Jasonwoodhead23/flickr

By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.

Per Southern California Gas Company, home heating is 65% of a residential gas bill during the winter months. (That’s what it said in my bill insert this month.) Wow! If that is true in Southern California, what is it in actual cold parts of the country?

With so much of your utility budget going toward keeping your home warm, anything that you can do to retain heat in your home or keep the heat from leaving is a money saver. Here are 5 tips that will help you to lower your heating bill:

1. Open your drapes when the sun is shining into the window. This allows the sun to heat your home. Close your drapes (the heavier the better) when the sun is not shining in the window. This will help to hold the heat in the space and keep it from literally going out the window. Follow the tips in the winterize your home video to keep those windows from being drafty.
2. Clean or replace the filters in your heating system. Ensure you do not have furniture or storage in front of your heating vents, especially if you have floor vents. Remember heat rises and it can’t rise if it is covered by your sofa.
3. Get an annual inspection for your furnace.  Yes, heating systems need to be maintained just like your air conditioner. An annual servicing of your furnace can not only save you money but it can also prevent a fire by cleaning out lint build-up and ensuring that your system is operating properly and efficiently. Per the Chicago Tribune, if your system is only 60% efficient, then that means that you are loosing 40 cents on every dollar!
4. If your health will allow, wear more clothes and lower the temperature a few degrees. Place lap rugs around your house so that you can place one over your legs or over your shoulders to keep you warm. If you are in Southern California… it’s time to take off the flip-flops and put on socks and shoes.
5. Wear a hat.  Remember how Scrooge had on a sleeping cap when he went to bed in every version of Charles Dicken’s Christmas classic? Scrooge was saving money by not heating his house. So, he wore a hat to keep him warm. You don’t have to be Scrooge to wear a comfy sleeping night cap. They really do keep you warm.

Hummm. All this writing about the cold is making me want a nice mug of hot chocolate with mini marshmallows. Another great way to keep warm.

ekkmanz/flickr

Some of the most expensive items that anyone buys in their lifetime besides a house or a car are kitchen appliances. Repairing that new washer, dryer or refrigerator is a hidden cost that you can drastically reduce by making the fixes yourself.

The best refrigerator I ever had was at least 20 years old when I paid $25 for it. Nothing ever broke on that beast. I had to leave it on one of my moves and I replaced it with a younger, more breakable, model, which quickly taught me about repairs.

The first thing that broke was

the ice maker. I LOVED my ice maker. When I contacted the manufacturer about the cost, it was more than I paid for the fridge in the first place. I then went on eBay and found the exact replacement – brand new – for 50% of what the manufacture was charging.

Next, the little plastic piece broke off the water dispenser in the door. Getting cold filtered water out of my fridge is soooo great! A liquid luxury. Again, I checked with the manufacturer and they wouldn’t even quote me a price. Just said to contact a repair person. Even with a home warranty, it is going to cost $55 to have a repair person come to the house.

That is when I discovered my new favorite money saving website: Part Select.

This site is FABULOUS! I mean it. If one of your major appliances breaks, you put in the make and model number and all the possible parts come up with pictures and diagrams. They have installation instructions and online help.  You can even find the part based on the size and shape of it. The Bargain Babe herself found Fixya and ReliableParts helpful, too.

Instead of just getting rid of your appliance because it doesn’t work and buying an overpriced new one, you can just fix the old one. Most repairs only require a screw driver and some common sense.

Just in case my enthusiasm for my new HUGE savings strategy isn’t enough to turn you into your own handyman, then check out these average repair charges for fixing a washing machine as listed by the Major Appliance Service National Price Guide. $121 to replace a fabric softener dispenser cap??!!

Disclosure: my husband is very handy. He helps me with these repairs – ok, he does the repairs. But, I find the parts at deep discount. Even if I didn’t have a handy hubby, I could probably learn to do these repairs by watching YouTube videos or setting up some sort of barter with someone else’s handy hubby.

