Every Monday in 2015, I’ll be sharing a different idea to help you save money! Add all of these tips to your frugal repertoire and you’ll be able to save a lot of money this year! I hope you’ll gather a few new ideas or at least some inspiration from this series.
One way I really like to save money is by making, from scratch, items that are normally bought at the store. Some of my all-time favourite products to make are homemade cleaners. I’ve mentioned before, but I’m really into DIY projects that I can complete in an hour or less. Homemade cleaners definitely fall under that category. In fact, you could create a whole line of cleaning products that will clean your entire house in well under an hour. That my friends, is a good use of time and money for me! (Now, if only doing the actual chores was that quick…)
I’ll admit that we’re not 100% store-bought cleaner free. I still buy laundry detergent and Windex. Though often times I’ll just use water and a cloth for the windows/mirrors. As for laundry detergent, I just can’t get enough nerve to try making my own homemade laundry detergent. Maybe one day, but for now, buying those two things is what works for our family!
In the very basic sense of homemade cleaners, all you really need is vinegar, baking soda and water. Those three ingredients together and separately create the basis for your clean house. The best part? Those ingredients cost just mere pennies to use each time you create a DIY cleaner.
Over the years, I have posted quite a few Homemade Cleaner recipes on Simply Frugal that I thought I’d put together in one post for you. Here are my favorite, tried & true homemade cleaner recipes:
All-Purpose Cleaner
This all-purpose cleaner is a step up from a really basic recipe. It requires a couple of products that you may not have on hand initially but once purchased, a little goes a loooooong way.
DIY Natural Soft Scrub
This DIY natural Soft Scrub works so well! I would suggest making just a little bit at a time since it does solidify and becomes hard to get out of the jar.
DIY Super Citrus Cleaner
This Super Citrus Cleaner works really well for the soap scum we had in our bathtub! Try it out for yourself!
Sometimes I add white vinegar into the fabric softener dispenser in our washing machine. Other times I throw in one of my Homemade Dryer Sheets!
Those are the homemade cleaners that I regularly use in my home. I know that if you do a search on Pinterest you will find a ton of other homemade cleaner recipes. Try the ones that catch your eye. They may work for you or they may not! Just keep trying and eventually you’ll be saving a whole bunch of money because you stopped buying store-bought cleaners.
We all know that being organized means we stress less, feel happier and can think more clearly. But I'm a big believer of the fact that being organized can also really save you money!
Here are four smart organizing systems that I think you should implement in your life, that will in turn, save you money!
A Simple Menu Planning System
If you're wanting to eliminate the expensive Drive Thru routine, having a simple menu plan in place is key.
There's no need for an elaborate plan. Simply jot down a week's worth of meals based on what you have in the pantry/fridge/freezer in a notebook or on the calendar.
Make sure to take a look at your busy days so you can have a slow cooker meal or extra easy meal planned for those days.
Having a menu plan in place will also save you time and money at the grocery store. Say goodbye to wandering the aisles aimlessly and buying unnecessary items for a meal you "might" make.
A Coupon Organization System
If you're a coupon user, you'll definitely want to make sure you have a system in place for using your coupons effectively. Nothing is quite as disappointing as realizing you found several expired coupons for products you would have bought because you use those products regularly.
Set aside a few minutes each week to cut and sort your coupons into your chosen system. (accordion file folder, binder...etc.). Check out this post for a thorough look at some great coupon organizing systems.
A Regular Decluttering System
I find that having regular decluttering sessions helps me to save money and regain some sanity.
I usually find some long lost items that I thought I'd have to spend money on to replace.
In between my decluttering sessions, I like to have a donation box going at all times. Every time I come across an item that either annoys me or I haven't used in a long time, it goes straight into the box.
Make sure you have an effective money management system in place. That means you have a paper filing system for bills and important documents and a budget system/spreadsheet that works for you.
Missing a bill payment can easily be avoided if you have an organized system in place. If you're trying to repay debt or saving for something, a budget systemis essential to tracking your progress and gives you healthy money boundaries that will ensure your success.
