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 to save money is by earning a little extra money! One of my favourite ways to earn a little extra happens to be selling my unwanted clothing. While I’m not a big name brand shopper, I often have clothes that are in great condition that sell well in consignment shops. You’ve probably seen me write about the powers of selling used stuff in local Facebook Buy & Sell groups, but for what ever the reason, I don’t have much success selling clothing on these sites. So consignment is my go-to for selling unwanted clothes.
Here are my tips to help you get the most money out of the items you bring to consignment:
Make sure your items are clean
Give your gently-worn clothes a wash to freshen them up and to get any stains out, you’ll have more luck selling items that are in great shape.
Make sure your items are ironed
Going along with my previous point, having clothes that are newly ironed will help your items sell for top dollar.
Make sure your items are current/in style
You will have the best luck selling more “current” clothing; nobody wants to wear your grandmother’s polyester pants!
Don’t hold on to something you know you won’t wear
The longer you hold on to an item you know you won’t wear, the less it will be worth when you decide to finally clear your closet.
Brand names sell well
There are many many people out there that want the brand name clothing at a fraction of the cost. Consignment stores are a great place to bring your brand name clothing to get a bit of return on your investment!
On the opposite side of things, consignment stores are also a great place to find a deal on clothing you may need yourself! This week’s 52 Ways to Save post will have you earning and saving! 😉
Do you have any tips for selling your clothing in consignment stores? Have you ever snagged a brag worthy deal?
Does it seem as though you can’t get control of your finances, no matter how hard you try? You might be making some common money mistakes and not even realizing it. These mistakes can be costly, and can rob you of your hard earned money. Take a look below at 5 money mistakes you might be making and see how easy it can be to prevent them from happening.
Are you making these money mistakes?
1. Using ATMs not associated with your bank.
If you are using an ATM that does not belong to your own bank, you are most likely paying a fee on your withdrawal. The fee can come at you from both ends, both your bank and the bank you are visiting. Suppose you pay $4 in fees per transaction, and do this 5 times a month. That is $20 a month or $240 a year! Instead, only use ATM’s that belongs to your bank or credit union. This way, you aren’t being slapped with transaction fees.
2. Not investing in your savings account.
Each week, you should be making a contribution to your savings account. This should be money that is skimmed from your weekly paycheck before it is touched for anything else. Even on a tight budget, try to place 10% of what you make in a savings account with a decent interest rate. This way, you are building an emergency fund while making a little money on it at the same time.
3. Not reading your monthly statements.
You need to be sure you are opening and reading your monthly bank statements. This is a great way to check for errors as well as balance your account. Properly balancing your account helps you avoid overdrawing it and facing penalty fees. Open your statement each month so you are well informed of changes happening in your account.
4. Not tracking your spending.
It is wise to track your spending for a week to 10 days every few months. This way you can see where your money is going and make changes if necessary. During the tracking period write down every cent you spend then evaluate where your money is going at the conclusion. Make cuts and changes where necessary.
5. Not paying cash.
Do you find yourself charging purchases out of convenience? This convenience could be costing you! Interest rates as well as missed payments can really raise your bill in no time. Instead, work on a cash system for paying for purchases. (These printable cash envelopes are great for organizing your cash system!) You will avoid interest rates and monthly payments all together.
Are you making any of these money mistakes? If so, stop! By making some simple changes you can get your finances under control and looking healthier. Give these tips a try!
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.
9 Tips for Gardening on a Budget
Are you ready to “get growing?” The arrival of spring has many ready to get outdoors and start planting their gardens, but what if you are working on a limited budget? Well the good news is, gardening doesn’t have to be expensive, and in fact it can be a great way to save yourself some cash in the long run. If you are considering planting a garden this season and want to do so for less, take a look at these 9 tips for gardening on a budget. You will be amazed at how easy it can be to “get growing” for less!
1. Start your seeds indoors.
Sure you can buy seedlings, but starting your own seeds indoors is cheaper! A seedling cost at least $1-$5, while you can get an entire pack of seeds for $1 or less. So start your seeds indoors using seed starters and some basic soil, and you can have your own seedlings in no time. (Read this how-to post for details on how to start your seeds indoors!)
