Frugal Tips Archives - Page 2 of 3 Frugal Fritzie

Save Money on Utilities (list of ways to reduce spending)

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June 7, 2018 by Fritzie

Save Money on Utilities

Utility bills can take a big chunk out of your wallet, especially during the cold winter months or blistering summer months when we tend to blast our heater or air conditioner. Here are several simple tips to help save money on utilities and put more money back into your pocket each and every month.

Lower the Thermostat.

Did you know that by turning down the thermostat 10 to 15 degrees at night while you sleep can save you 5 to 15 percent a year on heating? So, toss another blanket on the bed, snuggle up and start counting your savings! We have also lowered our thermostat during the day by a few degrees to hep save money, it’s pretty easy to just throw on an extra sweater around the house.

Check those Heating Registers.

If you have a modern forced air heating system (as most of us do), make sure all of the heating registers are unblocked. Blocking a vent can throw the whole system out of whack, causing the heating unit to work harder. It is more energy efficient in the long run to balance the heat throughout the entire house.

Run a Nightly Energy Check.

Every night before you go to bed, get into the habit of performing a nightly energy check. Go around the house and turn off any unnecessary lights. Check around for other items too. Common culprits can include the kitchen hood over the stove, timers and office equipment. You can also monitor energy consumption with a number of gadgets, including the Kill A Watt Electricity Usage Monitor (electricity usage monitor gadget that connects to appliances and assesses efficiency) and the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug w/Energy Monitoring (monitors energy consumption of your plug-in devices and set times and schedules to avoid waste; works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Cortana).

Reverse your Ceiling Fan in the winter months.

In the winter time, reverse your ceiling fan on low so that it spins clockwise. This creates an updraft so that the warm air rises and distributes it evenly throughout your room.

Visit your local utility company’s website.

Not only do these utility companies generally have a whole host of tips on various ways to save money and energy, but many of them offer rebates on energy efficient appliances as well. In addition, some companies even offer free energy audits.

Lower the Water Heater.

This easy tip is a two-fer! Lowering your water heater setting from 140 degrees to 120 degrees can save you around $36 to $60 annually. In addition, by lowering the temperature, you will also slow mineral buildup and corrosion in your pipes. Source: energy.gov

Unplug it.

There has been some debate recently if unplugging devices is actually worthwhile. As a general rule though, the bigger and the older the device, the more power it uses when it is plugged in (even if the product is turned off). Examples include old TVs and older appliances. Another great tip is to put your hand on the adaptor of the item in question. If it is hot, it is using energy. Examples of gadgets that tend to be energy-suckers include: computers, cable boxes, game consoles and digital picture frames. Source: lbl.gov

What are your favorite tips to save money on utilities? Please feel comment and share, thanks so much! 🙂

25 Ways To Use Hydrogen Peroxide

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June 1, 2018 by Fritzie

Ways To Use Hydrogen Peroxide

If you are looking for simple ways to save money, one way is by taking a quick inventory of products that you already have on hand. In many cases, you may be surprised how versatile many common household products are. Hydrogen Peroxide is one of those items which can be utilized for many purposes other than it’s typical first-aid uses.

List of 25 Ways to Use Hydrogen Peroxide

Note: In all cases, a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide is used (like the bottles sold on the first aid section of just about any store).

