The Frugal Queen

Preserving the Harvest

2009-11-11T13:42:00.005-05:00

I spent the summer and early fall preserving our garden's harvest and the additional produce I purchased in season. I actually started out canning a few years ago, starting simple with jams and pickles and since then have worked my way up to more difficult items which require a pressure canner.

There are numerous benefits to canning:

Save money by purchasing large quantities of items when they are in season

Purchase locally from growers to support my community

I spend a large quantity of my 'spare' time canning, so I am not out shopping or looking to do other things which cost money

My family loves the better quality of the items I have canned

I was lucky enough this year to win two ribbons at our local county fair - both for my canned jams! I won second place for my black raspberry jam and third place for my red raspberry jam. I proudly display the ribbons in my kitchen. Also, everyone in my family now wants a jar of my jam for Christmas instead of other gifts.

I can't say enough good about this new way of life for us - planting our garden, harvesting our food and preserving it. I would encourage you to try it as well if you have an interest - but please be careful to always, always, always follow the directions when canning!

Until another frugal moment hits,

The Frugal Queen

Inexpensive Gifts for Younger Kids - Make Your Own Playdough!

2009-07-20T22:34:00.004-04:00

We were invited to my niece's birthday party this past weekend and I was at a loss on what to get her. She is the youngest of 5 and pretty much has everything a kid could want to play with already.

I also had another problem in that I did not want to spend a lot of money on the present as #1 - I am frugal by nature and #2 - my sister has a tendency to give everything away to the goodwill within six months of her kids getting any gifts.

So I hit upon an idea - I made play dough for my niece! I purchased 2 packs of 2 plastic containers each at the dollar store (along with a birthday card for fifty cents) and then I proceeded to make four different colors and fill the tubs with play dough!

Here is the recipe:

* 1 cup of flour
* 1 cup of warm water
* 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar
* 1 teaspoon of oil
* 1/4 cup of salt
* food coloring of choice until desired color is reached

You have to combine the ingredients in a sauce pan over medium to high heat until it is congealing. You then take the mixture out of the pot and kneed it on a cutting board until it reaches 'play dough' texture. (Be careful when you first pull it out of the pot, because it will be hot!)

The present only ended up costing me the $2.00 for the containers, the cost of the ingredients for four batches of the recipe above and the fifty cent birthday card. Not bad - especially when you consider that this present was the one my niece loved the most!

She was delighted when she opened it and she had to play with it as soon as she finished her dinner! (Even before the birthday cake was cut if you can imaging that!)

So, next time you want an inexpensive, creative, easy to make gift - try the play dough idea above. It will be a hit!

Until another frugal moment hits -

The Frugal Queen

Cheap 4th of July Fun for All!!!!

2009-07-04T23:07:00.003-04:00

It is the 4th of July and we enjoyed some family fun this evening for little to no money through an idea I heard on NPRs Talk of the Nation Science Friday. The idea was to make fountains of diet pop 2 litters (clear soda in our case, not the diet coke like shown in the photo to the left) by dropping Mentos mints into the bottles. We added one extra patriotic touch by adding food coloring to two of our three bottles - making the colors red, white and blue. We used diet generic lemon/lime soda , added a few drops of food coloring to two of the three bottles, and then dropped four mints in each bottle.

The entire cost was under four dollars - the bottles of generic pop were 78 cents and the roll of Mentos were 99 cents. The food color came from my kitchen - presto - patriotic fountains which were safe for the kids to play with. ( I have to admit that I also turned it into a science lesson, but don't tell the kids because they still believe they are on summer break! ;) )

For more ideas on inexpensive fun for the 4th of July, check out the episode of Talk of the Nation's Science Friday which gave me the idea - available at: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106246274 .

Hope you had a great 4th of July! Until another frugal moment hits -

The Frugal Queen

Why take a Staycation when there is VRBO?

2009-06-19T17:13:00.003-04:00

We just finished a week at the beach in a private condo and spent less than $1000 for the entire week - food & gas to get there (2000 miles round trip) included - for a family of five. This was much better than a Staycation which is how we spent the Fourth of July week last year.

The key to our great, low cost vacation was finding a private condo, one block from the beach for $490 for the week. (True, it wasn't directly on the beach, but walking the block to the beach didn't kill us.) I found the condo through a website called Vacation Rental By Owner - VRBO. The owner of the condo was very pleasant and everything worked out great!