2. Check out your local dollar store.
Dollar stores have a great selection of gardening gear for just $1 each. Choose from seeds, flower pots, gardening gloves, fertilizer spikes, watering cans, starter trays, and more! It is a great way to build your gardening stash for less.
3. Use natural fertilizers.
Instead of buying plant food and fertilizers, try making your own! Crushed egg shells and coffee grounds make excellent plant food. You can also use fruit peels to help nourish the soil and keep your plants healthy.
4. Practice chemical free pest repellent.
Again, you can buy your own pest repellent, but why not make your own for less? A simple spray bottle of water and a few drops of Dawn Dish Soap can help keep many pests at bay! This is a great way to save cash and omit chemicals in your garden.
5. Start a rain barrel.
Instead of spending money on watering your garden, catch rainwater instead. A rain barrel is the perfect trick for catching rain perfect for watering your garden with. Even a small barrel or bucket can give you enough water to keep a small garden satisfied.
6. Make your own garden markers.
You can make garden markers out of all kinds of household materials. Try making some from wood craft sticks and markers to get started. This is a great way to keep your garden organized for less.
7. Team up with friends.
Team up with friends and neighbors to borrow each other’s gardening tools and equipment. You can even share seedlings and thinned out plants you no longer need. This is a great way to get the items you need for cheap or even free.
8. Use a small space.
Rather than tilling up a large piece of land for a garden, try out small space gardening! Living in a townhouse, we actually don’t have the land for a big garden so I put container gardening to use. Sometimes that might even feel overwhelming. If so, try growing just a few herbs that you often buy from the grocery store. Or grow a lasagna garden so you have all the ingredients for a delicious marinara sauce on hand. Here are a few more ways to grow a garden in a small space.
9. Look into community gardening.
Community gardening could be a great option for those of you that want a big garden but don’t have the space or want the time commitment. Do a little research about the community garden options in your city to see if this might be a good fit for you.
Gardening is a great way to grow your own food and save some cash. Give these tips for gardening on a budget a try and see how easy it can be to grow for less.
Now is the time to grab that winter coat you’ve had your eye on for next winter! You should find winter outerwear to be drastically reduced.
Winter Sports Equipment
In March, stores will have deep discounts on skis, snowboards, snowshoes and sleds. While you may have to put them away as soon as you buy them, March is the best time to buy these items.
Luggage
March is a great time time to buy travel gear like suitcases! Since winter travel is ending and summer travel has yet to start, luggage tends to go on sale during the month of March. Get your suitcases now for your summer vacation. (Or if you have March break travel plans!)
St. Patrick’s Day Stuff
Starting the day after St. Partick’s day, you’ll find at the fun St. Patrick’s day items on clearance. Stock up for next year so you’re prepared.
Cleaning Supplies
Spring cleaning is around the corner so retailers are starting to put their cleaning supplies on sale. Don’t forget to use your coupons for extra savings! Need a spring cleaning checklist? Here you go.
Frozen food
March is National Frozen Food month. Most frozen foods will be on sale during March. Be sure to use those coupons! This is a great time to stock up on frozen vegetables so you can eat nutritious food all year long.
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 of the ways we like to save money at home is by doing at-home hair cuts for my husband. (I’m not willing to let him have a go at my hair quite yet :)) While I’m not an expert in the least, no one has ever said anything bad about his hair! After all, I simply cut his hair the same length all over, then trim his neck with the trimmer and around his ears with a pair of scissors. Simple! I estimate were saving at least $20 every 6 weeks or so.
I think it also helps that we have a decent hair trimmer to work with! We have the Wahl 3231 22 Piece Home Pro Haircutting Kit which we purchased after reading the reviews on Amazon. So yeah, if it weren’t for this great $18 tool, we’d be spending a lot more on haircuts throughout the year!