I hope I have inspired you to save money on fixing your own appliances. Of course, if the problem involves electrical, make sure you follow all the safety cautions. I’m expecting you to be frugal AND smart.

Have you fixed your own appliances? What happened?

Flowers that trail down from the basket give the effect that they’re just growing in the air as they swamp the basket and hide it. These include fuchsia, pelargoniums (ivy-leaved), trailing lobelia, campanula ‘bellflower’ and verbena. Tall flowers that grow upright can add height to a garden by drawing the eye upwards and include geraniums, pelargoniums (dwarf zone), petunias, begonia and upright varieties of verbena. ‘Ball effect’ flowers grow in a bushy style and include impatiens ‘busy lizzies’, bushy varieties of lobelia and clematis.

Not all hanging baskets need simply be a mass-produced pot you affix to your wall, however. With a bit of imagination and a lick of paint you can transform objects you find in second hand stores into stunning centerpieces for your garden. How about removing the seat from old chairs and letting blooms drape down it?

First browse local flea markets for chairs with wicker seats or those whose seat is easily removed. Paint the chair and remove the seat or cut a hole in it.

Next take some chicken wire and make a wire frame in the shape of a bowl to fit the seat. Attach this to the chair – use a nail gun to tack the wire to the wood, or get out your trusty Bosch drill to screw the wire against the wood.

Next line the frame with coconut fiber and fill this with a potting mix. Now you are ready to plant a very unique hanging basket. You can use this simple DIY hanging basket effect on any items you wish – so get creative and enjoy your garden.

This is paid content. Interested in a sponsored post? See Bargain Babe’s blog advertising page.

Arty Smokes / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

Weeds can ruin a garden, but buying weed control formulas to kill them adds up when one application is not enough. They’re called weeds for a reason. Plus, think of all the toxins you’ll be adding to your garden. Here are five suggestions to keeping your garden weed free while avoiding toxins and high costs.

1. Grubbing - This is the best know method for removing weeds in the garden. It doesn’t cost much, but requires a lot of elbow grease. Break up

   ground by using a hand rake and pulling out weeds. Make sure to dig for the roots or else they will grow back. (Cost: Price of rake that will be reused, about $15.)

2. Use vinegar – There are many uses for vinegar and killing weeds is one of them. Vinegar is inexpensive and can be bought at dollar stores. (A gallon costs $2-3 at grocery stores). Keep in mind that adding vinegar to your garden will make your soil more acidic, which is fine for plants like blueberries that prefer that kind of soil. For plants that don’t, you’ll need to balance the soil by adding wood ashes. (Cost: $1 – $3 for large bottle of vinegar)
3. Use boiling water – A new use for leftover pasta water! You can kill weeds by boiling water and pouring it directly on them. No harsh chemicals and weeds will seldom come back, though you’ll need to pour a lot of boiling water on them to make it stick. Make sure no other vegetation is nearby or you’ll end up killing it as well. (Cost: Depends on water and gas usage.)
4. Use mulch and newspaper – Not only is newspaper good for your compost, but you can also use it to kill the weeds. Take the newspaper and spread it over the weedy area. With a hose, wet the paper and then cover with mulch. This will smother the weeds and free space to plant whatever you like. No need to buy mulch as many cities give it out for free. Check with your Department of Public Works. For best results, try doing this during a hot day. (Cost: Newspaper subscription)
5. Use black plastic bags and cardboard -If you have black trash bags sitting around at home, use them to smother weeds. No need to get the bags wet like with newspaper so you’ll be able to reuse them later. Place cardboard on top of the bags to cut light and air from reaching the weeds. Get cardboard for free by asking a clerk at your grocery store if they have extra boxes in back. This is a great way to get moving boxes for free, too. (Cost: Price of bags that can be reused, about $5.)

I prefer grubbing as I like to get in there and tear up my garden until it’s clear of weeds. It’s also a good stress reliever. How do you prefer to weed?

Soil in the making!

