With a little creativity and some smart shopping, it's possible to reduce food waste at home quite easily. If you find yourself throwing out rotten food on a regular basis, you're also throwing away the money you used to purchase the food. And that's not good for the grocery budget!
Create a Meal Plan
Creating a meal plan is a crucial step to help you spend less and waste less. When you know what you're going to eat every day of the week, you ideally will only purchase the foods you need at the grocery store.
Without a meal plan and a grocery list based on your plan, you'll most likely find yourself wandering the aisles grabbing whatever looks good to you. That's fun, but you'll most likely end up with not enough or not the right groceries for a week's worth of meals.
If you really struggle with menu planning, then try out $5 Meal Plan. It happens to be my favorite meal planning service. It’s just $5 a month (the first two weeks are free!), and you get menu plans sent straight to your email along with the exact shopping list you need in order to create the meals. Each meal costs around $2 per person or less. This service allows you to save time because you won’t have to meal plan anymore, and it will save you money as well! If you are interested in joining for free, click here.
Account for Leftovers
If you find you usually have quite a few leftovers, account for the leftovers in your meal plan. Maybe set aside one or two nights that you devote to eating up those leftovers. Or, turn those leftovers into another meal. Perhaps all that leftover spaghetti sauce will create a wonderful chili, as an example.
Buy Less
If your pantry and freezer are quite well stocked, start your "shopping" there. By using what you have on hand already, will ensure you don't buy more than you need and will help prevent food waste on the products you've already purchased.
Also, something I've learned about our family is, while buying a big package of celery (for example) may be cheaper in the long run than buying individual stalks, most of it goes to waste! We're not big celery eaters so purchasing individual stalks is actually cheaper for us because I only buy what we will use. This same principle can apply to many different items in the grocery store.
Buy What you Love
You may have had some moments where you think you should eat more quinoa/fish/whatever, as you're strolling through the grocery store. I've had plenty of those nutritional guilt trips, but this inevitably leads to unplanned purchases for items your family may not be too excited about yet. Focus on the foods your family enjoys, and add new ones gradually, after you've found recipes worth trying.
Buy Local
In all honesty, I never understood how buying local produce could save you money since the price I was looking at paying was more expensive than something I could purchase from a regular grocery store. But then I realized that local produce travels way less than anything purchased from most grocery stores. Because local produce travels less, you're paying for a fresher item that will have a much longer life span! Makes sense, right? An obvious reason to support our local farmers.
Take Smaller Portions
Before you dish out another big portion, ask yourself if you really will finish what's on your plate. Since it's not likely you'll save that little piece of chicken you couldn't finish, stick to smaller portions. You can always get seconds!
Freeze Leftovers
Rather than scraping your leftovers into the garbage or if you don't feel like eating them before they go to waste, put them in the freezer! This makes for a great way to reduce waste and creates an easy meal for a busy night.
Take some time to learn what "sell-by" or "use by" dates actually mean. The sell-by date is the last recommended day you should buy a product from the store, but you can still eat it several days to a week after. "Use-by" is the date through which the item will be top-quality. But, if stored properly, most foods will stay fresh a few days longer than the use-by date! Of course, if you note any weird odors, textures, or colors, throw it out.
Overlook Imperfections
Whether it's soft spots in apples, bruises on bananas or dark spots on potatoes, all produce will develop imperfections. With produce that is past its prime, simply cut around the "bad" parts before you eat or throw veggies into a stock pot for soup, or make a smoothie with the less pristine fruits. Just because something isn't in perfect condition doesn't mean it's inedible!
If you're dealing with mold, though, it's time for the garbage. Unless it's cheese. You can cut around the mold to salvage the rest.
Save it for the compost
Some food waste is unavoidable, so why not set up a compost bin for fruit and vegetable pieces and peelings? In a few months you'll end up with nutrient-rich compost for your garden!