The condo had cooking facilities, so I was able to prepare the majority of our meals. It also had a washer and dryer, so we didn't have to pack a lot and we were able to clean up our beach clothes each day when we got back.

Another benefit of renting from a private individual was the beach where we were was not very crowded during the week because those around us in the other condos were at work! It was wonderful.

Check out this great condo find here: http://www.vrbo.com/56023

My experience with VRBO was great, just like the experiences of the individual who recommended it to me. So, check it out and don't suffer another Staycation at home!

Until another frugal moment hits...

The Frugal Queen

Cutting Eveyday Expenses - Make Your Own Laundry Soap

2009-06-18T11:54:00.005-04:00

On occasion in the past I had heard about individuals who made their own laundry soap, but I had no information on how to do it until I watched a show on "The Duggars" on the Discovery channel. After watching the show and learning how they are raising a family of 18 through the pay-as-you-go method (no credit, no loans, etc.), I checked into their website and tried their recipe.

I have been using their recipe now for over three months and it has saved me a tremendous amount of money. Full credit for the following recipe goes completely to The Duggars (here is a link to their website: http://www.duggarfamily.com/recipes.html) :

* 1 bar of Fels Naptha Soap (shredded)
* 1 cup of Washing Soda
* 1/2 cup of Borax

Mix and use 1 to 2 tablespoons of this laundry soap per load. I have a front loading washer which is newer, so I normally use only 1 tablespoon (2 when the clothes are extra soiled).

I made a triple batch of laundry soap and the total cost was only around $5. I got approximately 120 loads out of this batch. This was an incredible savings for me as I have been a die hard Tide user for years.

A few tips if you want to purchase the ingredients and try it yourself:

#1 - call around to make certain the store carries the ingredients
#2 - there is such a thing as washing soda (it is in the laundry aisle if the store has it) don't let anyone tell you it doesn't exist - it just is not as common as it was in years past - the box I purchased was Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (not Baking Soda)
#3 - make sure your container is clean and dry before you put the ingredients in it and that it has a lid
#4- don't reuse old containers from other items as you don't want to mix chemicals (this can be fatal in some cases - I don't want to scare you, just to caution you not to mix chemicals accidentally)

Thanks again to The Duggars! You are my frugal heroes!

Until another frugal moment hits....

The Frugal Queen

Cheap books, videos and more!

2009-03-22T22:13:00.002-04:00

Are you a card carrying member of your local public library? If so, good for you! Our local library has various programs which we can attend and they also feature a "Friends of the Library Bookstore". It is a great deal!

I purchased this week 20 books for only $3.29. How did I do it? I visited the Friends of the Library Bookstore where adult fiction paperbacks are only 25 cents and where they had teen fiction on sale this month - 10 for $1.00. (They also have books on tape, videos, DVDs, magazines, etc. very cheap!)

If you love to read, ask at the library next time you are there to see if they also sell their older books. If so, then you may be able to take advantage of some great savings!

Until another frugal moment hits....

The Frugal Queen

Prescription Pricing

2009-03-16T21:19:00.002-04:00

Even if you have health insurance, don't discount the $4 prescription programs offered by many stores these days. A lot of the stores also offer a 90-day supply for $10 on prescriptions.

I found that we were being charged $25 for a 90 day supply on many of our prescriptions through the health insurance's mail order program. I have been able to save hundreds of dollars a year by switching our prescriptions over to the local store.

Added bonuses:

* pick them up on my schedule, don't have to wait for them to come in the mail

* help to support the local economy (keeping my friends and neighbors employed is very important!)

So don't wait! Check out your local grocery store's $4 prescription list or the 90-day supply for $10 program!

Until another frugal moment hits -

The Frugal Queen

Angel Food Ministries

2009-01-17T23:03:00.005-05:00

Today I picked up our first box of "Angel Food". I found out about this through a flier at my local post office. The program has definitely made a believer out of me. I was able to purchase a box of food for $30. Here is what I received:

1.5 lb. Ribeye Steak (4 x 6 oz.)
4 lb. Leg Quarters
1.5 lb. Beef Patties (4 x 6 oz.)
18 oz. Cheese Filled Manicotti
2 lb. Pork Rib Strips
1 lb. Chicken Breast Fajita Strips
1 lb. Ground Turkey
1 lb. Broccoli
1 lb. Peas
6 ct. Oatmeal Variety Box
2 each-Regular, Maple Brown Sugar and Apple Cinnamon
32 oz. 2% Shelf Stable Milk
8 oz. Blueberry Muffin Mix
12 ct. White Corn Tortillas
1 lb. Pinto Beans
7 oz. Chicken Flavored Rice & Vermicelli
One Dozen Eggs
Dessert Item

I definitely feel that I received a value for my $30. We had Chicken Fajitas for dinner tonight, using some of the ingredients above, and it was great!