We picked up a huge composter for $45 this past weekend at a recycling event after outgrowing our $4 homemade composters. What excites me – other than rotting food waste in my kitchen – is the tip booklet that came with it. A complete guide to composting!

Making rich soil saves me a ton of money on dirt and shortens my grocery list – I’m growing my food! So don’t pay attention to compost rumors.

Convenience is the number one factor in locating your composter. If it’s too far away, you won’t use it, especially if you get nasty winter weather. One solution is to keep a smaller homemade composter near your kitchen door. When it fills up, make one big trip to your main composter.

A kitchen pail with lid is crucial. Fill it up with food waste during the day, then dump it into your composter as part of dinner cleanup. A lid keeps fruit flies away. We got bugs last summer so I’m dumping it after lunch, too.

Hair, dryer lint, and paper napkins

CAN be composted. Who knew? Other items perfect for compost are coffee filters, stale bread, towels, leaves, straw, hay, twigs, small wood chips, and dried grass. These items are considered “brown” and need to be balanced with “green” items, including fruit and vegetable scraps, houseplant cuttings, coffee grounds, rice, pasta, egg shells broken into very small pieces, tea bags, flowers, vegetables, plant trimmings, hedge clippings, small amounts of grass.

Meat, fish, and bones CANNOT be composted. Other no-nos include dairy, oils, fats, sauces, ashes, pet waste, diseased plants, and mature weeds with seeds, which will grow *very* well in your fertile compost.

A moist sponge that has been rung out. That’s about how moist you want to keep the contents of your composter. If your soil-in-the-making looks dry, add water or coffee. If it’s too wet, add dry leaves or leave the lid off on sunny days.

Speed up the composting process by chopping larger items like watermelon rings, corn cobs, and large vegetable pieces. Break egg shells into as many pieces as you can. One friend of mine pulverizes them! After dumping your kitchen pail into your composter, stir the new arrivals into the mix and cover with soil, yard waste, or old leaves to reduce odor and flies. I need a stirring stick for my composter, pictured above.

Heat helps the composting process along, so sunshine is good for your composter. Expect things to slow down in winter. Snuggle your composter with bags of leaves in the winter to keep the process going.

Dig compost leftovers into your garden in the fall. Clean your soil machine and set aside leaves or yard waste to add during spring and summer.

How soon is your compost ready? Anywhere from six weeks to three months. Take out a few shovels full or empty the entire mess of dirt. Toss back items that are not fully composted.

Use it in your flower or vegetable garden, spread a thin layer over grass, and unload it at the base of trees and shrubs. Plants love the nutrients in compost.

If my compster smells or gets bugs, what should I do? Stir it well and add more “browns.” Avoid adding a lot of grass clippings all at once or you will get an ammonia-like smell. Meat and dairy will stink up your composter in no time.

Eeek, animals! If your composter attracts rats, dogs, racoons, and squirrels, you can add dog hair to the compost, line the bottom with chicken wire, fasten your compost door with a stick, or line the base with stones or brick. Remember to cover “greens” with “browns.”

Too many scraps! If you have too many “greens,” consider getting a second composter or save money by making your own composter.

We bought an Earth Machine composter, which sells their machines through retailers across the country.

jspatchwork / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

With the weather getting warmer, gardening season has officially begun. You may already have seedlings growing in containers that are ready to be transplanted, but before you do that here are four things you need to accomplish to reap the benefits.

1. Remove weeds - These little suckers will sprout anywhere, even from cement and they will suck the life out of your plans by feeding off of the soil’s nutrients. Spending a good amount of time removing weeds will pay off. Make sure to get to the root of the problem by digging them out and not just pulling them.
2. Take a Soil Test – Check soil

   pH with a home soil test kit that you can buy at your local gardening store. Make sure to take several samples from different planting areas for an accurate reading. Some plants like the soil to be more acidic, like my blueberry bush. If necessary enrich the soil. To make it more acidic add diluted vinegar, coffee or pine needles. To make it less acidic and raise the pH, add wood ashes.

