By Melissa at http://www.stockpilingmoms.com/
July 27th, 2010
I wanted to share with you my technique for organizing my clipped coupons. I clip them while sitting at the sofa watching TIVO or a movie with the hubby after my son is in bed on Sunday night and then I lay them out on my island on Monday morning and sort them. I normally have 2-6 inserts so I have found this system works for me. After I sort them I file them into my binder by section. This method takes much less time as far as sorting goes and keeps my binder organized and ready for shopping trips. If you keep up on filing your coupons weekly you will not become overwhelmed and will always be able to get in on all the great deals!
A great tip for saving time in the clipping process is to order
clipped coupons instead of clipping them yourself. I supplement with ordering clipped coupons especially on items that I want to stockpile! Please know that we promote a select group of coupon clippers that we personally order from and trust.
How do you organize your coupons?
By Christina at http://www.northerncheapskate.com/
July 21st, 2010
I’m not a person who does well with temperature extremes. I get so cold in the winter and in the summer I’m prone to heat sickness. Staying cool in the summer heat is a major priority to me.
Here’s how to keep your cool this summer without breaking the bank:
Be strategic with your landscaping. Plant deciduous trees that provide shade in the summer and when they lose their leaves in the fall, help let the sun shine in during the winter months.
Use fans to circulate the air through your house. A cross-breeze is ideal. Put some ice water in front of the fan to blow cooler air around.
Don’t heat up your kitchen. Use your slow cooker, eat cool meals like salads or sandwiches, or use your grill. If you absolutely must do baking, be sure to use your oven late at night or early in the morning.
Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water. Put cool washcloths on your pulse points (back of the neck, wrists, back of the knees and ankles.
Take advantage of the cooler evenings. Open all the windows and use fans to circulate the air. When you get up in the morning, close up the windows, close the shades and curtains and keep the house shut up tight. If you open the windows and shades during the height of the afternoon, you’ll heat up your house pretty fast.
Go swimming, hang out in a kiddie pool, or dash through the sprinkler. If playing in the water isn’t your style, you could wash your car or water your plants and just accidently get wet.
Head indoors. Go to your local library or shopping mall and take advantage of their air conditioning. Just remind yourself not to spend anything or the free A/C could get pricey!
Use a programmable thermostat. Use a programmable thermostat with your air conditioning to only cool the house when you’re home. And remember, if you’re wearing a sweater in July in your house, you could turn up the thermostat and save a few bucks there.
Check with your local utility company for other money-saving options. My utility company offers a program that allows them to cycle my air conditioning unit off and on during periods of peak energy use. The house stays cool and I spend a fraction of what I would pay at regular rates.
How do beat the summer heat?
By Melissa at http://www.stockpilingmoms.com/
July 16th, 2010
For today’s Frugal Friday I wanted to give you some tips for packing the perfect and frugal picnic. Right now we are taking lots of picnics and not only is it fun but it is an economical way to enjoy lunch while we are on the go. Here are a few tips that will help you too.
1. Be sure to pack plenty of beverages. When are you out for a day in the summer heat is especially important to stay hydrated. I do not suggest freezing plastic bottles if you plan to drink them because of the breakdown of the plastic in the water. Instead I freeze juice boxes/pouches and let them do double-duty as ice packs and a drink. I also freeze 2 bottles of water and we use that to wash our hands or cool off during out time out on the go (however we do not drink that water).
2. Pack plenty of snacks. When we are on the go or planning a picnic I pack lots of individual snacks. I pack fruit snacks and place them directly in the cooler by the frozen beverages. My son love to eat them when they are cold and if you don’t they melt quickly from the heat. I also like to freeze grapes and then they remain cold for snack time. I avoid chocolate snacks and opt for nuts or trail mix, bananas and crackers. I also find that if I freeze cheese cubes they do better than just from the refrigerator. If I want to pack a dessert I find brownies do pack well.
3. Packing a protein. When it comes to packing a protein I suggest the standard PB&J. It is best to be safe when it comes to refrigeration and with PB&J you don’t have to worry! I also will often freeze our sandwiches if I know we are going to have Deli Meat or a lunchable. If you do this your food will stay cool and by the time you are ready to eat it has softened up. I don’t find that it gets soggy either 
.
4. Pack your accessories. Don’t forget to bring along cups, plates, plastic wear, napkins, hand sanitizers, baby wipes, paper towels, bug repellent, sunscreen and of course a big blanket to picnic on!
