Wednesday, December 29, 2010

New Years Resolution Links! :)

Here are the list of website links from my article for January!  :)

Diet and fitness:

http://www.fitday.com/
http://www.fitclick.com/
http://www.startyourdiet.com/
http://www.buddyslim.com/
http://www.sparkpeople.com/
http://eatcleandiet.com/
http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/


Stopping smoking:

http://www.smokershelpline.ca/
www.QuitNow.ca
http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com/
www.lung.ca/
http://www.quit4life.com/index_e.asp
http://hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/tobac-tabac/quit-cesser/index-eng.php

Good luck on all your Resolutions!  :)

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Well...winter celebrations are here!

This is the time of year where people seem to go overboard with their spending, and the over commercialization of Christmas doesn't help! I know it's a hard thing to do, not to buy your loved ones EXACTLY what they want for Chrismas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice/Yule, Kwanzaa, or any other Winter Celebration that your beliefs are.

This year...my husband and I did but a few things for gift giving, mostly for our two sons'. I did go and buy my husband a filter for the 50 gallon fish tank that I found at the reuse shed (I tell you...THOSE are NOT cheap!  :(  ). The rest of tthe family are getting things that I am making, as in baked goods for the guys, and sewn things for the gals. I was downsizing my decorations and realised that I had THREE decorative Christmas cookie jars (which had ONLY ever been used as decorations!), so...there are my containers for the baked goods for the guys!

I'm sure that I have mentioned time and time again about how much I LOVE the reuse/share shed! Well, I am making some reusable bags in red or green, from CLOTHES that I found there! They of course are washed and such BEFORE I use them, but it's FREE fabric! All I have to do is a little reconstruction on them!  :)

The only other major expense is the ingredients for my baking, which I had started buying in October, so that it wouldn't hit so hard come Christmas. Things like the expensive little cans of sweetened condensed milk that I use for making fudge (BTW...the recipe is SUPER simple! Go check out the Eagle Brand recipes and you'll see!), or the cans of cocoa that I use to make some cookies and fudge brownies (The fudge brownies are from a cook book I have that is from the author who runs the livingonadime website, you can find the recipe here: http://www.livingonadime.com/fudge-brownies/ ).

I'm not allways this organized, and I STILL have to do all my sewing...by tomorrow night...I'm SUCH a procrastinator! The only thing I AM organized about at Christmas is buying bags, ornaments, and other decorations to give to people the following year. Too bad last year we were too broke for me to even try to do it..  :(

Well, anyways, I hope everyone has a joyous Winter Celebration, no matter your culture/religion!   :)

Monday, December 20, 2010

Been taking my time...

I'm sure everyone figures that I'm taking my time at putting more onto my blog, and I'm sorry that it has been so very long. I think that it's time to introduce you all to another web site that is fabulously frugal!  :)

http://www.livingonadime.com/
I do believe that the only way to get the book that I mentioned in my article in The Stew Magazine, is by ordering it online, but there are quite a few of the recipes posted on this site. There is also alot of money saving tips, an e-newsletter, and sometimes there are giveaways and/or freebies posted! Check it out!  :)

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

OMG! I have lusted for this for 2 years...and the waiting paid off! ;)

I tell you...the things you can find at the reuse/share shed near the dump are AMAZING!!! I have been looking at getting a portable dishwasher since I had to give up my old one when we moved due to downsizing (and quite honestly...I don't think my hubby would have been impressed hauling it up four stories worth of stairs along with a BIG U-Haul truck worth of things). This morning I went to the reuse/share shed to check out what might be new...and low and behold...a portable dishwasher! I know, I know...you think that the only reason it was brought there was because it was broken...well...it wasn't! It leaked a little, but it was a simple fix (odds are the preveous owner was not mechanically enclined and had the money to buy a new one). The only cost to me was just over $10 in parts for my tap to allow the dishwasher to attach to it and some teflon tape to make sure that the faucet wouldn't leak when it was attached!

This isn't my kitchen, but this IS the dishwasher I am now a proud owner of! So an occassional trip there could save you over $300! Although...in looking at the bargain finder or the classifieds, you could probably find one for about $100...but STILL...you can save ALOT by just checking things out often! Happy saving for all of you!  :)

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Crafters unite!

Well...I was looking around the internet trying to find places that could help me get ideas for reconstructing clothes, and came across a site that does that and a whole LOT more! http://www.craftster.org/ . It covers an large assortment of crafting ideas from newly made items, crocheting, knitting, sewing, cross stitch, to original crafts beyond those, along with an assortment of recycle/upcycle/repurpose/reconstructing items. You really should check it out! I have, and I now think my winter is BOOKED solid with crafting!  ;)

Friday, November 19, 2010

The things I find!

Well...I was at the reuse/share shed a few days ago, and I could NOT believe my eyes! A Cuisinart convection breadmaker! I was so VERY surprised! I snatched it up immediately, and skipped all the way home to try it out (OK...so I drove, but skipping shows my excitement better..lol!), and it works like a dream! As I've said before, frequently going there, you could be surprised at the things to be found!  :)

Sunday, November 14, 2010

WOW! It really works!