1. Seed Germinator Booster. Soak seeds in one part hydrogen peroxide to 8 parts water for 5 minutes and rinse. This is said to help speed up the germination process.
2. Toilet Bowl Cleaner. Pour half a cup into your toilet bowl and let soak for about 30 minutes. Scrub and flush. Disinfects and removes stains at the same time.
3. Floor Brightener. Use half cup of hydrogen peroxide with one gallon of hot water and use on your floors. No rinsing needed.
4. Grout Whitener. Spray full 3% solution directly on grout and let sit a few minutes. Scrub with old toothbrush and you should see immediate results. Apply again if stain persists.
5. Cutting Board Sanitizer. Spray on cutting board, let sit a few minutes, then rinse.
6. Toothbrush Cleaner. Soaking your toothbrush periodically in between uses will help prevent germ buildup.
7. Keep Produce Fresh. Soak fresh produce in a mixture of 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide to 1 gallon of cold water. This will help keep your produce fresh longer.
8. Countertop Cleaner. Disinfect your countertop with equal parts white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide.
10. Mouthwash. Use one part hydrogen peroxide to one part water. Gargle/swish for 30 seconds, spit and rinse. Be sure and not to swallow any of the mixture. Brightens teeth at the same time.
11. Toothpaste. Run out of toothpaste? Make a paste out of equal parts baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. It won’t taste very good, but it will get the job done.
12. Foot Fungus Treater. The effectiveness of this technique is up for debate, but spraying a solution of half hydrogen peroxide and half water is said to curb foot fungus
13. Nail Whitener. Apply directly to fingernails to whiten them.
14. Mirror Cleaner. Spray your mirror with hydrogen peroxide for a smear-free cleaning.
15. All-Puprose Disinfectant. Use equal parts white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide.
16. Stain Remover. Said to work especially well on unsightly armpit stains.
17. DIY Laundry Bombs. Make your own all-in-one laundry bombs, get the full step by step instructions from PopSugar.
18. Revive Burnt Pots. Sprinkle a burnt pot with equal parts hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. let sit for a few hours to release the burnt bits. Works great on stainless steel pots.
19. Cookie Sheet Renewer. You know how cookie sheets tend to get nasty looking after many uses? Use the same step as above to bring new life back to those cookie sheets.
20. Mold Remover. Use 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide and 1 cup of water in spray bottle. Spray affected area, let sit for a few minutes, Wipe with damp sponge.
21. DIY Watercolor Shirt. Ingenious idea involving sharpies and hydrogen peroxide. See the DIY Watercolor shirt tutorial from the Laurel Crowned.
22. Stove Top Cleaner. Make a paste of equal parts hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to remove the extra stubborn grease from your stove top.
23. Acne Clearer. Apply hydrogen peroxide to cotton ball and use to help clear acne.
24. Homemade Carpet Cleaning Solution. Use 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of grease-cutting dish soap (like Dawn) and 1 gallon of hot water.
25. Toy Cleaner. Disinfect those toys without using harsh cleaners. Use 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide and 1 cup of water in spray bottle. Spray and wipe with damp sponge.

Note: This post is part of my “Use What You Have” series where I regularly take a look at a common household product and list 25 ways to use each one. If you want to reduce spending and cut down on things you really don’t need, why not utilize what you already have around the house?

25 Ways To Use Honey – everything from hiccup reliever to lip conditioner.

25 Ways To Use Vinegar – everything from washing machine cleaner to creating a fruit fly trapper.

25 Ways To Use Baking Soda – everything from DIY modeling clay to making fluffier omelets.

25 Ways To Use Lemons – everything from making your lettuce crisper to diy grout cleaner.

25 Ways To Use Borax – everything from DIY cleaning slime to making your own bouncy ball.

25 Ways to Use Old Magazines – everything from making gift bows to reshaping wet shoes.

Easy DIY Homemade Taco Seasoning

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May 29, 2018 by Fritzie

Homemade Taco Seasoning

I have been meaning to make my own taco seasoning for years and now that I have been making it for awhile, I cannot believe it took me this long! This should have been a given for me a long time, since I already use a lot of herbs and spices, it was just a matter of putting them together. Not only do I love how easy homemade taco seasoning is to prepare, but I love that I have control over what ingredients go into the seasoning. If you have ever read the ingredients on the back of a prepared taco seasoning packet, then you know exactly what I mean. And if you haven’t yet, do yourself a favor and check it out next time you’re at the grocery store.