Got a big, bare wall staring you in the face? Don’t rush off to the store or even the interior decorator just yet. You can make your own custom wall art that will fit your needs, satisfy your desires and cost next to nothing.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to be talented, crafty, or even coordinated. All you need are a few supplies, some time, and a little bit of creativity. We’re talking bare minimum creativity, and if you’re not confident that you can supply even the tiniest creative spark, borrow someone’s child for the day. One way or another, you’ll be able to make great wall art with a small amount of effort and an even smaller budget.
Project 1: Living Large in the Living Room
You need something to stare at besides the TV, right? Well, that demands a pretty big piece of wall art if it’s going to compete with today’s huge flat screens. Get ready to create your own painted canvas to display in your living room. Your friends and family will be impressed with your artistic talent and ingenuity, but all you have to do is follow these simple steps:
Buy a large artistic canvas, 2-3 colors of acrylic paint, painter’s tape, and a drop cloth or tarp if you don’t already have one. The expensive item here is going to be the canvas, but it’s still a lot less expensive than buying prefabricated art.
Decide which color you’d like to show underneath the tape – if it isn’t white, then paint your canvas all over and wait for it to dry. If you like white, skip to the next step.
Lay the painter’s tape across the canvas in diagonals, making sure that each piece of tape is long enough to extend past the edges of the canvas. You can create shapes between the pieces of tape – triangles are easy and make for a nice modern art appeal.
Once your tape is in place, decide which segments you’d like to paint in each color. Two contrasting colors create a stark and interesting effect, while colors from the same family soften this piece of art. Start painting and try not to get both colors in the same section, or you’ll lose the segmented effect.
Wait for the paint to dry, then peel off the tape and touch up any irregular spots. Hang your new wall art and enjoy the compliments from your family and friends.
Project 2: Kitchen Wallflowers
It can be difficult to decorate a kitchen, so many people just leave it as a functional room. Don’t fall into this rut – make your kitchen fabulous with simple but beautiful wall art.
Find or buy a large empty frame from an antique store.
Collect tin cans until you have four or five, then remove the labels by soaking the cans and using nail polish remover to get rid of any residue.
Hang the frame in your kitchen, then position the tin cans inside it and nail them to the wall in a neat line, leaving as much space above them as possible.
Fill your tin cans with fresh flowers in spring and summer, twigs and colorful leaves in the fall, and holly and berries in the winter.
Project 3: Entryway Showstopper
Make a place to hang your keys and show off your artistic side with this piece of wall art. Your friends and family will be amazed to see something you made with such lovely form and helpful function.
Snag an old window shutter from an antique store, thrift store or from your garage. You can also raid friends’ garages or hunt for one if you have a family farm.
Either decide that you like your shutter as is or paint it to go with your entryway décor.
Nail your shutter horizontally onto the wall, then add some nails on the bottom edge to hang your keys.
Insert favorite photos or postcards between the slats.
Appreciate your handiwork.
See how easy and affordable it is to create your own unique wall art? With just a few supplies in hand, you’ll be well on your way to solving your blank wall dilemmas.
I’d love to hear your ideas for decorating blank walls on a budget. Let me know in the comments!
We all know buying in bulk is a great way to save money for our families. When you buy larger quantities you pay less for each ounce, serving, or piece. Sadly sometimes our best intentions to save money by purchasing in bulk, costs us more money than we intended. The good news is, all of those great intentions can pay off and you can buy in bulk to save money with a little planning and know-how.
Use the tips below to help you learn how to buy in bulk to save money.
Decide if bulk is worth it for your family.
Smaller families do not need to buy everything in bulk because when food goes bad you are not truly saving anything. Some things like toilet paper and cleaning supplies are great to buy in bulk for everyone. They will never go bad and you can get your money's worth from a purchase like that. However, in most cases, a small family may find it challenging to go through large quantities of perishable items before they go bad.
Compare bulk price to the regular price.
Sometimes buying in bulk is not as good of a deal as may sound. Take the time to divide the price by ounces, servings, or pieces so that you can see how much you are really paying. When sales hit it can often be better to buy the smaller packages than to purchase the bulk one, not on sale.
Check expiration dates and rotate your stock.
