FRUGAL FRIDAY #4

I wanted to mention that very soon I will be moving to my dot com website. I have had this site for 6 months but have not been able to do what I wanted with it. I ran into Lex at Indelible Creations and she is fixing me up. Once I launch my new site I will have giveaways to celebrate. So check back and watch for it.

Here is her link. Go check her out.

When I was a single parent of two that did not receive any child support times were very hard for us. It wasn't a matter of being frugal because there wasn't much to go around. Every dime I earned had to go a long long way. There were no frivolous purchases. Our "eating out" consisted of going to Taco Bell's drive thru and purchasing the least expensive items on the menu. We did not buy drinks. The three of us could get what we wanted and spend under $3.00 with taxes. Of course prices have increased now and that would not be possible.

With growing children and my need for a professional looking wardrobe buying clothes was a big challenge. I was fortunate to live in a small town on the Eastern Shore across the bay from Mobile. There were many wealthy people in my area that often donated items to Goodwill. I could get a new to me dress for $2.99. Clothes for the kids were inexpensive as well.

While working on a temporary assignment I met a wonderful woman named Kathleen who was from New York. She took me under her wing and taught me all about shopping at yard sales. Most Saturdays we went "shopping". It was a lot of fun and I was able to purchase items I needed for my home, for the children and my self.

One of my most favorite purchases was a long sleeved, cowl neck sweater made from chenille. I paid 25 cents for that sweater and wore it for years until it started getting threadbare. I also purchased a blender for $1.00 and I used it for probably 8 years.

I also learned to shop clearance racks. It may take longer to find the right items you need but if you shop well you can end up with clothing of good quality. I found that if I shopped stores such as Dillards, Macys and other higher end department stores I could get quality clothing for less than I could buy them at low end stores such as WalMart and KMart. During this time there weren't any Ross or TJ Max around.

I don't know if it is the Scottish in me or my wanting to get the most for my money, I suspect it is both, but I can't stand the thought of paying full price for anything. If you are patient and watch for sales you can generally purchase your needed items for much less than full price.

Recently I needed a cord to upload my video from the camcorder to my computer. I told my daughter what I needed and she went to Radio Shack and purchased it. When she told me how much it was I almost fainted. I had her take it back. It cost $40.00. I went online and purchased the same item for $3.99 with shipping. It still blows my mind at the difference.

I purchase my husband's cologne online as well. It cost me less, including shipping, than going to Dillards to purchase it. I don't purchase mine online. I wait until the holidays and get the bonuses which stretch my purchase even more. Yes they are still expensive but with my sensitive nose I cannot tolerate cheap perfumes. They send my sinuses into orbit. And I do love to smell good.

When grocery shopping I like to get to the store early. This allows me to take advantage of marked down meats that are reaching their "use by" date in the next couple of days. You get a substantial savings when purchasing this way. You need to cook the meat right away or freeze them for later use. When I get home with the meat I immediately break it into the portions I want to cook and freeze them.

During different holidays and special events the stores usually will feature specific items at a discounted price. This is when you can really save. Sometimes if you wait until just after, such as Thanksgiving, you can get an even better value. Turkey doesn't have to be just for thanksgiving. Seasonal specific items really get marked low, usually 50-75 %, after the holidays. After Halloween, Valentines, Easter and Christmas you will find great deals on candies. Some people purchase the candy and freeze them and use them later for cookies and other deserts.

There are many ways to shop and save. I tend to purchase items that I know I will need later and buy in multiples if they are a good purchase. My hubby says that I am not saving money by doing this. What I can't make him understand is that when I do need these items, and I know I will, they will not be on sale. He has grumped and griped about many of my purchases but when he breaks down and uses them he is appreciative. Especially if I got a great deal on them.

I can never get out of the bargain hunter mode. Even when shopping home improvement stores I always find the marked down items aisles and look at the discounted paint that someone didn't like the color of. I purchased a gallon of tinted Venetian Plaster for $5.00. I wanted to paint a small chest of drawers I got at Goodwill and found a color I liked for 50 cents. If I hadn't purchased a reject that same can would have cost me over $8.00.

So ..... Happy Shopping... and eat more Chocolate.

FRUGAL FRIDAY

For many of us purchasing food items got to where it contained more convenience foods that it should have. Due to busy schedules, activities and not having enough time I would purchase rotisserie chickens at Wal-Mart. They were very convenient. I would use them in my salads, soups or just as the main meat course.

Recently, these chickens have gotten so small that they look like a large Cornish hen. That is not very frugal or convenient. I can see where a family or 4 or 5 with a large appetite would not be able to feed their family on one of these.

I wish I could remember where I read this tip so I could give that person credit. I now buy a large roasting chicken at the grocery store and cook it myself. I used to do two at a time in my oven. The tip is to put them in your crock pot and cook them. You need to put balls of foil, or as I did potatoes wrapped in foil in the bottom of the crock pot. Season your chicken as you like it and place it on the foil/potatoes and cook. Do not add any liquids.

I did learn that any seasonings you put on your chicken will be much more intense than roasting in the oven. I normally make a mixture of olive oil, chopped fine garlic, lemon and lime zest and other seasonings. I put this mixture under the skin the best I can and the leftovers go on the skin. I then take the lemons and limes left from zesting and stuff them in the chicken's cavity. You might want to go light on your seasonings until you have the right mixture. I believe mine cooked around 5 hours on high. My chickens have a pop-up gage on them to let you know when they are done. Mine cost $6.51 (1.24 per lb) at Wal-Mart but I got more than twice as much chicken than their rotisserie chickens. You can probably find them on sale and get a better price. I like knowing what ingredients are going into it.

For busy people on the go I think putting your chicken in first thing in the morning and putting it on low will be perfect. Or if your crock pot has the feature put it on auto where it cooks on high for 4 hours and then low for 4 more. When you get home you will have a perfectly cooked chicken rotisserie style and baked potatoes or other veggies you wrap in foil.

Quote of the Day "It is necessary to try to surpass oneself always; this occupation ought to last as long as life." – Queen Christina

FRUGAL FRIDAY

Frugal Friday is new for me. I often run across money saving tips or create my own and I thought I would share some of them with you. Today I want to talk about a product that I really like. It is Oil of Olay Daily Facials. I especially like the night cleansing one. When you use this product your face feels so smooth and clean. I highly recommend it over other brands and other types that Oil of Olay has to offer.

Now for the frugal part. This product is typically plus or minus $5.00 and you get a thirty day supply. I cut each facial cloth into four sections along the fold lines. This gives you a 120 day supply or approximately 4 months worth of facials. This quarter piece cleans my face very well. Big Girl who wears pounds of makeup has no problem getting it all off with this reduced piece. This means you are spending approximately $1.25 monthly for your daily facial.

As an added bonus after cleaning my face with them, because I don't wear as much makeup as Big Girl, I use my cloth to clean my bathroom sink. I normally brush my teeth first and then cleanse my face. This gets rid of the missed toothpaste that can make your sink gross. The cloth is soft but has enough tooth to exfoliate your face so it is perfect for a quick cleanup on the sink and faucet. I am not implying this will replace the normal cleaning and sanitizing of your sink but it will keep it from becoming embarrassingly gross.