So how did they do it? They provided this through a "cooperative" food purchasing program. This means that the more of a item is purchased, the greater the discount; therefore, by the Angel Food Ministries purchasing in bulk and then distributing the food through a local church - they are helping me to save money.

What a great idea and what a great service! If you are interested in purchasing "Angel Food", check out their website to search for a local "Angel Food" distributor in your area. Here is the link:

http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

I was so excited about the program when I picked up my food today, that I have ordered already for next month. Here is what I am getting next month:

Regular Box:

1.5 lb. Sirloin Strip Steaks(4 x 6 oz.)
2 lb. Tray Pack Chicken Breast
1 lb. Boneless Pork Chops
2 lb. Breaded Chicken Nuggets
28 oz. Salisbury Steak Entrée
12 oz. Sliced Bacon
1 lb. All-Meat Hot Dog
1 lb. Stir Fry (Broccoli, Red Peppers & Onions)
1 lb. Carrots
10 oz. Peanut Butter
32 oz. 2% Shelf Stable Milk
35 oz. Crinkle-Cut Fries
7.25 oz. Mac ‘n Cheese
1 lb. Rice
1 lb. Bean Soup Mix
Dozen Eggs
Dessert

Price: $30.00

Special #5 - Fresh Fruit & Veggie Box:

3 lb. No. 1 Premium Idaho Baking Potatoes
3 lb. No. 1 Premium North Carolina Sweet Potatoes
2 lb. No. 1 Premium New Crop Western Grown Yellow Onions
9 oz. California Premium Raisins
1 lb. Premium California Grown Carrots
1 head Premium Fresh Green Cabbage
3 lb. New Crop Tree-Ripened Red Delicious Apples
2 each Premium Washington State Anjou Pears
1 each Premium Golden Sweet Pineapple
3 lb. New Crop Premium Florida Tree-Ripened Valencia Oranges

Price: $21.00

Special #6 - Tangerine Box:

2/5 Bushel New Crop Florida Tree-Ripened Honey Tangerines (approximately 20-21 pounds or 70-75 tangerines)

Price: $15.00

So for the month of February, I will have invested $66.00 for all of the items listed above. What a great deal & service!

Check this service out and let me know what you think.

Until another frugal moment hits...

The Frugal Queen

The Best Value for Your Money when Grocery Shopping

2008-11-09T21:27:00.000-05:00

When shopping at the grocery store, don't just look at the big price on the shelf sticker - also check out the "unit" price or the "per ounce" price. I have found that this is really the best way to purchase the cost effective amount.

Let's take ketchup for example. (It is in it's own food group for my son, who puts it on everything!)

The cheapest big price on the store shelf is most probably the smallest size - say a 12 ounce bottle for $1.19. When you look at the per ounce price on this, it comes out to about 10 cents per ounce. But say there is a 36 ounce bottle on the shelf next to it - for $1.99. The bottle is bigger and costs 80 cents more, but the per ounce price for the larger size is now down to 6 cents per ounce.

That is savings! If you have the space and will be able to use it all before the expiration date, the larger sizes are almost always the best value. Also, check out the store brand versus the name brand. Using the same theory above, check out the name brand per ounce price versus the store brand per ounce price. You will see a tremendous amount of savings!

I have been teaching my kids this lesson as we go to the grocery store each week. I always have them look at the per ounce price on items instead of the "big" sticker price.

Want to learn more about being a savvy super market shopper? Check out this newsletter from the University of Kentucky school of Agriculture: click here. (It is a PDF document.)

Until another frugal moment hits!

The Frugal Queen

Free Online Training!

2008-08-15T23:18:00.000-04:00

I know this will not be for everyone, but for those of you who are not afraid of trying new things...check out the State of Ohio Library's website for the Learning Express Library! The Learning Express Library is a website which allows you to take online courses in different subjects at no cost...and no this is not a gimick. It is a great resource offered by the State of Ohio's Library!