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25 Ways To Use Vinegar

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May 19, 2018 by Fritzie

Ways to use Vinegar List

Vinegar has got to be one of THE most versatile products known to man. Not only is it used in recipes, but there are a ton of other different ways to use vinegar around the house too. Vinegar is an excellent all natural household cleaner among it’s many amazing qualities. I have highlighted 25 fantastic ways you can put vinegar to use right now.

1. Grease-fighter. Remove grease stains in your kitchen including the stove by wiping down the area with a 50/50 solution of vinegar and warm water.

2. Drain Deodorizer (and unclogger). Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda and follow-up with 1 cup of vinegar. After the foaming dissipates, flush with hot water. Wait a few minutes and then flush again with cold water. This will not only unclog your drain, but it will keep it smelling fresh too.

3. Water Ring Dissolver. Remove water rings on your wood furniture by applying a 50/50 mixture of vinegar & olive oil, rubbing it with the grain. Use a second dry cloth to buff the spot away.

4. Candle Wax Remover. To remove melted candle wax from furniture, first blow-dry the affected area and blot with paper towels. Then rub with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Wipe the area clean with a soft cloth.

5. Rust Be Gone. Soak items like old rusty tools in full-strength vinegar to help remove rust. For especially rusty items, soak several days in an old container.

6. Dish Soap Booster. Adding a few tablespoons of vinegar to your dish soap will help it’s grease-fighting abilities.

7. Microwave Cleaner. This is one of my favorite ways to use vinegar. Place a bowl of 1 cup water and 1/4 cup of vinegar and zap it for 3-5 minutes. This super simple step makes cleaning the microwave SO much easier!

8. Cutting Board Disinfecter. Wipe down your cutting board with full-strength vinegar to help cut back on bacteria.

9. Coffeemaker Cleaner. If your coffee starts tasting bitter, then it’s time to clean your coffeemaker! Place a filter in the machine, add 2 cups vinegar and 1 cup water to your coffeemaker and let it run a full cycle. Remove the filter, replace with a new one and run it again with just water, repeat this step one time.

10. Fruit Fly Trapper. Check out this awesome DIY Fruit Fly Trapper Tutorial from Sweet Little Bluebird.

11. Bumper Sticker Remover. Saturate the bumper sticker with full-strength vinegar for 10-15 minutes. Then scrape away the residue with an old credit card. Wipe down with a rag soaked in vinegar to remove the rest of the residue.

12. Computer Cleaner. Keep your office & computer equipment clean and dust-free and they’ll thank you with years of service. First, turn off all your equipment. Next, take a damp cloth using a solution of 50/50 vinegar and water. Wring the cloth as much as you can before wiping down your equipment. Cotton swabs work great for smaller nooks & crannies.

13. Smoke Odor Buster. If you burned your food while cooking, you can quickly remove the odor by swinging a damp rag soaked on vinegar around the room. Just be sure and wring the rag really well first though unless you want to fling vinegar everywhere. If the odor has totally saturated the house, leave a few bowls of vinegar sitting out for a bit to absorb the smoky smell.

14. Painted Floor Preserver. Paint tends to peel from cement floors after a bit of use. Help the paint last longer by first applying a coat of vinegar to the cement floor. Allow the vinegar to dry completely before painting the floor.

15. Paint Fume Remover. Place a shallow dish of full-strength vinegar in a freshly-painted room to get rid of paint fumes more quickly.

16. Paintbrush Refresher. Remove dried-on paint from a paint brush by soaking it in vinegar until the paint dissolves and then washing the paintbrush in hot, soapy water.

17. Window Defroster. Help keep the frost off of your car windows by spraying with a solution of three parts vinegar, one part water. One coat should last a few weeks.

18. Scissors De-gunker. Wipes down the blades with full-strength white vinegar to strip them of the gunk that tends to build up on scissors after a lot of use. If the scissors have a lot of build-up, let the vinegar sit on the blades for a few minutes. Then, dry off with a rag and presto, your scissors are once again like new!

19. Mildew Cleaner. Remove mildew stains by using a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water. For tougher stains, use full-strength vinegar.

