Coupons, Freebies, and Tips to Save Money Every Day
Witch Hazel (aka toner) is more than just an odd-smelling, funny-named bottle of clear liquid your grandmother kept in her medicine cabinet. It’s produced from the leaves and bark of a shrub and has been used for years for medicinal purposes. The bottled witch hazel consists of oil from the shrub and which has been distilled and combined with alcohol. Why use harsh chemicals when
A few years ago, I was having sinus infection after sinus infection. I went through 8 rounds of antibiotics in less than one year. I even had an MRI. The doctor said the next step was surgery. Then a mom from my daughter’s kindergarten class told me about an anti-inflammatory shake she drinks every day and how they improved her health. An anti-inflammatory diet can help with a variety
Have you ever bought a side of beef? Or bought meat directly from the farmer? (Like we do in our CSA). It’s cheaper than buying meat from the grocery store or butcher – cut out the middleman – and if you buy a side of beef that comes from a grass fed cow, the savings are even greater. All you need is a spare freezer and
When I visited Trinidad and Tobago on my honeymoon, roadside vendors would slice the top off a fresh coconut with a machete, stick a straw in it and hand it over. It was bliss! I haven’t found a store-bought version that even comes close. Yet these days, coconut water seems to be everywhere. Not to be confused with coconut oil or coconut milk, coconut water
If you have kids, summer means one thing – activities to keep everyone from driving everyone else insane. The zoo, water park, pool, museum, baseball games, library, fill in the blank. And with these day trips come expensive concession stands or trips to the drive through. Instead of buying snacks at overpriced food stands, throw a few inexpensive snack options in your bag, and use
Building a grocery stockpile is one of those topics that divides money-conscious shoppers. Some shoppers feel that a grocery stockpile is a use of time and money that could be better spent or saved elsewhere. Others feel that having one is a hedge against rising prices or last-minute emergencies. I’m on the side of the “others” because I stockpile, but I do it well. Eight steps to
I do most of my grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s because they offer crazy low prices on everything from coffee and organic yogurt, to a large selection of meat-free entrees, and wacky tastebud tinglers like Guacamame Spicy Edamame Dip, Thai Lime and Chili Almonds, and Cookie Butter. But there are a few items I will not buy there simply because they are overpriced. So when
My daughter is two and already, I dread grocery shopping with her. She can recognize candy and sweets just by the packaging (how DOES she do that?) She asks for many, many things we don’t need and so I’m constantly coming up with new ways to say no to her. But it’s so freaking hard! Anytime I’m tired, hungry, or have already said no so many
Last week I went on vacation with two friends, and we agreed that splitting the bill for everything was the best choice for airfare, condo, rental car, food and drinks. Meals out were our individual responsibilities. I put all expenses on my credit card – I volunteered, so I could get the points – and the ladies reimbursed me for all pre-paid costs. Throughout the
I’ve just completed my eighth bake sale for charity. It’s an annual event that benefits a local animal shelter. This year’s sale made $500! And no matter how much money the bake sale brings in, it’s always worth it, because aside from the time spent planning and baking, very little is spent on ingredients. Many of us have cherished causes deserving of cash. If you
It’s been a long, cold winter with record snowfall, which has stretch many family finances beyond comfort. The good news is that spring means fresh cheap produce. Cooking and eating healthy cheap meals is going to get easier (at least for several months). Here are 16 easy steps to scoring cheap, fresh produce.
A friend of mine, newly single and the mother of three young children, spends nearly $1,000 a month on groceries and prepared food to feed her family. Part of the problem: she hates to cook, she gets home right before dinner needs to be ready, and she skips leftovers. She asked me how she could reduce her grocery bill by several hundred dollars a month.
The eight-day celebration of Passover begins on Monday, April 14. Eight days of remembering the deliverance of the Israelites from the bonds of Egyptian slavery, and the passing over of the ten plagues that afflicted Pharaoh’s subjects. Eight days of eating kosher for Passover food, avoiding products leavened with yeast. Eight days of additional Passover groceries. The items you need for the Seder might include
I had a life-changing epiphany the other day: spiral-sliced ham on the bone is the cheapest sandwich meat. And cold cuts are ludicrously expensive. Big stuff, I know. This important financial realization – which will likely save my family hundreds of dollars a year – came to me after I spent $30 plus dollars on cold cuts to impress my in-laws. Why of course we
I’ve started to save a lot of money by making coffee at home and never realized the huge range of price in homemade coffee. From $18 per pound for fair trade coffee beans from Ethiopia to $2.50 per pound for generic label coffee from the grocery store. How much you spend – or save – on coffee says a lot about you. How much do you spend