To check it out follow this link to the State Library's website:

http://winslo.state.oh.us/

Then scroll down the page and follow the link for Learning Express Library. (Or click this link:
http://www.learnatest.com/LearningExpressLibrary/Home.cfm?CFID=x&CFTOKEN=x&Refresh=1&sip=473908416&HR=http://www.library.ohio.gov/)

Either way, you will be taken to the Learning Express Library website. You can then register for a user account and follow the available links to courses on various Microsoft Softwares, including the new Office 2007 version!

You can also take practice tests for the SAT, GMAT, and many other areas like civil service exams and EMT/Paramedic certificaitons!

It is a fabulous resource made available through the State of Ohio Library - for all Ohio residents and everyone beyond our state. So either commit today to brush up on skills you have wanted to learn more about or pass the word along to someone who can use the Learning Express Library!

Until another frugal moment hits....

The Frugal Queen

Flower Exchange - Diversify your Flower Beds!

2008-06-21T18:08:00.000-04:00

I received a great idea from a friend just north of where I live. She participates every Spring in a flower exchange. How it works is a group of neighbors or friends gets together each Spring and brings with them starts of flowers from their flower beds. For each start you bring with you, you are able to place a ticket with your name on it in the hat. Then one person takes turns pulling names out of the hat. As your name is pulled, you get to choose from among the flower starts. This goes on until everyone's tickets have been pulled.

At the end of the day, everyone goes home with a new variety of flower starts for their garden with no money spent!

Kudos to the ladies of Fallsburg for this great frugal idea!

Until another frugal moment hits -

The Frugal Queen

Mooch a Book Today!

2008-05-15T16:36:00.000-04:00

I have discovered a great new website which will hopefully help me to recycle my books and get others that I want to read. It is called Book Mooch. You can link to it at http://www.bookmooch.com/ . Essentially, other people "mooch" books off of you and you "mooch" books off of others. The way the system is set up to work is explained on the site, so if you are a book lover, check it out!

This is definitely a frugal person/avid reader's dream find!

Until another frugal moment hits -

The Frugal Queen

Ridiculous Money Saving Ideas

2008-05-09T22:45:00.000-04:00

Found a website this evening which provide me a few good laughs. Click this link to read about the "Ridiculous Money Saving Ideas": http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/ridiculous-money-saving-ideas.html .

Hope it gives you a few good laughs too. I definitely needed them. I decided to put up some strawberry preserves while the prices for strawberries were super low at the grocery store, but ended up splashing some boiling water on myself while removing the jars from the water bath. Terribly painful. I have a bag of frozen broccoli on the burns right now.

Sometimes frugality can be a very painful process.

Until another frugal moment hits,

The Frugal Queen

Why is the electricity bill so high?

2008-05-03T22:20:00.000-04:00

The title of this post is a question I seem to ask in our house at least once a month. I have even gone so far as to check out an online calculator for electricity use, available for free at: http://www.consumerspower.org/home_energy/billestimator.php .

The thing I found was our pump for the well (we are on a well and septic system, not city water) was the most expensive thing as far as our electricity consumption. This was a big surprise! I am now looking at what we can do to reduce water usage (I never really looked at this before, because I always thought - I do not have a water bill per say, so I don't have to worry about how much water I use, right?) Now I am worrying about it quite a bit.

I am going to look into a new clothes washer, a front loader instead of a top loader. The front loaders use less water to clean the clothes and at 15 loads of laundry a week, this could be a big savings over time. I have also asked the kids to consider recycling clothes they have worn if possible (not visibly dirty or no odors). This will hopefully cut back on the number of loads of laundry I have to wash (isn't this every mother's dream? kids who are responsible enough to minimize the amount of laundry which needs washed?)

I will let you know later if I move on the new washer idea and if I am able to cut the electricity bill through less water usage.

Until another frugal moment hits!

The Frugal Queen

If it's not on sale - Ask for a Discount anyway!

2008-04-23T22:13:00.000-04:00

Here is another tip for you Frugal types out there - when you do go shopping, if the item you want is not on sale, ask for a discount anyway. The worse they can say is no. The best they can do is provide you with a discount that saves you lots and lots of money (or at least a good percentage of the purchase price!). Here are a few of my latest requests which helped me save money:

1. Purchase of kid's birthday gifts at Toys R Us - Ok, I only do this once a year and was ready to bite the bullet and pay the price for the items which they had picked out when the cashier saved me.....she had coupons which she applied to my purchase! What was great is the kids had each gotten a $3 gift card in the mail to apply to the purchase of their items, so when the cashier applied the first coupon to the first purchase (I had to make the purchases separate in order to use both coupons we got in the mail) I quickly asked if she had any more of those great coupons behind the counter, could she please apply another one to the second purchase! She did and I came out spending about $30 less overall than I had calculated. All just for asking...

