30 TIPS I USE TO SAVE MONEY! (FOLLOW TO CATCH THE NEXT LIST!)
1. Wash out and reuse all ziploc food bags. Chicken Nugget, Chocolate Chip, Shredded Cheese, Splenda, etc. also when freezing leftovers use a straw stuck into the bag a little ways to suck the extra air in the bag around the food out then quickly seal. Your food will last longer in the freezer.
2. Cut your 2 or 3 liter bottles, juice bottles, milk jugs, tin cans (all sizes), etc. to 5 or 6 inches in height and use them to do container gardening on your porch or deck.
3. If you don't have a clothes line put your clothes on hangers while still wet from washer and hang on your deck rail or on backs of your patio furniture to avoid using dryer.
4. Use the cleaned out covers off laundry detergent or fabric softener to start your seeds indoors for early planting.
5. Use old glass wine bottles, glass sparkling juice bottles to fill with water and insert upside down into your outdoor planters to keep your plants hydrated so you don't have to water so often.
6. Take a wet dish towel with cleaning liquid on it and put one end of it (leaving 3/4 of it hanging loosely) over the handle end of your mop and place a rubber band tightly over it a few times and use it to flop over your ceiling fan to clean the dust off the top of each blade.
7. When you clean the filter on your vacuum put a drop of vanilla on it and your house will smell wonderful.
8. Use your store plastic bags in your bathroom garbage cans. Put a couple in the bottom of the can before you put a new bag in so when it needs changing you pull out the bag and a new one is readily available.
9. Keep a pair of scissors (just to use in kitchen) in the kitchen to open bags, cut pizza, cut your plastic bottles down, cut up chicken, etc.
10. Cut an old sheet into one very long 1-1/2 inch wide strip using the whole sheet and then crochet it into a rug using a very large hook. Soft and washable. Don't have an old sheet? Go to Goodwill and get one for a couple dollars! Fun use for an old sheet.
11. Always cook double and freeze one meal then you always have a meal on hand to toss in microwave or oven when you don't have time to cook. I line a baking dish with parchment paper so I can lift casseroles out and freeze in ziploc or aluminum foil to keep my dishes freed up.
12. Open your blinds on whatever side of your house that the sun is shining in to warm your house so you do not have to use heat but if you are trying to cool leave the blinds or curtains shut on the sunny side and windows open on the side that is shaded.
13. I use white vinegar mixed with just enough cheap conditioner to make it smell good for fabric softner in my laundry. It also keeps your washer clean and fresh.
14. Save old vitamin, medicine, spice bottles of all kinds to use when making homemade bath salts for gifts or just for yourself. You can also use them to carry shampoo and conditioner when traveling. Great for carrying dressing for salads also.
Homemade Bath Salts Recipe:
3 cups Epsom Salt
2 cups Baking Soda
1 cup Table Salt
Food or soap coloring (optional)
Scented Essential Oils (2-4 drops)
2 cups Baking Soda
1 cup Table Salt
Food or soap coloring (optional)
Scented Essential Oils (2-4 drops)
If you want more than one scent and color, separate into different bowls before adding the color and scent. Then you can have 2-3 different choices to choose from. Let the bath salts dry for 24 hours before placing them into your decorative jars.
15. When you have grease spots on your t-shirts and they won't come out after washing take dish soap and squirt it on all the spots and wash in warm. Most times they come out the first time but if not try it one more time. I have never had it not work.
17. Make your own cake at birthday's and save money. I have had my kid's friend parties be a cake making and decorating party. They all make the cake together and while its baking they make homemade frosting and they all decorate it together then all eat it. Very frugal party. You could get aprons at goodwill for each party guest. Lots of possibilities.
18. Put all your pet friendly scraps in a bowl daily for your pet and you will save alot in dog food.
19. I run about 6 inches of hot water with dishsoap in it in the sink every morning and we all wash our own dish from each meal right away to reduce how many times we have to run dishwasher.
20. Send for all the free things you can and use snacks in snack bowls. Perfume, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, and makeup samples add up quick in a basket in your restroom. Its a nice treat to be able to use all the expensive things at no cost to you. This is what I got just today. All the green coupons are each for 1 dollar off 1 jar of Mt. Olive Pickles. They end up being under 1 dollar a jar. This is one of the smaller amount of things I get in a day. I got 50 toothbrushes and 50 samples of toothpaste not to long ago!
21. Rip all the perfume samples out of "FREE" magazines (look up free magazine subscriptions, there are always some that you can get from 1 to 4 free issues then cancel and not get charged) and fold and keep in your purse so you always have a high end perfume to put on when you go somewhere special.
22. Borax can save you a ton of money. Here is a site with 10 uses for Borax:
http://www.essortment.com/ten-uses-borax-15865.html
(copy and paste into search bar)
23. Wash clothes in cold water instead of warm or hot.
24. Take cooler showers.
25. Put night lights in bathrooms and hallways so you do not have to use lights. I was given those lights that look like candles with the Christmas bulb in the end and I started using them for night lights in bathrooms.
26. Turn off your outdoor lights at night and save a bundle.
27. Buy thinner towels so it takes less time to dry them. Hang your towel to dry after a shower and use more than once.
28. Use coupons! Match coupons to sale prices and save big.
29. Make one errand day a week to save gas.
30. Save the foam trays that your meat comes in ,wash well. These work great for serving macaroni salad, potato salad, etc. at picnics or family gatherings.
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