3. Feed your soil – Do this after you remove all weeds. To help your fruits and veggies grow strong, add fertilizer or compost to your soil. At my community garden, we continue to make our own compost and have started adding bunny droppings. Chicken droppings will also work, but not all animal droppings are suitable.
4. Find a home – Finding the right spot for your plants will keep them happy and help with pest control. Before you begin transplanting your seedlings, have a plan. Think of what you will be planting and make sure plants that like each other are near one another. Think of it as planning a reception. You want to be aware of who gets along with whom so they can sit together and separate those that don’t to avoid an awkward moment, or poor growth. If you are growing tomatoes make sure to plant some basil and parsley near them as they like to sit next to each other. Try to avoid having veggies from the cabbage family (broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts) sit next to each other as it will just turn into an aphid breeding ground.

Bargain alert! Yardsellr is a great resource for selling items online without having to deal with the strict policies or fees of other sites. (It’s completely free to list). Yardsellr  is also an easy site to search for interesting collectibles, home décor, or clothing, jewelry, and designer handbag listings that aren’t over-priced or sold on a limited time or auction system. Check out toys, books, and sports memorabilia too… there’s 2000+ categories, even one devoted to Hello Kitty!

So how does it work? Yardsellr operates both as a website and directly within Facebook with over 2 million people buying, selling, and commenting on stuff. Items are categorized in specific bins or blocks, similar to the setup of an actual yard or garage sale. By “liking” a Yard Sale block or bin, buyers and sellers get updates of recently posted items in their Facebook newsfeed in real time. Or you could just visit Yardsell.com and enter in what you’re looking for.

Yardsellr is having a new user giveaway right now using their Photon$* point system. People who register receive 1 million Photon$, or $10 for FREE to instantly to spend on the site. Click here to sign up and check it out.

* Up to $10, or 1 million Photon$ points can be earned every day by interacting on the site. Just look for the $ sign on Yardsellr.com to see how you can earn free money!

By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains.

nicolas.boullosa/Flickr

Big News! I just bought a house. Did you know that buying a house has been noted as one of the most stressful experiences in life? Now that I have done it, I totally agree.

I am so very, very grateful to my fabulous Realtor, Rachel Baroth, without whom, this sale would not have happened. Until this purchase, I had no idea how important it was to choose a really great Realtor. I thought I could do it myself. After all, I have found and rented several houses and procured several loans with no difficulty.

So, how hard could it be to buy a house? Oh my dear! Buying a house has gotten so complicated, the rules of the game so changeable, and the amount of paperwork so overwhelming; I can’t imagine going not having a trusted and knowledgeable expert by my side. Finding the house you want to buy is, in fact, the easy part.

Therefore, I wanted to share the top five things to look for when choosing a Real Estate Agent:

1. Choose someone who you really trust and whose knowledge of the industry you respect. You will be turning to that person to explain tons of paperwork and options. It is vital that you feel that the information you get from your real estate agent is accurate and trustworthy. If you don’t already know someone, then survey your friends and coworkers. Then go and interview each Realtor. Ask how long have they been in the business? How many sales have they made? What is their experience with the type of sale you are looking to do? If they are good at what they do, then they will be willing to share this information.
2. Experience in the field of real estate is a big plus. There are times that I will go with someone new to their field, but not in real estate. There are so many changes to the rules of the game that you want someone that has already done lots of deals and understands the possible problems that will come up. Also someone with experience will have lots of contacts for the various workers you will need – inspectors, contractors, repairmen, movers, etc.
3. Look for a Realtor who has lots of vendors that they are happy with.  You are going to need a mortgage broker, a title company, an insurance company, an inspection company, an escrow company, and more. Although you do not need to use the mortgage broker or other vendors that your Realtor uses, it does make things easier if you do. Several times during negotiations on my sale, we ran into obstacles. Because my Realtor worked well with the mortgage broker, it made it much easier to come up with workable and fast solutions.
4. Find a Realtor with a strong intention to close your sale. You want someone who is going to have lots of “umph” to get over the rough spots. It is important that when you start to get burned out or when you can’t see how to overcome some barrier, your real estate agent is there to move forward and handle the complexities.
5. Most importantly, make sure that you can communicate easily with your Realtor. You will be talking a lot and spending much time with this person. It is important that you feel that they understand what your priorities are and can really get what it is that you are looking for (even if you aren’t quite clear on this point yourself.) I think is vital to have someone that you don’t feel intimated by. Will you be able to express your true feelings to this person? You don’t want someone that pushes you into something that you don’t want. Buying a house can be scary. You don’t need your Realtor to be scary on top of that.