It is really easy for things to be forgotten in the back of the pantry or freezer for a long period of time. Only to be discovered when it is too late. Grab a sharpie and put dates in large print on everything. Move new items to the back when putting your groceries away to avoid using the newest items before the old.
Store items well to make them last longer.
Airtight containers can keep your bulk supplies fresh longer. A vacuum sealer can keep that fresh meat you found a great deal on from being freezer burnt before you can use it, and storing produce like carrots in water will keep them fresh longer giving you time to use them.
Plan your menu to use up fresh items before they go bad.
Nothing can ruin a great deal like not using what you bought before it begins to rot. When purchasing produce in bulk you really want to be sure you have a plan to use it. When we find a really good deal we plan to use it in every meal and snack we can to be sure it gets used.
Compare prices and selections at your local wholesale clubs BEFORE buying a membership.
Often places like Costco will let you in to check out the selection before you buy a membership. Compare the prices of the top ten things your family will be buying in bulk and go with the club membership if that will give you the best deal on these items.
Look for bulk in unexpected places.
Often supermarkets will have bulk basics like flour in 25-pound sacks available. Your local farmer's market is a great place to find a deal on bulk produce from local farmers looking to clear out stock by the end of the day. You do not have to purchase a wholesale club membership to buy in bulk if you take the time to shop around helping you save a bit more money when buying in bulk.
Do you find buying in bulk is worth it for your family? What things do you most often buy in bulk? From where?
Is your garage stacked to the ceiling with stuff? If so, it might be time to give it a good cleaning. Cleaning out your garage can not only give you more space in your home, but can also net you some cash in your pocket! Want to know more? Take a look below at these 5 ways to make money by cleaning out your garage, I’m sure you’ll find something you can sell!
5 Ways to Make Money By Cleaning Out Your Garage:
1. Sell your old/unused tools.
Are you a tool hoarder? Tools have excellent resale value. Sell your usable power tools Kijiji, Craigslist, Facebook Buy & Sell groups or place an ad in the local paper. Older tools might be valuable to collectors, so do your research on them and see if they might be worth anything. You typically need just one of each tool, so part with any extras to make some quick cash.
2. Scrap that metal.
Is your garage full of metal pieces? If so, you can scrap them for cash. Old appliances, fencing, old copper, brass, or even aluminum are all worth cash at a local metal recycling center. You don’t even need to clean the pieces, just haul them to the center, have them weighed, and collect your cash.
3. Sell your old bikes.
Bikes both old and new can find a new home on Kijiji, Craigslist, ebay, or your local paper/garage sale site. Collectors are always looking for bike parts and will be willing to take the old bikes off your hands, while college students are always looking for used bikes they can snag for a song. If you have any bikes either old or new, broken or functional, sell them for cash.
4. Hold an odds and ends garage sale.
Get rid of the random clutter with a garage or yard sale. Advertise your sale for free in Facebook Buy & Sell groups as well as sites like Kijiji or Craigslist. Price your items to sell, create a neat and organized display, and you are sure to not only pull in some cash but create some extra space in your garage as well. Just haul out those items, give them a good dusting, and stick a tag on them. It’s that easy!
5. Donate for a tax write off.
Remember, you can get a tax deduction for any donations you make to not for profit agencies. If you have functional items such as toys, hoses, lawn tools, appliances, bikes, wagons, etc. then why not donate them? You will get a receipt for your donation and you will be able to write the amount off on next year’s taxes. That’s like cash in the pocket!
Don’t deal with that cluttered garage any longer. Instead, give these tips for finding money in your own garage a try and you will not only make space, but make some money as well.
Have you found any treasures hidden in your garage lately? Let me know in the comments.
Odds are, when you started your garden you were not thinking about how you could earn money from it. Over time you may have seen a bit of potential and started to think about how you could make money from your garden. Even a small thriving garden can earn a bit of extra money. If you are skilled or have plenty of space you can earn even more.
Today, I'd love to outline some ways that you can Earn Money from your Garden.