Keeping up with these systems does not have to be hard. Set aside a few minutes a day or a chunk of time once a week for maintaining these systems. What's really hard, is letting your systems fall by the wayside, then having to figure out a way to regain control, which can end up costing you a lot more time and money in the long run.
Do you have any of these smart organizing systems in place in your home? How do you keep your finances and home organized?
Does it concern you that you don’t have an emergency fund? If so, it's not too late to change that! Building an emergency fund can offer you peace of mind as well as the cash you need for a rainy day. Here are 5 ideas to help you easily and efficiently build an emergency fund. Here is how to get started:
1. Set your goals.
Write down what your goal is for your emergency fund. Start low so it feels like something within reach. For example, choose an amount like $500. This would be enough to cover the cost of an appliance if one were to die on you or an unexpected bill.
2. Start with “small change.”
Start your fund by collecting your change. Every time you make a purchase and have change from the transaction, save it. If you find change around the house, store it away and save it. After 30 days, take your change and cash it in. Take the cash and add it to your emergency savings.
3. Go on a week long spending fast.
For one week, vow not to spend money. Instead, pack your lunch. Make your own coffee. Don’t buy any new clothing or entertainment items. Then, take the estimated cost of these items and put it in your fund. For example, if you spend $30 a week on lattes, take that $30 instead and place it in the fund.
4. Set aside 10 - 15% of your weekly income.
When you deposit your paycheck, take 10 - 15% off the top and put it in your emergency fund. It will be easier not to spend it if you don’t even see it in the first place. As you get comfortable with this amount, you can bump it up to 20% or more.
5. Sell what you don’t need.
Do you have a bunch of items around the home you don’t use anymore? Sell them! Ebay, Facebook Buy & Sell groups, Kijiji and Craigslist are a great way to unload unnecessary items. Take the money you make from your sales and add it to your emergency fund.
When you give these tips a try, you can quickly and easily build your emergency fund! Having an emergency fund on hand can help you feel more secure and prepared for the future as well. Give these tips a try and see what you can save. You are sure to be amazed!
What are your tried and true ways to building an emergency fund?
Every Monday in 2015, I’ll be sharing a different idea to help you save money! Add all of these tips to your frugal repertoire and you’ll be able to save a lot of money this year! I hope you’ll gather a few new ideas or at least some inspiration from this series.
Staying home more often is one of the simplest ways to have more time, spend less money, accumulate less clutter, and to simply live a less busy lifestyle!
Staying home used to be so hard for me. I’d go out to the mall or even drive over to the next city over for some ‘better shopping’, way more than I needed to. These trips would always result in money spent on lunch out, deals I may have thought I needed, and probably takeout for dinner because I was too tired to cook! Totally not worth it.
Staying Home means I have More Time, More Money, Less Clutter and a Simpler Lifestyle!
I’m amazed at how much I can get done at home when I limit my time out in town. I actually enjoy my twice a week grocery shopping trips because I have had time to plan the grocery list and meals. (and actually create the meals that I bought the groceries for!) I’m also somewhat impressed at what I can get accomplished around the house by staying home more often. I also have more time to play with my daughter one on one.
Another perk to spending more time at home is that I do less unnecessary spending. So I’m keeping more money in my bank account and bringing home less clutter. Win win!
Since having Sienna, I’ve found myself needing to be out more often. (For sanity reasons ;)) But I have also consciously chosen activities for us that don’t cost much or any money at all. We’ve gone to the library for story time, joined a Mother Goose program and gone for playdates at friends’ homes. We recently started going to a drop-in gymnastics class that costs only $5. As for me, I have a bi-weekly date with a couple of longtime girlfriends at my one girlfriend’s home. We bring snacks, but the conversations we have, no money can buy!
So as you can see, I don’t cut out every activity because I do value time spent with others in the community and my friends and family. But staying home more often really allows me to focus on what I value most and allows me to become refreshed so I can be a blessing to those I see when we do go out.
Staying home more often really works for me!