For most people, buying a house is the biggest financial decision they will ever make. It is essential that you have a seasoned guide at your side.

Have you bought a house? How did you find a good real estate agent?

By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains.

Muffet/Flickr

One of my greatest pleasures is working in my garden. Not only do I get Vitamin D from the sun, but I also get exercise, fresh air and the occasional fresh fruit or veggie. Although each individual seed packet or plant doesn’t cost a lot of money, the expenses DO add up.

Here are five of my favorite sites to help you with your garden schedule and budget:

1. KinderGARDEN is a wonderful site chock full of links to help you garden with kids. I had a great time gardening with my kids when they were little. The most important thing with kids is to buy hardy and cheap plants. They tend to “plant” and “unplant” them multiple times. The joy is in the mud. Don’t expect lots of the plants to survive.
2. The Garden Helper is an extensive site with information regarding what to do in your garden during each month based on your location. As I discovered when moving from New England to Southern California; planting times differ with the region.
3. Northern and Southern planting schedules can be found on this Love to Know page. In the North, it is time to sow seeds indoors. In the South, it is time to actively plant outdoors.
4. The National Garden Association Seed Swap. One of the best ways to save on gardening is to join a seed swap. You may find a local group or a national group. (I’m uncertain if seeds can cross borders.) You can also look for neighbors who have great gardens and ask for some of their cuttings. Most gardeners love to share their knowledge and their plants. A nice batch of cookies or some homemade soup is a wonderful way to thank your helpful horticulturalist.
5. Once you have your garden growing, you can make some great homemade gifts of plants and seeds for your friends. A unique gift is a painted clay pot with one of the cuttings from your garden. If this is for a memorial event like an anniversary or wedding shower, you can personalize with name and date.

I love my garden and the beauty that it gives me. What’s your favorite garden site?

When my kids were little, I got almost all of their toys and clothes at yard sales. They didn’t even know that toys came in packaging until they were six years old. After all, why pay 90% more to have the toy come encased in unnecessary, resource-depleting material? A 4-year-old really doesn’t care. They only want the toy.

Since my family was used to receiving presents that were pre-owned, it was no big deal to keep doing it at Christmas time. It’s not like I’m giving them dirty, ripped and broken items. At a yard or estate sale, I find gently used or never used items that are financially out of reach if they were brand new. Just this weekend, I purchased a hip like-new soft leather jacket for my daughter. Retail price new: $200. Yard sale price: $5. It’s a no-brainer. Wrap it up in a pretty re-usable holiday bag with tissue paper and it’s a WOW present.

I do realize that in some circles giving used items as gifts is considered gauche. I read on MSN Money that are used aren’t “real” gifts. What does THAT mean? Because I didn’t go to a retail store and hand over way too much money for pristine packaging that my gift isn’t real?

The truth is that I only give used items to my family and my very best friends who understand and appreciate my shopping philosophy. I follow basic regifting rules and find my friends thoroughly enjoy the gorgeous cashmere sweater or music CD that I give them after a day of yard sale hunting.

Personally, my very favorite gifts are items that have been handmade for me. It doesn’t matter if it is a cookie, a picture, a handmade scarf or a poem. It is all in the presentation and the thought that went into the gift. It is NOT about the money or the packaging.