While I’m not quite brave enough to cut my own hair at home, I have cut my own bangs. I’ve also trimmed my daughter’s bangs. (Which I’ve now decided to grow out.) Here are a couple of tutorials I found that may me useful for you:
In the recent Simply Frugal survey I did, I received a few answers from readers saying they’d love to know what sort of frugal activities are keeping my daughter occupied. Since I like to read other bloggers posts that give me a peek into their daily lives, I thought I’d oblige!
A little background. My daughter will be three at the end of March 2015 (*sob*) so she’s starting to get more interested in activities that are more structured. Also, since having my daughter, I find I have to get out of the house at least once a day. Even if it’s going for a walk or getting groceries. I go stir crazy if I’m at home too long (says the girl who was a homebody before kids.)
I’m always looking for new frugal things to do with her but currently, these are our favourite things to do:
Crafts
She loves craft time. She pretty much has free reign over the supplies I’ve picked up from the dollar store, Target (I’m going to miss that dollar section!) and various other stores. I have a plastic bin with paints, crayons, googly eyes (her fave), stickers, glue, ribbon and more just for her. She loves to make birthday cards and they’re a hit with the recipients 🙂 We’re going to give this craft kit a try on an upcoming road trip we have.
Dolls/Pretend Play
It’s so fun to watch since her pretend play is really starting to develop! One of her favourite things to play with right now is dolls. She loves to take care of them: bathe, feed, play and dress them (with my help). We also do a lot of pretend shopping trips with her grocery cart and play food. She also loves this Melissa & Doug food set. We have picnics with it and this LeapFrog picnic basket. Another thing she loves is a toy jeep and little people that my mom kept from when we were kids.
I don’t think my daughter has a ton of toys but when I do purchase something I like to invest in good quality with good playability toys. Most of them have been bought off Amazon, bought used (the best!) or given as gifts.
Sensory bins
This is something that I want to play around with more this year. So far the two bins that I’ve set her up with she loves. I can usually get almost 1/2 hour of independent play out of a bin. That is amazing to me! One bin I made holds dried beans and small farm animals. The other is rice with plastic insects and pom poms. She loves to bury them and then dig them up. Pouring from one bin to another is also fun. She’s past the age of putting random things in her mouth, but when she was younger I would keep a very close eye on her. I love this post about Sensory Bins, it’s so thorough.
Involve Her
From a young age, I always tried to involve her in what I was doing around the house. If I was cleaning, I’d hand her a damp cloth or her mini mop and she’d clean right beside me. If I’m baking, I measure out the ingredients then have her pour them into the bowl. When we’re out grocery shopping, I point out things she can put in the grocery cart. She loves to help unload the cart at the end and likes to help me pay by handing over the cash. Sometimes it feels like a lot of work and makes things slower than if I were doing them myself, but I like the idea of what I’m teaching her. I think one day it will really pay off!
Reading
She’s not one to normally sit down by herself and start “reading” a book, but she loves her bedtime stories. Some of her current favourites are:
Throughout the next year, I want to start incorporating some learning activities that go along with the books. This is an example of what I have in mind. Even if I don’t end up doing most of the activities, I like to have something planned for when her boredom strikes.
Walks
While I do go on walks with her, most of her walks happen with her Grandpa. (Such a blessing for me since I get a chunk of time to work!) They have so much fun walking to the park, our small airport to watch the planes and even the grocery store. She’s starting to get really observant of the things that are outside so I want to take her on a nature scavenger hunt using a simple guide I might find on Pinterest.
Gymnastics
Currently this is the only outside activity that I pay for. She goes to a local drop-in so I only pay when she goes. She has so much fun and burns off energy.
Free community programs
We used to attend a Mother Goose program but we’re going to start trying the Strongstart program offered at local schools. I think it will be more her speed and they usually have a variety of fun activities! Story time at the library is also a hit.
Playdates
Mainly this is an excuse for me to get out and visit my friends, but most of my friends have kids close to my daughter’s age that she enjoys playing with. In the summer months we meet once a week at a local beach to hang out and eat lunch. 🙂
So there you have it. A peek at our current favourite activities and toys. I hope I didn’t bore you to death and that at the very least you have gathered some ideas!
