Inexpensively Frugal Blog Network » Living

{The New Home Ec} Fix It or Trash It? When to Throw Away or Keep Your Stuff

Heather Sokol — Tue, 08 May 2012 19:07:36 +0000

We've become a throwaway society: something isn't working right, and our first instinct is to replace it altogether. But, there are a lot of things around the house that could be repaired just as easily — and for a lot less money. That's why we still have the "temporary" dining room table my parents gave us when we moved in here 10 years ago. Instead of replacing the entire set when the chairs began falling apart, we have made a few minor adjustments. First, we upholstered the dying chairs. We finally did replace the chairs when but have kept the perfectly functional table. We have been using a tablecloth to hide the imperfections on the tabletop. (Bonus: update your kitchen with an inexpensive linen purchase.) The decision to repair or replace depends on several factors — your personal finances at the time, the difficulty level or cost of a repair, the age of the item, and how often you actually use it in the first place. If money is tight, I'm more likely to fix it myself. If the repair costs almost as much as a replacement, I'm going to just get a new one. And, if it's not something I use often in the first place, I'll either make do or get rid of it altogether. Check out a few tips for the broken stuff in your house on Babble.com...

{The New Home Ec} 24 Awesome Ways to Reuse Baby Wipes Containers

Heather Sokol — Thu, 03 May 2012 17:41:50 +0000

I still have baby wipe containers all over the house, even though we haven't had a baby in diapers for more than 3 years. They make such great storage containers — the toy room has stacks of containers filled with cars, puzzles, and more tiny toys than I can count. We have wipes containers in the office, the garage, the kitchen, and bathrooms. They're filled with items we use everyday, things we need to tuck away, and stuff I'd never find again if it weren't neatly stacked and labeled in the perfect container. I've put together a list of my favorite uses — and some new ones that make me wish we were still buying wipes! Check out these ideas for repurposing baby wipe containers on Babble.com...

12 DIY Projects for Your Next Birthday Party

Heather Sokol — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 04:17:30 +0000

Around here, we're in the minority with our at-home birthday parties. We just can't budget the expensive parties at bounce houses, playlands, and other fancy-schmancy party spots. So, I work extra hard to plan super fun parties around a theme the birthday girl can get excited about. My girls plan their parties all. year. long. Seriously. Lorelai announced the day after her coveted Halloween party that she was having a tea party the next year. And, she did. My Fancy Nancy tea party was a big hit with my 6-year-old and her friends. She's been planning her 7th birthday ever since, but I still have half a year to go! Having a party at home means that I can completely control the budget — and have a little fun with the year's theme. Check out these fun projects that you can tweak to fit any party, on Babble.com...

{The New Home Ec} 10 Inexpensive Updates for Your Kitchen

Heather Sokol — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:48:12 +0000

I spend a lot of time in my kitchen — breakfast, lunch, dinner, supervising numerous snacks — so it doesn't take long for the look to get stale. Unfortunately, everything in there is just so big that I'm kinda stuck with it. We don't have much wall space to simply update decor. And, we won't be updating appliances until they completely die on us. That's why I was so thrilled to see this $700 kitchen remodel. It's still out of my budget, but it did give me a few ideas. "For a cheap renovation, look for ways you can utilize what's already in your kitchen, and pick projects you can delve into yourself without paying a contractor," says Katy Carter. My head has been swimming with ideas ever since. Check out small changes that could make a big difference on Babble.com...

{The New Home Ec} 3 Ways Your Vacation Budget Is Closer Than You Think

Heather Sokol — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:24:59 +0000

Two years ago, we had set aside $1000 for a simple, budget beach vacation. Then, I found out we didn’t get the condo we wanted, and everything else was $200-300 out of our range. We were left trying to figure out how to quickly add to our vacatio...
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{The New Home Ec} Teen & Tween Fashions for Less

Heather Sokol — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:26:55 +0000

Gone are the days of Target fashions and generic clothing. The teen and tween want Justice, Aeropostale, and whatever hot fashion happens to appear in Seventeen magazine this month. And, I get it. I remember desperately trying to fit in during my own awkward tween years. Back then, it was Guess. What I would have given to own a pair of the hot jeans everyone else seemed to already have! That's why we always include name brand clothing on their wishlists for Christmas and birthdays. Their grandparents, aunts, and uncles are happy to oblige. The girls also spend a lot of their own money keeping up with the latest styles. In between, I have a few tricks for buying teen & tween fashions on a budget. [Continue reading on Babble.com...]