2. Purchase of clothes at Lane Bryant - They usually send out great coupons which I never remember to take with me to the store. When I was there recently and purchased a number of items, I asked the cashier if she might be able to still apply the coupon discount to my purchase because I had received one, but had forgotten it at home. She was happy to apply the discount and the simple act of asking saved me $50. Way to go!

3. McDonald's - The McDonald's I stop at some mornings on the way to work offers a discount card for the students of the local college. (Buy 10 value meals, get one free.) When I learned this, I asked the cashier one morning if I too could have a discount card. She was happy to provide me one and now, about every six months, I get breakfast for free!

These are just a few of the ways in which I have saved money just through asking for a discounts. If you have some great stories to share on this same topic, please add them to this post through a reply.

Until another frugal moment hits...

The Frugal Queen

Great Frugal Dinner Idea!

2008-01-05T23:12:00.000-05:00

Now that my hubby is picking up an extra shift during the week (he is a Chef and works part-time at a restaurant - up to now only on the weekends), I am faced with the dilemma of making dinner for the kids after spending 8 hours at work and 2 1/2 hours commuting. I was not exactly thrilled with the prospect, but set my mind to find something I could easily make which would be hot, fresh and not cost a lot (in other words - no prepackaged dinners).

That is when I hit upon the idea of having breakfast for dinner on "Mom's" night to cook. I billed it to the kids as a mid-week treat and they are now hooked. I am hooked as well, because as we all know, breakfast is one of the cheapest meals to make as long as you keep it simple.

Last week we had pancakes, eggs, corned beef hash and toast. The total for the entire meal was well under $5 for all four of us. Plus, it was easy to whip up - it only took me a total of 15 to 20 minutes to cook it all (and that was while I cleaned up the kitchen from the day's events and loaded the dishwasher - you have to have something to do while waiting to flip those pancakes!).

Next week, I am going to plan on waffles, plus anything else I find in the frig that is breakfast type food which they will eat and which will not take me a long time to cook.

So, in the old days I would have found somewhere to buy dinner for the 4 of us on my way home, at an average cost of $30. Now, I have it down to approximately $5 and we are more likely than not eating healthier (I am certain someone will debate this with the above reference to corned beef hash, but it is not a staple in our house, just a left over from our summer "camping" food that happened to be in the cupboard).

Even if you don't have breakfast for dinner once a week like I am planning to, even once every other week and once a month will still help to bring down your overall food cost!

Until another frugal moment hits,

The Frugal Queen

A Great Financial Resource

2008-01-02T21:06:00.000-05:00

I have found a great new resource for frugal individuals such as myself - the transforming Debt Into Wealth system. I have listened to the CDs (which I checked out from the library for free, thank you!) and his system makes sense.

I am going to give it a try and I will give you periodic updates on how I am doing. If you are interested in learning more about his system, check out his website at:

http://www.johncummuta.com/

Remember though, I was able to check this resource out of the library, so make certain you look there first. ( I am NOT getting paid to promote this program, I just liked it when I listened to it and felt it made sense.)

If you have any good resources for debt elimination which you have come across, please feel fee to post them as an addition to this post.

And so not be be negligent in my posting, here is your frugal tip for the day - use your local library first before purchasing resources. My family frequently visits the library (my little ones are on a first name basis with the librarians in the children's section) and we are able to check out books, games for the computer, books on tape/cd, music and movies. So long as we remember (that is Mom remembers) to take them back on time, it is a completely free service! Just think of the savings in movie rentals along!

Check out your local library - its a frugal person's paradise!

Until another frugal moment hits -

The Frugal Queen

Online Shopping - Great Money Saving Ideas

2007-12-27T20:06:00.000-05:00

When online shopping, I have learned a great idea for saving money which I would like to share: always search for coupon codes before finalizing your purchase.

Coupon codes are promotional codes provided by the online retailers to entice shoppers to their websites through offering free shipping or a percentage off.