Here are my five rules for gifting from yard sales:

• Ensure the item is totally clean and in good working order. If it needs batteries, buy and install them so that it works immediately.
• Present the present nicely. I really like using gift bags with tissue paper. The bags can be reused and the tissue makes it look festive.
• Make a handmade gift tag. They are easy and fun to make. Put a little extra love and attention into the tag. Attach to the hang tag a picture of you and the gift receiver when you were in kindergarten together, lyrics from a meaningful song or just a pretty holiday sticker.
• If the item does not have the manual, find it online, print it out, and include it with the gift.
• Do not apologize for your gift. You went shopping for it, paid good money for it, wrapped and delivered it. This takes far more effort and is more meaningful than just ordering a gift card from Amazon.

So readers, what do you think? Gifting from yard sales or not? Let me hear from you.

mmlolek/Flickr

I make quite a lot of handmade gifts for the holidays. My chocolate covered pretzels are such a hit that friends look forward to them each year.

However, there are people in my life to whom I want to give something more significant than a pretzel, however tasty. Let’s face it, a sugar coated carb stick is a fun treat, but not one that says “I Love You.”

What can you give that will last a year but not break the bank to someone special? Here are my five best ideas:

• Open up a PaperBackSwap account for them and load it with credits and postage money. For about $40 they will be able to get several books of their liking. You can do the same thing with CDSwap and DVDSwap if your friends are more into movies and music than books.
• If they live in the New York City or Los Angeles area, buy them a year subscription to Theater Extras ($99), which offers free tickets to members to help fill the house. You pay for the subscription with your credit card, then the site sends the recipient a letter requesting their credit card info for the $4 per ticket service charge. Or, you can arrange to pay the service charge for any tickets ordered throughout the year. A gift membership needs to be purchased by phone at (914) 304-4093.� I’ve used this service and it really works. Put my email address Bobbisbargains at hotmail.com as the referral and then you’ll also be giving me a present of a few free tickets.
• Restaurant.com sells prepaid gift cards to restaurants that make a great gift. Bargain Babe runs special discount codes frequently. The latest Restaurant.com coupon gets you 80% off with coupon code GOBBLE, good through Nov. 25, 2010. You can pay for the gift certificate and also give the recipient cash to cover alcohol, tax, and tip.
• Plant a container garden and give it as a gift. Several months ago, my friend gave me a small rose plant when she came to my house. It cost under $5. I planted in my garden. Every time I water my garden and see this plant, I think of my friend and smile. This gift can be large or small, but make sure it’s easy to maintain and they will think sweet thoughts about you every day.
• Purchase a AAA membership for a loved one. This is truly a gift that gives every day of the year. Your gift recipient will think super-kind thank yous each time they use their card for a free tow or help with complex DMV paperwork.

These are my ideas. What gifts have you given or received that keep giving?

KeithWilliamson/Flickr

The other day I was in the grocery store gazing at the endless array of cleaning supplies and thought, “we are being scammed.” There is no way in the world that all of these products are needed – especially by smart folks who live frugally. So I thought I would share some of my tips to use basic household supplies for every day uses.

Ammonia – Wonderful stuff. It’s one part nitrogen and three parts hydrogen. Don’t mix it with bleach.

• Use it to clean your windshield wiper blades. Soak a rag and clean the blade.
• Get that horrible smell out of the washer when you left wet clothes in too long. Wash again without soap but with a tablespoon of ammonia.
• Don’t buy Windex ever again. Put two tablespoons of ammonia and one quart of water in a spray bottle.

Aluminum Foil

• Use to take rust off chrome. Make a loose ball and scrub. For stubborn stains add some cola.
• Best silver cleaner! Put foil on bottom of pan. Place tarnished silver on top (and in contact with) the aluminum foil. Cover with solution of one cup baking soda to one gallon of water. Tarnish disappears like magic.
• This one is from my mother. When you get your brand new toaster oven, line the bottom tray with foil. When it gets all full of yucky burnt stuff, just change the foil. Ta-da!