Easy, Inexpensive Easter Eggs

Heather Sokol — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 12:42:19 +0000

There are so many egg-dyeing kits on the market now. They range in price from under $1.00 to close to $5 each! We have many ideas to share that will help you make fun, interesting eggs from the cheapest kits available and a few items around the house. You will, of course, start with hard-boiled eggs. Avoid waste by adding a pinch of salt to the pan of water to reduce cracks in the eggs! Prepare the dye in the basic kit; most brands recommended adding water once the vinegar has dissolved the dye tablet, but using straight vinegar makes for bolder colors.

While your eggs are cooling, you can raid your junk drawer for the supplies you’ll need to design your eggs:

• Rubber bands: Wrap the eggs before dipping into your favorite color. Once dyed and dried, remove the rubber-band for interesting stripe patterns.
• Crayons: Use a white crayon or another color to draw designs, words and pictures onto your egg before dipping into the dye.
• Stickers: You can add festive stickers to dyed & dried eggs or attach fun shapes to the eggs before dying. Remove the stickers after the eggs are dried for fun shapes.
• Masking Tape: Wrap masking tape around the egg before dying. Remove tape to reveal the design.
• Hole-punch Reinforcements: Stick these onto the eggs before dyeing for unique polka dot spots!
• Rubber Cement: Drip glue onto eggs in a random pattern. When glue is dried, dip egg into dye. Once the dye has set, peel off the glue to reveal your pattern.
• Q-Tips: Dip your cotton swab into full strength dissolved dye tablets. Paint designs onto eggs.
• Get crafty: Decorate dyed eggs by gluing on leftover craft supplies such as sequins, feathers, ribbons and more!

Be sure to store the finished eggs properly so they can be used for recipes later in the week. Deviled eggs, egg salads and green salad dishes can be made from these. Don’t forget to save the colorful eggshells for your kids to make beautiful mosaic pictures!

Originally published on 4/7/2009

{The New Home Ec} Planning Our Non-Vacation

Heather Sokol — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 03:15:09 +0000

A family vacation is just not in the budget this year. Sometimes, even a staycation just doesn't cut it. That's why we've found something in between. The day trip. [Continue reading on Babble.com...]
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Why You Should Have an AMC Stubs Card

Heather Sokol — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 23:36:05 +0000

On Friday, the hubby and I went to our 2nd movie all year. Last night, I went to the theater again with some friends. And, yes, both times I saw the eagerly anticipated Hunger Games.

I love, love, love the Hunger Games books, and I couldn’t wait to see the movie! It did not disappoint. (Which is rare—I hardly ever like movie adaptations.)

The first time we went, I used my Stubs card to buy our tickets, adding $20 to our accumulating balance. Then, we hit the concession stand. I know, I know. It’s a total racket. I just can’t help it. I won’t tell you what we spent, but I did get a free upgrade on the popcorn and drink with our Stubs card.

Yesterday, I used my Stubs card to buy my ticket—and swiped it again when my friend bought hers since she doesn’t have a card. By the time I got to the concession stand to buy my drink, I had $10 free to spend, with money leftover for the next movie I want to see. (Anybody wanna go to The Hunger Games with me again? So. Not. Kidding.)

That Stubs cash adds up faster than I ever expected! Or, I’ve never really stopped to think about how much a movie costs. But, here’s the thing: I get full price credit on a movie ticket, even if I’m exchanging a promotional certificate! So, I earned $20 with One for the Money, even though I bought our ticket voucher for only $12 on Groupon.

The Stubs card costs $12 per year, but the benefits have already paid for it in my eyes. Here is what you get as a Stubs member:

$10 FREE for every $100 you spend: At $10 each jut for tickets, it adds up fast!
FREE upgrades on popcorn and soda: Want a large for free refills? Pay for a medium!
Online ticket fees waived: Purchase your tickets in advance, through Fandango, and enter your Stubs card at checkout to have the e-ticket fee waived.
Advanced preview offers: I saw Twilight Breaking Dawn, Part I at 8pm on the Thursday before it was officially released.

Plus, they frequently offer specials for joining Stubs. Right now (through Thursday), you can get a free large popcorn or soda when you buy a Stubs card. And, you totally should. It’s so worth it!

{The New Home Ec} 9 Inexpensive Ways to Vacation at Home

Heather Sokol — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 15:59:05 +0000

We are just one week from spring break. I’d love to be counting down to an exciting trip, packing my bags for a week at the beach, or mapping out our trip to a fun destination. It’s just not in the budget this year. That doesn’t mean ...
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