I receive coupon codes in the mail frequently, but don't always have them handy when I need them to enter into the website. So, instead of purchasing the item without the coupon code, I "google" the name of the retailer and the word coupon.

A good example of this would be "googling" the terms "lane bryant coupon" all together (less the quote marks).

When I did this just a moment ago, I received a link to a page from coupon cabin which I have pasted below. It contains various coupon codes which I can use on the Lane Bryant website to save money when making a purchase. (certain limitations do apply, just like in the regular store)

http://www.couponcabin.com/coupons/lane-bryant/index.htm

or this one from Coupon Mountain:

http://www.couponcabin.com/coupons/lane-bryant/index.htm

It works for many online retailers. Try it out and if you find another great coupon posting website, please let me know!

Until another frugal moment hits,

The Frugal Queen

Red Box is the Best Find Yet!

2007-11-17T22:55:00.000-05:00

Red Box is a new phenom which is extremely cool and extremely cheap! I love it!

On our way out of the grocery store last night, I spied a machine where we could rent a video. I had noticed earlier while standing in the pharmacy line that a large sign said "enter this code_____ and receive a free one night rental from Red Box". (Sorry, I don't remember the code right now.) Anyway, I thought what the heck, I would give it a try. Well, it turned out that the twins each decided they needed their own movie. (Like you didn't see that one coming.) So I decided to rent a second movie. Well, here is the best part - it only cost me a dollar!!!

Yes, that is one dollar (plus tax of course) for a one night rental of a new release (I am talking, it just came out this week new release). Unbelieveable! Here are the catches I saw:

1. Must be returned by the follow day, before 9 PM, or you will be charged another dollar for each day it is late.

2. If you keep it more than 25 days, you bought it.

Well, the original charge is not bad and the late fee is certainly not bad at all! I can tell right now that my family and I are going to be Red Box fans!!!!

Here is the link to their website if you want to check them out:

http://www.redbox.com/

You can search online to see where the nearest Red Box machine is located to you. Ours happen to be in a Giant Eagle grocery store and a Walgreens Pharmacy. I did read online that they are also located in McDonald's restaurants.

Here are a couple of other pluses:

1. You can search the inventory of the machine online before traveling to the location and also rent your movie ahead of time, so all you have to do is pick it up!

2. You can return your movie to any other red box machine, it does not have to be the same one where you rented it! (This is going to be great for long car trips!)

I will follow up in a few months and let you know how it is going. But right now, I am pumped about this new find!

Until another frugal moment hits -

The Frugal Queen

Frugality Must be Planned For...

2007-09-28T21:28:00.000-04:00

...it is the times when it is not planned for that we spend the extra money. Case in point is this evening. The twins and I went down to the townhall to set up for the pancake breakfast. I really thought we were only going to be down there for a hour at most as there were also going to be a number of other people there to help.

The problem occurred when it was discovered that we were missing the cord to one of the griddles we use to cook the pancakes on. This meant that someone (me) was going to have to go get another one if we were to have three griddles at the breakfast in the morning. But, I had not yet fed the twins dinner.

So off to Dairy Queen we went on our way to the store to buy another griddle. I should have know better and fed them before we left the house. Or at a minimum have made them something to take with them.

Lesson learned. (Again.) I hope next time I remember and am able to be proactive instead of reactive.

Until another frugal moment hits...

The Frugal Queen

Frugality While on a Business Trip

2007-09-19T22:22:00.000-04:00

This week finds me at the Ohio SHRM conference. (SHRM stands for Society for Human Resource Management)

In the past when I attended a conference, I would always come back loaded down with presents for those who I had left behind. No more I say! Those who were left behind don't really want a momento of the time they had to spend away from you. They want you home.

So, to appease myself more than anyone else, I have now started looking for kool items at the various vendor booths. What ever I find will be the "gift" to those who I left behind. Nothing more. This way, I won't have spent any money on the items.

Save your money for presents that count - holidays and birthdays.

Until another frugal moment hits,

The Frugal Queen

Dinner Savings

2007-09-11T18:55:00.000-04:00

Dinner at our house has not always been the most cost effective of adventures. Tonight almost turned into one of those expensive mistakes, but I was able to "Just Say No" when tempted.