20. Shower Door Shiner. Get your glass shower door sparkling clean with the following solution: 1 gallon water, 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 cup ammonia.

21. Bathtub Cleaner. Remove especially pesky hard-water stains by filling your tub with hot water over the stains & adding 3 cups of vinegar. After letting soak for a 2-3 hours, drain the tub and then stains should scrub away fairly easily.

22. Showerhead Deblocker. Remove mineral deposits from showerheads easily by soaking them in one quart of hot water and 1/2 cup of vinegar.

23. Furniture Scratch Concealer. To make scratches less noticeable on wood furniture, mix vinegar & iodine together in a small container & apply to the affected area with a small brush. For darker wood, use more iodine. For lighter wood, use more vinegar.

24. Running Color Preventer. Soak your new brightly color clothes in a few cups of white vinegar for about 10 minutes before their first wash to prevent colors from running.

25. Washing Machine Cleaner. There is no need to buy those pricey washing machine cleaners. Simply pour in two cups of vinegar and run your washer a full cycle without any clothes or detergent.

25 Ways To Use Old Magazines – everything from making gift bows to reshaping wet shoes.

25 Ways To Use Baking Soda – everything from DIY modeling clay to making fluffier omelets.

25 Ways To Use Lemons – everything from making your lettuce crisper to diy grout cleaner.

25 Ways To Use Borax – everything from DIY cleaning slime to making your own bouncy ball.

25 Ways To Use Hydrogen Peroxide – everything from toilet bowl cleaner to seed germinator.

What to Buy at Aldi (and what not to buy)

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July 19, 2015 by Fritzie

What to Buy at Aldi

Aldi is great store to stock up on the basics. Here is a guide of what to buy at Aldi along with a few products you may want to avoid. When I first started shopping regularly at Aldi a few years back, it took me quite awhile to get used to the store. While they do carry a few name brands, they mostly stock their shelves with their own house brands. I have to admit, I was initially put off by the store. I found the way they displayed their products a little odd and it took me awhile to remember to bring my own bags. As I started shopping at Aldi on a fairly regular basis, I quickly came to realize that Aldi has a lot to offer.

1. Produce

My favorite buy at Aldi is their fresh produce. Aldi typically has the best produce buys in our area week after week. Having said that, their produce selection can be hit or miss at times. I generally have to pick few their produce to find the freshest items. If the selection is so-so on your shopping trip, keep in mind that you can also price match at Walmart.

2. Coffee

Aldi’s Beaumont Ground Coffee is very competitively priced and often beats grocery store prices, even with any coupon offers (current price for a 34.5 oz can is $5.49).

3. Chips

Aldi’s Potato Chips and other chips are usually the cheapest around. A regular bag of potato chips at Aldi runs $1.49, while name brand chips can run twice as much.

4. Spices

Aldi’s Stonemill Essentials Spices are all priced at $0.99. A good price for decent sizes (the onion powder, for example is 4.75 oz). While I prefer to buy some of my spices in bulk, Aldi is my go-to spot for spices I don’t typically use a lot of in a short amount of time.

5. Dairy Products

Aldi has very competitive pricing on Milk and Eggs. They also have great prices on Margarine and Butter. Their 45 oz Country Creamery margarine tub, for example is currently priced at $1.99.

6. Markdowns

Aldi is very generous is marking down items and they discount products in most categories, including meat, canned goods, seasonal items, toys and more. You can find markdowns throughout the store, look for the Red Sign on display indicating a markdown sale. Most Aldi stores also have a clearance bin up front and you never know what you’ll find there. It’s kind of a fun treasure hunt. 😉 I have bought everything from liquid stevia, to specialty mustards, to a fan!

7. Special Buys

I love Aldi’s section of non-food items. Each week, they run a special on various non-food items, typically running some sort of theme each week. For example, one week, they’ll have a gardening assortment, the next week various kitchen gadgets, another week tools and so on.

8. Saltines

These run under a buck for a 16 oz box, a nice buy (they are currently $0.89). I have found some of the name brands taste better than these saltines, but hey, you can’t beat the price!