Here are some ideas to be happier at home:
Invite friends or family over for a movie/dinner night
Buy/pick some inexpensive flowers such as daffodils
Read a good book
Take a nice bath
Enjoy a dinner by candlelight
Clear out as much clutter as possible, clean off the kitchen countertops, get rid of at least one pile of papers
Listen to your favorite music
Listen to your favorite music LOUD when you’re cleaning
Surround yourself with the things you love, allow no room for things that don’t make you feel happy
Take time to enjoy your favorite hot or cold beverage in the mornings (or evenings)
Keep your favorite candle burning
Play hard with your children
Bake: it tastes great and smells wonderful
Try a new recipe that you found on Pinterest or another recipe site
Work at wanting what you have rather than having what you want
Play board games with family or friends
Stop resenting what your house isn’t and start appreciating what it is.
Display family photos
How does staying home save you more money? Please share in the comments!
Are you looking to save more money this year? Whether you are an occasional couponer or an avid one, take a peek below at 7 steps to organize your coupons for ultimate savings. By making a few changes to your organization, you can make sure your coupons work for you and get you the most bang for your buck. Here is how you can get started organizing your coupons and saving more!
1. Step One: Utilize a binder.
Head to your local dollar store for a simple three ring binder. You can then decorate it to your liking or just keep it clean and plain. Make sure it is sturdy and will last being handled often during the year.
2. Step Two: Divide your binder contents.
Now, divide your binder into sections. Your sections can be as follows: Dairy, Produce, Breads, Meat, Desserts, Breakfast, Toiletries, Cleaning, Soon to Expire. Place plastic sheets into each section which can then be used to hold the coupons for that section. (I like these ones.)
3. Step Three: Print off coupon policies.
Print off the coupon policies to your favorite store and add them to the back of your binder. This way you always have them for easy reference should you need them.
4. Step Four: Make a flyer pocket.
At the front of your binder, make a pocket for flyers. This way, you also have those to easily reference should you need them when shopping.
5. Step five: Do a weekly expiration check.
At the start of each week, do a check of the coupons to remove any that may have expired. If any are soon to expire, remove them and place them in a ‘soon to expire” file so you can use them before they become worthless.
6. Step Six: Bundle double coupon scenarios.
For stores like London Drugs that let you stack coupons, bundle those coupons together before filing them. For example if London Drugs has a store coupon for Dove soap and you have a manufacturer coupon for it as well, clip them together before filing. This way you won’t have to dig and can figure your savings out easily.
7. Step Seven: Track your savings.
Keep a running tally in the back of your binder of how much you have saved. You can do this by storing your receipts or simply jot down the date and the amount of coupon savings you earned. At the end of the month add up your savings and use it as a goal and motivator for next month.
You can make the most of your coupons and really save at the checkout! Give these tips a try and see how they work for you!
I love making my own homemade mixes. In fact, I love making them so much I devoted the entire month of March a couple of years ago to homemade mixes. Not only are they friendly on the wallet, they're more healthy than their store bought counterparts. The convenience factor is also something to be noted. I love knowing that I most likely have all the ingredients on hand to whip up a giant batch of pancake mix (Or taco seasoning. Or oatmeal. The list is endless.) for when the mood strikes on the weekend.
Make Your Own Homemade Mixes
This money saving tip might not save you much if you regularly get mixes for pennies with coupons. But if you're in the habit of buying expensive baking mixes, seasonings, pancake mixes and individual sized oatmeal packs, you'll save a ton.
Homemade mixes will not only save you money because it's more economical than buying them pre-made at the store, but they can also save you money by encouraging you to eat at home. If you have pancake mix already made or pizza dough in the freezer, you have fewer excuses to go out for breakfast or order pizza.
How to Make Your Own Homemade Mixes
First of all, you can check out my March Mixes series for recipes or inspiration. You could first try something that you regularly purchase at the grocery store. Pinterest is also a wealth of information for homemade mixes. Experiment often. When you find a great recipe, keep it on file! Pretty soon you'll have a nice collection of tried and true recipes, plus, a stockpile of mixes in your pantry or freezer!