Would the pizza my husband offered to order have tasted good? Ya, you bet ya. But, the price tag was not something I was willing to pay, therefore we stuck with a quick, easy to make meal - bean & weiners. The package of hot dogs and two cans of beans cost under $3 for a family of 5. (We also had apples which did push the price up above $3.) The pizza would have cost almost $30. Plus, we already had the beans and hot dogs, so really there was no immediate impact to our budget.

Today's lesson: when grocery shopping, buy some easy to fix, quick meal ideas which can be made in under 15 minutes. This will save you money in the long run because you can usually convince yourself to fix a quick meal, even when you are tired.

So, don't get on a first name basis with the pizza delivery man. Check out these quick meal ideas instead:

1. Beans & Weiners

2. Macaroni & Cheese with either Hot Dogs, Tuna or Canned Chicken mixed in (not all togther, pick one of the meats to combine with the Macaroni & Cheese)

3. Boxed Dinners which come with the meat as well (I can't remember the name of these, but they are usually in the pasta aisle) - maybe Complete Meals?

4. Frozen Pizza (definitely cheaper than delivery!)

5. Peanut Butter & Jelly - it's not just a lunch thing!

6. Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

7. Banquet Frozen Dinners in a bag - Chicken & Dumplings, Beef Stew, etc. They can be cooked on the stove top instead of in a crock pot.

8. Canned Ravioli

Hope these ideas help! Until the next time -

The Frugal Queen

Look for a missing item before you buy again

2007-09-09T12:36:00.000-04:00

Today's frugal advice is centered around the decision to buy new items you believe you need. An example in our house would be a paint roller. We need a paint roller whenever we are going to repaint a room, like the backroom which we are taking on today.

When I have decided I want to paint, I want to do it now. Period. The problem is always that we can never remember where the paint roller was stored the last time it was used. This means that I usually run to the store and purchase a new one. This causes wasted money in gas and another paint roller which will eventually be added to our scattered collection.

Here are a couple of solutions to this problem:

1. Make up your mind that it is worth the time to find the paint roller (or other missing item). When you find it, you will feel great because you have saved yourself $$$. That always feels good.

2. Once you find the paint roller (or other missing item), find it a permanent home and always (and I means always) put it back there. Again, period. This will make it so you will always be able to find it when you need it.

I know this seems like simple advice, but you would be surprised at home much time and $$$ you can save if you follow this simple rule. You will also start to feel more organized. What a great bonus feeling!

The Frugal Queen

Follow Up to The "New" Frig Posting

2007-09-08T23:35:00.000-04:00

I hate to admit it, but it just didn't work out at the auction today. It wasn't because I was outbid on the item - it was because I couldn't bring myself to bid on the refrigerator at all. :(

You see, I was all set to be the proud owner of an avocado green refrigerator which would of course need a little cleaning once we installed it at the rental house. Unfortunately, what I found was not circa 1970's, but circa 1940's to 1950's. Here is a picture:

I checked the inside and it seemed to be working fine, but I have a golden rule when it comes to rental houses I own - I will not rent out something that I wouldn't live in myself. Therefore, when I knew I would never live with this refrigerator if I had a choice in the matter, I couldn't bring myself to force someone else to live with it.

The trip was still worth the time. The house being sold (after the contents was cleared out) was built in 1884. It must have been built by a family with a lot of wealth for the time. It also must have been absolutely beautiful in it's day. There was a wrap around porch and then as you entered the front door a spiral staircase which lead to the second and third floors. On the first floor, there was a parlor with an ornate ceiling. (This ceiling compares to the ceilings I saw in a mansion I toured in New York State along the Hudson River - I believe the mansion belonged to the Vanderbilts or one of their early 1900's contemporaries.) The parlor had a fireplace with marble inlay. There was also a living room with another fireplace. There was a dining room off of the living room which could hold a family of 12 easily. Then there was a kitchen - nothing to write home about. The second floor was the most impressive with five bedrooms, three of which had their own fireplace. Wow! This home, with some loving restoration, could make a great bed and breakfast. Lots of peace and quiet out on the 400 acres which comes with it.

Anyway, here are some additional pictures I took of the house and one of the auction crowd:

It did take me almost three hours to decide I was not going to bid on the refrigerator. I was pretty upset with the auctioneers that they were taking so long to get to the item was I originally most interested in, but in the end time to have the time to think was a gift.

So today's lesson in frugality is - don't take it too far. If you don't feel comfortable that you are making the right decision for you, don't do it.

By the way, I did visit my local H.H. Gregg store this evening and was able to pick up a new Frigidaire Refrigerator for $399 plus tax. It was under $500, so I still feel okay about the purchase.