9. Ham

UPDATE: It looks like Aldi’s prices went up this year on ham, starting at $1.59 lb. Still decent buy though! Aldi’s Appleton Farms Smoked Ham Shank-Portion sells for $0.99 lb and is not only a great buy, but it tastes great too. My Uncle Butch gave me this little tip a few years back. He was a professional butcher for many years, so he knows his stuff! Yes, a butcher called Butch, I know, right?!?! Love it 😉 Sadly, Aldi only sells this ham during the holidays (Easter, Thanskgiving and Christmas), so you might want to buy a couple to throw in the freezer when they do carry them.

10. Chocolate Bars

OMG, I just love their Choceur Milk Chocolate Bars. Seriously, one of the best tasting chocolates I have EVER tried! While I haven’t indulged in one of these delightful bars in a really long time, I think they are absolutely divine. They sell a variety of these bars (including those with hazelnuts, yum!), my favorite was just their plain ‘ol Choceur Milk Chocolate 7.05 oz bar.

What Not to Buy at Aldi

1. Microwave Popcorn

I don’t personally eat microwave popcorn, I don’t care for it at all, hate all of them. But, every time I have purchased a box at Aldi for my spouse, he complains about it (kernels too small, taste lacking, leaves a lot of unpopped kernels). So, while the price is right (a 6 ct box runs $1.69), I would not recommend it based on his review.

2. Meat

Meat products are one of the few items I don’t find to be very competitively priced, especially their meat & pork products. Do, however, look for markdowns, you can pick up some nice buys that way, especially on chicken.

3. Paper Products

I just don’t care for any of their paper products I have tried including napkins, paper towels & toilet paper. In my opinion, they just don’t stand up. And typically, you can find better buys using coupons at other stores and you get better, sturdier paper products to boot.

4. Greek Yogurt

This was probably the Aldi product I have been the most disappointed in. I love plain greek yogurt, but I do NOT love the price, so I am always looking for greek yogurt deals. Aldi’s 32 oz containers of plain greek yogurt run about $1.00-$2.00 less than at other stores, but I just was not a fan of this one. Fage yogurt remains my favorite out of the many brands I have tried.

5. Canned Tuna

I am just not a fan of their canned tuna, the texture is just too goopy for my taste. In a word, ugh.

6. Spicy Pork Rinds

So, I really liked Aldi’s Clancy’s spicy pork rinds until I read the ingredients, which sadly, include MSG. I absolutely hate MSG, so I quickly crossed this product off my list. If you have an occasional hankering for red hot pork rinds, then I would opt for the plain bag. Their plain pork rinds don’t have MSG and you can opt to sprinkle them with cayenne pepper for an extra kick.

Note: This is NOT a sponsored post, nor do I work at Aldi or know anybody that does. I am just an Aldi fan and thought this information might prove helpful. 🙂 All of the above is entirely subjective, as I’m sure opinions will vary quite a bit as to what people’s favorite Aldi items are. Keep in mind that if you buy something and are not satisfied with the quality of the product, Aldi does offer a Double Money Back Guarantee. They will replace the product AND refund your money.

What are your favorite Aldi products?

5 Easy Ways To Save Money On Meat

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July 18, 2015 by Fritzie

Save Money On Meat

Looking for ways to save money on meat? Since meat takes a big chunk out of most people’s grocery budget, it definitely pays to take a look at how to reduce your spending in this area. Here are several great tips on how you can spend less on meat. As meat prices continue to climb, a grocery shopping trip can end up being a stressful experience and it doesn’t have to be that way.

While occasionally you can find coupons for fresh meat, it is not something you see on a regular basis. Any meat coupons that do come along tend to be for more processed meats including hot dogs, sausage, cooked chicken products, etc. Here, we take a look at several ways to save on fresh meat products without using coupons.