Salt

• My girl friend showed me this trick. It works on COPPER-bottomed pots and pans to get rid of discoloration. Mix salt and white vinegar into a paste and put on the copper. Let sit for a bit and then scrub with a steel-wool pad.
• Salt and warm water gargle is the best when you are getting a sore throat. Some say to add garlic or cayenne pepper. My kids don’t like those things, so we stuck to the salt.
• If you live in a humid area and your salt gets clumpy, put raw rice kernels in with your salt. The rice will attract the moisture and keep the salt dry.

Baking Soda

• Put an open box in your fridge to keep it smelling fresh. Change every six months. Toss the contents in your sink drain along with some vinegar. Let sit for about ten minutes and then rinse.
• Make a toothpaste out of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and a bit of salt. You can also wet your brush and dab on baking soda in your hand. Really, you don’t even need toothpaste but most people are used to it.
• Use baking soda to clean your walls. A damp sponge and a bit of baking soda will even take off crayon marks.
• Baking soda is also strong enough to remove grime on bathroom tiles. It’s one natural cleaner that really works!

In addition to using these homemade cleaners, I have hired a cleaning lady. No regrets at all. I hope these tips help you. Do you have tips to share?

Stay on top of the latest strategies, coupons, and inspiration to save money everyday with BargainBabe.com’s email list.

By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains.

I recently helped a friend of mine rid herself of the stuff in her storage units along with the monthly rental expense. For the Bargain Queen, this has been an eye opening educational experience.

Public storage facilities are popping up everywhere and the move-in specials and seemingly low rental rates appear to be a tantalizing and easy solution to having more stuff than room.

It is so tempting to take your stuff and shove it into a storage unit and promise to �go through and toss it out when I have time.�

Believe me, you will NEVER take the time and effort it takes to go purge your unit until the day you move out.

The people that sell storage units know this, which is why they make it very cheap to get a unit and very costly to leave. Many storage facilities give you the first month free, but when you vacate,� anything that is left in the unit is removed at your expense by their favorite (costly) junk hauler.

Unless you have had a fire or water damage to your home and your insurance company is paying for the moving and storage of your stuff or you are using a storage unit for business purposes to store merchandise that is actively being sold, then it is a budget drain to obtain and maintain a storage unit.

If you absolutely must move stuff into a storage unit, then try to avoid these costly mistakes:

• Do not move unexamined boxes into a storage unit. Once those boxes are in the unit � no matter how good your intentions � you will most likely never go back through them.

• Do not put things in random boxes and bags. Organize your storage unit. If you don’t, it will be too hard to find something when you need it and you may buy the item new. This defeats the purpose of having a storage unit in the first place. Instead, number your boxes and then inventory each box. Put items of a similar nature together and put the name of the box on the outside of the box on ALL sides (since the boxes end up getting turned around.) Keep the inventory list on hand.

• Do not store anything that is liquid. I don�t care how expensive it was or how tightly the lid was put on; it is Murphy�s Law that the $3.99 bottle of transmission fluid will leak and forever destroy everything in all the boxes underneath it.

• Do not store any food item. NOTHING! Storage units are already prone to bugs. Don�t invite them in.

• Do not store anything flammable. No propane, no matches, no lighters.

DO keep in your storage unit the following items:

• Broom and dustpan � to clean up at the beginning and end

• Handcart � to move your boxes

• Toilet paper and hand sanitizer � most facilities have bathrooms but no paper

• Large and strong garbage bags � for taking items to dump and donation dropoff

• Marking Pen � for marking boxes

• Packing Tape � to tape back up boxes you have opened to look inside

• Extra flattened boxes � stuff reproduces, I swear!

• Flash light � to see into the dark recesses of your boxes and unit

The results of my efforts with my friend’s stuff? I completely cleaned out her two storage units. It took three people working several very long days over the course of a month, but we cleaned it out. With my bargainista advice, she made almost a thousand dollars selling items, will get a hefty break on her taxes, and donated much needed materials to several schools and non-profits. Plus, she no longer has the expense of the rentals. Not bad, considering she was planning on paying someone to take it all away in a truck.