Until next time a frugal moment hits -

The Frugal Queen

A "New" Frig

2007-09-08T08:32:00.000-04:00

Well, we need a new frig for our rental house. I really don't want to spend $500 or more on a new one. I just need a frig which works good.

We have finally been able to secure what seem like good tenants, so purchasing is not an option. We have to get one in the rental this weekend so it will be ready for them to move in on Monday.

I was ready to take the sale ads and hit the appliance stores/home improvement stores and try to grab the best deal, when a great idea hit me. (Actually it jumped out at me from the pages of the Advertiser.) There is an auction this morning close by where, among the listings of farm tools, guns and depression glass, they also listed a refrigerator for sale.

So, I am headed to the auction this morning right after I finish cooking breakfast for the kids. I will let you know when I get back if I was successful and if so, how much I saved. It is definitely worth a try.

The Frugal Queen

Would you like some wine with that cheese?

2007-09-07T22:13:00.000-04:00

With this great money saving idea, you just may be able to afford a bottle of wine to go with your cheese! (Or at least a better quality wine to cook with...)

Today's subject is cheese shopping. To be more precise, shredded cheese shopping.

Next time you are in the grocery store and reach the spot in the dairy section where the shredded cheese bags are located, instead of reaching for your normal purchase or even the "store brand" at the lower cost, take a moment and look down. Normally under the shredded cheese bags are in the same cooler as the 8 to 16 oz blocks of cheese wrapped in plastic - and from the same companies that make the shredded cheeses!

The reason you need to look down is because if you don't mind taking a few minutes while you are cooking to shred your own cheese, you can save yourself quite a bit of money over a year's time. (Okay, only if you purchase shredded cheeses, if you don't eat cheese at all, stop reading now and skip to the next posting because you won't save any money with this idea.) The reason you will save money is because shredded cheese in the bag comes at a premium price. The manufacturers know that we are a convenience drive society. It is more convenient for us to open the bag of preshredded cheese than for us to shred our own cheese with a grater.

I say, stop the madness! Send those companies a message! Purchase the block of cheese (of your own choosing of course - ours are normally 1 of cheddar, 1 of mozzarella and one of another variety depending on what I feel like having my husband cook with the coming week). It can save you usually in the neighborhood of a dollar or more per each item purchased to choose the block instead of the bag of shredded cheese. If you multiply the dollar savings times each bag of cheese you would normally buy over a year's time, it really adds up! (For us it was a savings of $156 a year from our grocery bill.)

Here are some added benefits:

* The cheese will be fresher at the time of use when you shred it yourself (when I used to purchase the bags of shredded cheese, many times I could tell by looking at it that it had been shredded a long, long time ago - yuck)
* You will only usually shred what you actually need for the recipe, rather than dumping in the entire bag o' shredded cheese (more $$$ savings!)
* You can choose other varieties of cheese which are not available already shredded and enhance the flavor of your dishes with new and exotic tastes!

So enough about cheese, just remember look down when you get to shredded cheese section and watch the savings add up!

The Frugal Queen

PS - You can usually find an inexpensive grater at the dollar store. If you take care of it, you should be able to get your money's worth out of it!

The Frugal Queen's Blog

2007-09-07T21:54:00.000-04:00

This is a new adventure for me and I hope it will be helpful for those of you who happen upon my blog and are also intested in saving money!

I promise to post money saving ideas which I learn about and try out for myself and which in the end really do save me money. (Not just those which promise to save you money, but actually end up costing you more...goodness knows I have ran into plenty of those!)

Just a little about me...

...married...four kids...work full time...my husband stays home with the kids during the week and works p/t on the weekends...(he is a chef, so I promise to post great, low cost recipe ideas as well!)....always looking for ways to keep myself busy now that I have completed my bachelors degree and professional, advanced degree by attending school in the evenings while working fulltime (glad that is over!). Let me rephrase...looking for ways to keep myself busy while not costing a lot of money and which involve lots of quality time with my family! :)

So, enough about me. If you find my blog and start to follow the postings, please feel free to add your own "Just a little about me..." reply to this message. Also, please feel free at anytime to post a great, money saving idea!

Well, that is going to be it for now. From here forward, I pledge to post money saving ideas....because after all, as my kids will tell you, money does not grow on trees. ;)

The Frugal Queen