1. Buy in Bulk

Buying in bulk is a great way to save money on meats. Family packs are almost always priced cheaper than the smaller packages of meat. You can break down the big packs of meat into smaller portions when you get them home. Also, purchasing meat products whole, such as a whole pork loin can add up to big savings. And many grocery stores will slice your meat purchases for free at their butcher counter. Purchasing whole chickens and cutting them up your self can be a big money-saver as well. Also, consider buying a side of beef or pork locally as long as you have room to store it (or go in with several families).

2. Track the Sales and Stock Up

Keep an eye out on prices per pound on meat in your area and stock up when there is a sale. Meat and poultry products can keep quite a while when stored properly in your freezer and you’ll always have it handy. Seasonally, meat prices tend to go down right before the holidays, especially during the summer months. Keep an eye out for meat markdowns as well. Many grocery stores will mark down their meats when they are nearing their expiration dates. These are perfectly fine, as long as you cook or freeze them quickly.

3. Avoid Fillers

As you’re watching the price per pound in store, read the label while you’re at it. You might be surprised to learn that many meats are injected with a broth, sodium solution or “flavor enhancer”. In some cases, up to 20 percent of the meat’s weight can be added liquid, yikes! So for a better buy, try and avoid these fillers whenever possible.

4. Buy Less Expensive Cuts of Meat

Chicken remains the best buy, cheaper cuts include thighs and leg quarters. In addition to being a budget-savvy choice, chicken thighs are also versatile and very forgiving in the cooking process. Other cheaper cuts of meat include pork shoulder, assorted pork loin chops, beef sirloin steak and beef chuck.

5. Use Meat as a Condiment

As a society, we tend to eat huge portions of meat. Go to any steak house and you’ll see ginormous steaks so big the plates can barely contain them. The right size portion of meat is four ounces, the size of a deck of cards. You can easily put a big dent in your budget by simply eating less meat. One-dish meals are a great way of doing this. Turn a favorite vegetable side dish into a main meal simply by adding meat. And cutting your meat into smaller pieces will not only stretch it farther, but it will add more flavor to your dish as well. I am also a HUGE fan of soups. Not only are they hearty and satisfying, but they go a long way and freeze great.

Have your own money-saving tips for saving on meat? Please feel free to leave a comment and share, thanks!

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5 Ways to Save Money on Fresh Produce (at the grocery store)

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June 16, 2015 by Fritzie

Save Money on Fresh Produce

If you are looking for ways to save money on fresh produce, here are a few tips I picked up along the way. Over the last year and a half, as I have been eating healthier, that means a whole lot more fresh fruits and vegetables in my life. While I would love to eventually start growing my own fresh vegetables, it is one of those many items on my “list” I just haven’t gotten around to yet. I’ve never had much of a green thumb (in fact, I’ve joked many times that I have a brown thumb from all the poor plants that have suffered under my care over the years). Eventually, I would like to overcome this and master the art of gardening. In the mean time, thankfully, I have found ways to pick up great buys on fresh produce at grocery stores and here are some of my favorite tips:

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8 Handy Life Hacks for the Kitchen

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February 24, 2015 by Fritzie

Here’s a fun one from Rudi’s Organic Bakery! Head on over and check out their 8 Handy Life Hacks for the Kitchen which include all sorts of helpful hints on how to save time in the kitchen. In addition, you can also enter their Sweepstakes Giveaway for a chance to win 1 of 4 Vitamix Blenders. They are giving away two each week and you can enter once a week. No purchase necessary to enter, easy entry. Plus, you can print a coupon for $1.00 off any one Rudi’s Organic Bakery product, nice!

Life Hacks for the Kitchen:

Peel Fruit easily with this tip: Cut fruit in half, match the line where fruit meets peel to glass rim and slide down until detached (see their illustration).

For Lunchbox Ice Packs, soak a clean sponge, place in an airtight bag and freeze (I love this idea!).

Freeze Grapes as a tasty and nutritious alternative to ice cubes. Use in a glass of wine, iced tea or any other refreshing beverage.

Check out the rest of these useful tips here.

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