Frugal Tips - A Hodge Podge

Today I want to share with you a variety of different tips that have been collected over the years from the forum members at FamilyCorner.com. There's quite a variety here, hope you are able to learn at least one new tip from today's post!

• Using your favorite recipe, make four meat loaves, three for freezer meals and one for dinner. Just put the ingredients inside of a sealed freezer bag and mix it inside the bag. Store them stacked flat in the freezer. Thaw next time you want meatloaf!
  



• Use small containers to make individual servings of Jello and pudding to pack in lunchboxes.
  



• Cut down old cereal boxes to use as magazine holders.
  



• Add water to all your store-bought liquids. This goes from drinks to cleaning fluids. You won't taste the difference, and it won't dilute anything to an extent that it makes it less effective. Instead, it makes it last longer.
  



• Piggyback your laundry loads in the dryer! It will already be hot from the first load, saving energy on the next one.
  



• To conserve water and save on your water bill, fill your teakettle while you are waiting for the hot water to reach the kitchen sink. Also keep a bucket in the shower to catch excess water, for watering your garden.
  



• To make a free laundry pre-treater, take an almost-empty bottle of dishwashing soap and pour in a free sample of laundry detergent. Shake and keep near your washing machine to take care of stains.
  



• To use up free fabric softener samples that you can get in the mail, put one packet in a spray bottle then fill the rest of the bottle with water. Homemade Febreeze with no cost to you! Do a test spot to make sure that it doesn't stain your fabrics.
  



• I measured out the amount of macaroni in a box of mac-n-cheese, then added an equal amount of macaroni noodles from a plain box. Used the same amount of milk and butter and it was plenty cheesy enough for the kids. Use the store brand that's on sale.
  



• I buy my herbs & spices at the health food store a couple times a year. Instead of paying dollars a jar, I get fresher for pennies.
  



• I have been packing "trash free" lunches for my kids and that is saving me money. I am buying large cans of fruit like pineapple chunks or peaches and then putting them in single-serving plastic containers instead of buying the pre-packaged ones.
  



• Weigh the heads of lettuce at the store to see which is heavier. If they’re priced by the head rather than the pound, you want the heaviest ones--more lettuce for your money.