What has been your experience with storage units?

programwitch / flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

With shorter days and longer nights approaching, it�s time to start preparing your garden for fall. �Before you begin planting, there are many tasks that need to be completed. Here are some fall gardening tips to get ready for the next growing season and continue to save money through gardening.

Rearrange

Here’s one of the toughest jobs you must accomplish, but it must be done. You need to get rid of all the diseased or damaged plants that have stopped producing and look tired in your garden. This is work – some of your spring plants may be monstrously big think zucchini and need to be pulled out. Weeds must be removed so they do not eat your plants nutrients. You can leave healthy plants that are still producing, but as soon as they stop producing chop them up and add them to your compost bin.

Prepare the soil

Fall veggies need the same as spring and summer veggies good soil. To prepare add compost and fertilizer to make sure your plants have a chance to thrive. Healthy soil will help you grow robust, pest- and disease-free plants so you don’t spend your money buying insecticides. If your plants get swarmed, try cheap and natural methods to keep pests away with everyday items you have at home or in your garden.

Pick your veggies

The most important thing to prepare for fall gardening is deciding on the veggies you will be planting. In a few weeks the season for tomatoes, zucchinis, and other warm weather crops ends, but you can still enjoy fresh veggies from your garden. Here are some cool weather crops that can be grown in the fall:

Broccoli

Collard greens

Spinach

Swiss chard

Kale

Edamame

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Lettuce

Onion

Radishes

Cauliflower

Beets

Carrots

Parsnip

Starting seedlings

To save money, do not buy plants from a nursery, instead start your plants from seeds and transplant to your garden later on. Now is the time to start your leafy greens from seeds. Keep in mind that root veggies like carrots and beets build their roots in the soil, so it�s best not to transplant them or you risk breaking the roots. Depending on the fall climate in your area, you want to make sure to transplant your seedlings before daylight gets shorter. Don’t spend a penny on seedling containers when you can start seedlings on the cheap with newspaper and tape.

Let us know how you�re preparing for fall gardening.

Yazmin Cruz

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

The Frugal Festival was the first time I had been to any kind of swap. That day, as volunteers and I sorted through clothes, the anticipation built in the room. Come the swap start the anticipation turned to excitement as hundreds of people rushed in the doors to swap. I didn’t swap then, but got my first swapping experience this past weekend.

I was invited to a garden swap in the Milagro Allegro Community Garden in Highland Park, California where gardeners exchanged everything from tools to produce.

I must admit I was a skeptic. I didn�t think I�d end up liking it as much as I did. I don�t even like participating in Secret Santa come Christmas time because I usually end up with the worst gift. But not this time.

The swap was free of charge and was organized much like the Frugal Festival. There was a specific area for everything people brought to swap like plants, seeds, magazines, produce and �worm tea,� which is worm pee used for fertilizing.

I arrived a little late but was still able to exchange the seeds I had brought with me. I had all kinds of seeds including dill, broccoli rabe, kale, and lima beans. I also had seeds that I�d harvested myself like basil and cilantro seeds.

Here�s my haul and approximately how much I saved:

• �Organic Gardening� magazine – $3.99

• �Sunset� magazine – $4.99

• Heirloom cucumber seeds – $2

• Organic Plums (10) – $6.90

• Organic Tomatoes (2 lbs.) – $5

• Aloe Vera plant – $4

• Organic Bay Leaves – $4

• Organic Pineapple Sage – $2

Total Saved: $32.88

My goods.

I am now a believer – swapping is the new shopping. If you’ve never participated in a swap, you must. BargainBabe.com writer Bobbi wrote a post on how to get the most out of a swap that is essential to read before heading to your first swap.

I already leafed through my magazines and found yummy recipes using my tomatoes and bay leaves, and I can�t wait to try my pineapple sage tea, which I hear is good for anxiety. The only thing I wasn�t able to get was the worm tea, but I hear the community garden is looking to have swaps every last Sunday of the month and you know I’ll be there.

What kind of swaps have you participated in and how much money have you saved?