kruemi / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Have you been on Swap.com lately? The site has expanded beyond books and media items! We’ve been saying it for a while now, swapping is the new shopping, and with its latest expansion, Swap.com is making it much easier to trade all sorts of items.
Disclosure: Our friends, The Swapaholics, are the swap experts and event planners for Swap.com’s events around the country. You may remember them from our 2010 Frugal Festival — they co-sponsored the event!
Willem van Bergen / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
No need to take toilet paper from hotels to save money in the bathroom. The June 2012 issue of ShopSmart, published by Consumer Report’s, tested 25 toilet papers to find the best. Below I share the papers that made the honor roll.
Note that ShopSmart warns to watch out for short sheeting as it’s happening more often. To get the best deal at the store, make sure to compare unit-pricing labels.
Drum roll, please! The best TP is…
Lőrinc / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
My secret to having an arsenal full of specialized cooking utensils without going broke is the hardware store. In many cases, the only difference between a hardware store tool and the kitchen version is price. Read on to see what cheap kitchen tools you can find at your local hardware.
Cooking Twine
Skip the small packages of kitchen twine sold at supermarkets and buy a cheap roll of twine at the hardware store. Just make sure to look for cotton twine only as nylon and other synthetic twines will melt. Twine comes in handy for trussing up poultry, tying together bouquet garnis, and holding roasts together.
Should I go back and snatch this beauty?
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
I hit a couple thrift stores this weekend in search of an entryway bench. Instead, I found a wooden chest (image at right) that could double as a bench with storage. After seeing the price tag, I walked away. It was $50! I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the chest. Did I make a mistake leaving it behind?
Lynda sent in a link to an AWESOME article on how to shop Craigslist that included a lot of ideas I hadn’t considered before. (And I consider myself very handy with Craigslist.) Lynda says:
some really good tips for craigslist…
http://sfgate.houzz.com/ideabooks/2242619/list/ Secrets-to-Shopping-Craigslist
I didn’t know I could use the same tools (quote marks, minus marks) that I’d use on a regular search!
Hope you and the baby are doing well,
regards,
Lynda
Wished I’d written this post myself! What other stores or websites do you want the inside secrets to? Send us a hot tip or deal you scored by emailing us.
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
istolethetv/flickr
I remember my grandmother telling me how when she was a little girl she used every part of the chicken. She raised them and ate their eggs. When it was time for that chicken to pass onto the big chicken coop in the sky, the feathers went into pillows.
She cooked and ate the meat. Chicken fat (schmaltz) was rendered and kept for frying. The liver was made into pate. The bones helped make healthy chicken broth.
I thought that was the end of the chicken, but apparently I was wrong.
Kim.Wood / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
In the past, I’ve written about sustainable methods of weeding. Though the techniques I’ve shared are affordable, they can be a pain. A story in Organic Gardening recently caught my eye because it suggests eating weeds as a way to control them. Chomping on free food sounds good to me!
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
serenejournal/flickr
In my post on snagging free and deeply discounted food, I listed a meal swap (or meal sharing) as a way to save money on food. Here’s how to set one up.
The idea behind a meal swap is that each person makes a big batch of what they are cooking and then divides it into smaller servings, packing the food so it is freezer ready. Everyone in the meal swap meets once a week or once a month (whatever is decided upon) and swaps what they have made.
I went to a bunch of garage sales with a girlfriend last week looking for an oval coffee table. (I’m redecorating my living room with the money we’ll get from selling our Vespa scooter.)
I burned out on the coffee table – the furniture selection was terrible at the five sales we hit – but I did find this great little table (image right).
I knew it would fit perfectly in our entryway. But it had an awful coat of cheap lacquer, was dirty, and made of cheap wood. I was giving it the once over when the seller walked over.
“Five,” he said.
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
bucklava/flickr
I need to replace all the windows and sliding glass doors in my house. They are so old and drafty that with the increased price of electricity, I am literally throwing money out the window. I have a handy hubby and a sturdy son – I’ll do the research and the buying – they will do the hard physical stuff. Do you think I am biting off more than I can handle?
The house has two sliding glass doors and thirteen windows. That’s a lot to replace.
I am planning on getting
kevin dooley / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Reader AliceB is puzzling over a Target purchase where she expected to get a bonus gift card, but didn’t. She left the comment below on one of our drugstore freebies and deals post. She wrote:
TobiasMik / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Reader Asia wants to sell her furniture online. She’s looking for a website to safely get rid of items in her home. Asia writes:
Hi,
Previously I noticed on your website that there is a website if you want to exchange household items for use by others in your area. I was wondering if you know a website (other than Craigslist) where I can safely sell my furniture.
Thank you,
Asia
Amber325 / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
I have lost several nice shirts due to stains — it happens when you’re the family cook. Aside from wearing an apron now, I’ve also learned to combat spots without the use of expensive store bought stain removers. Below I share my tips to help you save money on laundry and clothes!
Before tackling any stains make sure to read the cleaning instructions of garments. Also, test the solutions in an inconspicuous place like the seem to check for colorfastness.
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
Before and after - cleaned with baking soda
I have recently fallen in love with my orange box of baking soda. It’s like discovering you can’t live without the boy next door neighbor who you have known since kindergarten. I mean, come on, that little orange box has been in my life forever.
Every six months you are supposed to change the box in the back of your refrigerator. Now that I know all the amazing things that baking soda is capable of, I can’t believe I threw away one ounce.
Since discovering the power of the white powder, I have done the following TEN amazing things with baking soda:
ex.libris / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Earlier this week I wrote about saving money on flowers and I wanted to share another fun idea for cutting down costs. Bringing the outside inside is easy when you make a succulents terrarium. You don’t have to have a green thumb to make one! See the instructions below.