Sell extra produce
Often, the first issue that makes you think about how you could earn money from your garden is an overabundance of produce. You may be wondering just how you could ever use up that many tomatoes. Selling that extra produce is a great way to earn some cash and help save someone else some money. First, offering the produce for sale to friends and family will definitely help you reduce your overabundance. If you still have produce leftover, post a sign in front of your yard advertising produce for sale. You may have many neighbors stopping by!
Selling canned goods
Check your Province or city's food laws to see if you can earn money from your garden by canning extra produce and selling the jars. Selling homemade jams, jellies, and other canned goods just might be the answer for you. Due to law, your sales are often limited to a few thousand a year, but that's perfect for using up the extra food from your garden. Homemade canned jams and jellies make great gifts around the holidays and can end up selling very well.
Sell plants
Are you a whiz at getting seeds to sprout into strong thriving seedlings? Do you have plants in your garden or pots that need to be thinned out? Selling plants to other gardeners in your neighborhood is a great way to earn extra money from your garden. If you do not have plants to sell how about seeds? Cuttings from that prize plant your neighbors all love?
Teaching others gardening skills
Have you been gardening for years and have a beautiful thriving garden that neighbors admire? Why not offer to teach gardening classes in your home garden or even at the local library for a small fee? Depending on local interest, you can earn a good bit of money running classes on the topics of caring for plants, propagating cuttings, and keeping plants alive for the not so green thumbs. Often a bit of education is all that stands in the way of a thriving garden. Many parents are looking for summer activities for their children and learning to garden could be a great use of time and energy.
The important part of making money with your garden is to not allow the focus on earning to take the joy out of your garden. If you lose the joy that made your garden thrive in the first place, your garden will suffer. So start out small, have fun, and make the most of the opportunities that come your way.
Have you tried making some extra money from your garden? How did you do it?
Have you indulged in some poor spending habits lately? If so, then it's time to get your budget back on track. I find once I'm on the spending train, it's hard to get off! However, I do manage to disembark eventually with a few tips I've used over the years. Take a look below at these 7 surefire ways to get your budget back on track and find your way to financial freedom.
7 Surefire Ways to Get Your Budget Back on Track
1. Go on a spending freeze.
First and foremost, if you're stuck in the vicious spend cycle, you have to just stop. Begin by vowing not to spend any money for 10-14 days. In this time, use what you have on hand and refuse to buy anything new. See how much money this spending freeze can save you. You might be surprised! You might also be surprised to find that you can be content without spending money on "stuff" because you've discovered new ways to occupy yourself.
Following your freeze, track your spending for 10-14 days. If you spend so much as a dime, write it down. At the end of your tracking period, see where your money is going. This visual data will help you see where serious cuts need to be made.
3. Start cutting!
Use the data from your spending tracking to see where cuts need to be made. Get serious about seeing these cuts through. Find ways around these purchases and then stick to it. Some examples may be eliminating eating out, turning cable off, buying less clothing for your kids or giving up monthly magazine purchases.
4. Bring friends on board.
If you need to get your budget back on track, be honest with your friends. Let them know about your goals so they aren’t trying to convince you to spend money when you shouldn’t. This way, you will also have a support system in place.
5. Celebrate small victories.
When you complete your spending freeze or tracking, or make bug cuts, celebrate! Plan a family fun day or go on a cheap date. Or, if you can, put aside $5 into a vacation fund each time you save $50. Knowing there is a reward each time you accomplish something, can be enough to keep you pressing onward.
6. Track your progress.
Each time you make a successful cut or save a dollar or two through your hard work, write it down. Track your savings so you can see how much your hard work is paying off. At the end of the week, check out your total savings and give yourself a well deserved pat on the back.
7. Don’t quit.
Even when you see the savings add up and the budget gets back on track, don’t stop! It will be important that you keep these tips in mind and perform regular check ups on your budget to stay on track.
See how simple it can be to get your budget back on track? With these tips and a bit of hard work you'll soon be seeing a difference in your budget.
Do you have any tips that help you get your spending under control? Please share in the comments!
