and water are like a magic potion.  It is great for cleaning so many things.

Anyway, I was searching for more concoctions that I can make to save more money and I ran across Cari from Homesteading in Ohio.  She is seriously into DIY cleaning products.  I'm already impressed and I haven't gotten beyond the DIY Oxiclean page.  I have lots to learn from her!  

Click here to be impressed by her page on Oxiclean and so much more.  You will be glad you did!

You are welcome.

Avoid Christmas Debt When Cash Is Tight

It seems like the older I get, the faster the Christmas holidays come around.  For me, I have taken care of avoiding the debt since I have not celebrated Christmas for a very long time since a lot of the people close to me have passed away.  I just don't feel it anymore.  However, it was a problem in the past.

The last seasons I celebrated, I cut way down on Christmas decorating.  It was once an obsession for me to decorate to the max.  It was beautiful, but expensive.  Anyway, that is where I started and just became very aware of where every penny was going.  Not being cheap, just frugal.

Another thing I cut out was the large open house Christmas celebration where we set up a large buffet of food that was outrageous now that I think about it.  It seems like we would invite everyone we knew.  It got out of hand fast and got bigger and bigger every year.  The smart thing would have been to make it a pot luck celebration where everyone brought a plate of food.  Well, it went away the last few seasons I celebrated.

Mary at Everyday Cheapskate has an excellent article with lots of tips on how to save money during the holidays.

Click here to go to the article.

I know it is early to start posting holiday stuff, but it takes time to start planning in order to save money.

The Frugal Mindset

 

Learning to be frugal with money by saving where you can so that you can spend where you want.  In my opinion, this is the foundation of being frugal.

A frugalista mindset focuses on what she/he needs, not trying make purchases based on what others have.  The major premise is to focus on needs.

Frugal spending habits is a good starting point to gain the mindset.  Remember that being frugal isn't being cheap . . . a positive attitude is key in anything you attempt to do.

Keeping a budget and sticking to it is very important.  Take your time to set your financial goals in order to develop a realistic budget.  A frugal mindset tracks expenses often as it relates to the budget.  I've developed a mindset of checking it every day, makes changes as necessary.  

Sometimes an emergency will make it necessary to update your budget.  It is not always easy.  But being frugal can make it easy to manage the emergency because you have probably saved money and hopefully put it in your savings to cover emergencies.  That one thing has saved me from a financial disaster when an emergency arises . . . I'm retired on a fixed income and saving money has become a major thing.

Your life situation will guide your mindset if you just give it lots of thought.  Just remember to make it about needs, not wants and save what is left over at the end of the month.

Replacing your washer or dryer

 

One of the things I do as a frugalista is research high dollar purchases.  Educate yourself on various features of the item and how they affect the cost to start off.  Know exactly what you want before going into the store and purchasing the item that has features you don't need.  If possible, familiarize yourself with the brand and compare store prices.

Unfortunately I am currently in the market for a new washing machine and have no idea what I actually want.  So I was very happy to come across the following article from Mary Hunt of Everyday Cheapsake that goes into everything you need to know before making the purchase of a washer or dryer.

Click here to go to the article and check out her blog while you are there.

Thoughts from a frugalista!

 

Frugal people understand the value of their money and don't indulge in unnecessary spending.

Being frugal is not being cheap.  A simple explanation is possessing an awareness of being over indulgent in spending.  Ask yourself "do I really need this?" before making purchases.

I'm a serious frugalista!  Read on for some of my thinking on being frugal.

In the past, I would overwork myself to make more money.  For what?  So I could purchase more stuff?  Currently, after a lifetime of overindulgence in my purchases, my house is stacked with way too much stuff that I should never have bought.  Now I have to get rid of the unnecessary stuff so I can live an orderly life and be comfortable in my surroundings.  

I often laugh at my former self for foolishly spending money instead of realizing that retirement and a fixed income was in my future.  What was I thinking?  Or was I thinking at all about my crazy spending?

One of the most important things I do to make it easy to stay frugal is to keep a budget and stick to it.  

My favorite way to overindulge and spend too much money is ordering meals from Door Dash rather than having to cook a meal for one that I really don't like to do.  If I didn't keep a budget and track my spending throughout the month, it would be so easy for me to dangerously overindulge in placing those orders.

Set financial goals!

Tracking my spending throughout the month keeps me living within my means.  I am aware of the fact that I am living on a fixed income through Social Security and have to stretch those dollars and leave enough at the end of the month to go toward my savings to cover emergencies.

Don't spend more on name brands . . . buy generic!  You'd be surprised at the difference in cost.  From what I have found in my research, most items are made at the same factory.  The only difference is the label and the cost.

I could go on and on!  I've gone through some rough financial times and try so hard to not go back.  There are so many little things I do that I will discuss in future posts.

A great article on how to be a beginning frugalista . . . click here.

How to Save on Your Electric Bill

 

My electricity bills went up drastically this year until my AC unit stopped working and was too expensive to fix.  That is when I realized how much it actually costs to have the luxury of air conditioning.

Anyway, I found an article that gives many tips on saving on your electricity bill.

Click here to go to the article.

Food Expiration Dates, Explained

 

I know I am probably guilty of tossing out grocery items prematurely based on those expiration dates.  The thought is always "better safe than sorry."  However, with the price of everything going up, I'm thinking it is a good idea to educate myself about those expiration dates.

Click here for an article that explains what items are still safe to consume and which must be tossed out past that expiration date.

Frugal Laundry Hacks

 

Cutting costs of everything has become a challenge lately!  I don't think we are alone . . .

One Good Thing by Jillee has an excellent article on frugal laundry hacks with some great tips.  Click here to go to the article.

Many uses for DIY Cleaner - Dawn and Vinegar

 

The combination of Dawn and white vinegar as a DIY cleaner is frugal magic.  You can just about forget all other cleaners . . . talk about saving money!

Check out the following articles to find out more:

New Uses for Dawn and White Vinegar

Dawn Dish Soap Uses

Best Ways to Use Vinegar

DIY Liquid Laundry Detergent

 

Since the pandemic began, we have used a shopping service to shop and deliver our groceries for us.  Of course, that made the already rising cost of groceries go way up.

Needless to say, I've been looking for ways to save money on groceries.  Although I have posted DIY recipes for laundry detergent in the past, I have not yet used them.  Mainly because they are powder detergent.

Today I found a recipe for liquid laundry detergent.  Click here to get the recipe.

DIY Recipes for Kitchen Cabinet Cleaning

 

My painted white kitchen cabinets are a nightmare to keep clean.  One of these days I'll get around to painting them another color.   In the meantime, I'm going to use one of the DIY recipes found in the following article.

Click here to go to the article.