Yeaterday I went to the local Reuse Shed to drop off a few things, and I talked to a gentleman who works there. He told me how to make my car go from being the over oxidiezed red color to a bright shiney red. I believed that it would brighten my paint...but WOW! His idea REALLY did work! Once a month I will have to reapply this, but it REALLY does make it almost look like I got a new paintjob on my car! So instead of spending roughly $3k on a new paintjob, I will polish into my car some WD40! That's RIGHT! WD40 made it look FABULOUS! However I will note to all of you outthere that you MIGHT want to wash your car before you apply it...it makes it easier to apply. DO NOT spray the WD40 straight onto the car however, you spray a cloth and apply it that way. I will not be held responsible for any injury/harm/damage that this may do, as I do not know what this does for your car long term. So research about this ios in order before you attempt to do this to your own vehicle, as WD40 IS condidered a flamable material.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Some things to possibly interest you...

I have been reading a blog about a man who lived off of $1/day for 100 days! It was an interesting read....peppered with alot of humour about it all and himself. Not only did he take on this challenge (as a dare from his sister...you know how siblings can be!), but he simultaneously was working on a challenge to help people who go hungery in America. I know...it't not Canadian...but the ideas he expresses are genuine and at a time where only in the depression was there an economic downturn such as this, it is necassary that people step up and speak out. I'm not saying to stop worrying about your own family, nor am I saying to ignore the please to stop hunger in other countries, but it is sad that a terrific country such as ours has people that go hungery within it. There are people who suffer silently, in fear that the neighbors may look down on them, that go hungery so that they have a roof over their heads. They may watch as their children eat, and they do not. Helping others should never require you to be acknowledged, a good deed should just feel good. Many people in our region have lost their jobs from mills/mines, and although they have opened up some, not all are back to work. Open your hearts to these people, along with the many others who are not as fortunate. Surprise them with a gift of non-perishable groceries, dropped on their front stoop when no one is looking. Random acts of kindness should be a way of life for all of us accross the world!

To read the blog about living on a dollar a day, visit here: http://www.grocerycouponguide.com/articles/eating-well-on-1-a-day/

For his work on helping the hungry, visit here: http://www.pennyexperiment.com/about/

And now I hope that all of you will try to get into the spirit of the season by helping those less fortunate, and get into the "spirit of giving" instead of the commercialism of getting that the winter season has deviated to.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

A few of my favorite Web sites! :)

I am going to direct you all to a few of my favourite web sites, I do hope they are as helpful to you as they have been for me!  J

for great ideas, and do-it-yourself mixes!

has some great articles, and the e-zines that you can sign up for are really great!

great green cleaning recipes that you can make cheaply, and work well!

I like to print out the planners and chore chart so that my family can be organized!

Gives you a multitude of ideas on how to budget better, and some tips on once-a-month cooking.

lots of articles on how to get into a frugal frame of mind!

many recipes and ideas.

gives great advice on how to stretch your dollars and save as well!

how to be frugal at everything.

the name says it all…

a lot of interesting recipes and ideas.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The best thing!

The best thing that we fine frugality peeps need to do is to NOT spend! I know...it's hard...we all want or need certain things. I have stopped shopping for alot of things now...I now go to the reuse shed instead. If you're patient...you might find some genuine gems like I have! I found a beautiful stand alone shelf that my eldest son has use for, a stereo reciever with REALLY nice speakers, boards that are of beautiful dark wood that I used for shelving in my bedroom. A headboard from an old bed that I now use as a heavy duty shelf for kitchen gadgets in my diningroom, aluminum brackets for shelves in my laundryroom, and particalboard sheets that had been the frame to an old waterbed are the shelves. None of these things look tacky (at least not to me), and are getting new life where otherwise they would have been in a landfill.

Did I mention that you can also find clothes there as well! Some of them are in superb condition, I was amazed! I what items I did take home I naturally washed in laundry detergent and my lavendar vinegar (regular vinegar doesn't smell as nice). I also have a hobby of upcycling and repurposing clothes, so some of my finds are being relenquished to my hobby for the winter.

There are oodles of things that go to the reuse shed, from cribs and strollers (even DOUBLE strollers!), to desks, wheels for gocarts, to your mind could be the limit! The only problem is that you have to go frequently, as people drop things off a varying times, and you never know what can be dropped off next!

Happy recycling!  :)

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

My first post to the world! :)

Well, my article for frugal living is off to be printed along with ALL the loveliness that encumpasses "The Stew" magazine! For those who are not aware what the magazine is about, it's an arts, culture, living and lifestyle magazine that centers on life within the cariboo. I am so excited about being a part of this, let me tell you! I can't wait to get my first copy!  :)

Aside from my excitement, I get to give people suggestions on how to do things on a meager budget, like halloween. I gave a few ideas on decorating, but due to space, I was unable to talk about some great party ideas! I also was going to add some web links to the stew web site. I shall add these things, and a few more ideas as the days go on! Have fun living in Frugality!  :)