Christmas Entertaining: Chicken Wings

Last time I wrote about saving money on holiday entertaining and today I have some recipes for chicken wings or drumsticks you can make yourself. They are very expensive when buying from restaurants or the deli.

You can take off the pointy part of the wing at the joint with a very sharp knife before cooking or leave it as is. Either way is fine, and depends on your preference.

Grilled Chicken Wings

Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. spicy mustard
2 Tbsp. lite or regular soy sauce
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
2 lb. chicken wings
3/4 cup BBQ Sauce (no for marinade)

Combine the first four ingredients; pour over the chicken in a shallow dish. Turn the chicken over a couple of times to evenly coat both sides of the wing. Refrigerate the wings for at least 30 minutes to marinate. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and discard the marinade. Grill the chicken for 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Brush lightly with the barbecue sauce. Grill 5 minutes longer or until chicken is done, turning and brushing frequently with remaining sauce.

Slow Roasted Chicken Wings

Ingredients:
5 pounds frozen chicken wings
10 oz. soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. ground ginger

In a blender, combine soy sauce, sugar, honey, cayenne pepper, garlic and ginger. In a 9x13 baking pan lined with foil, pour the blended mixture over the chicken wings. Place on center oven rack and bake at 250°F for 2 1/2 hours, turning and basting every 30 minutes. Bake until chicken is tender.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings

Ingredients:
16 chicken wings or legs
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper
oil

SAUCE
6 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons orange juice, any type
1 cup white sugar
1 cup white vinegar

Season the flour with salt and pepper. (for an extra spicy chicken, add cayenne pepper). Dip the chicken in egg, then the flour. Fry the chicken in a large skillet using oil, until crispy, about 15 minutes. Drain and place in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, water, sugar and vinegar. Mix together and pour over the fried chicken. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked through and juices run clear.

Spicy Wings and Drumsticks

1/2 cup Mexican-style hot sauce (such as Valentina)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar, or more to taste
4 chicken thighs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a small baking dish. Mix the hot sauce, paprika, ground cayenne pepper, and brown sugar in a bowl, and stir until the mixture is well combined. Place the chicken thighs in the baking dish, and coat them with a layer of sauce. Cover the dish with foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake until the chicken has cooked through, and the sauce has thickened and started to brown, about 20 more minutes.

~Brenda

Christmas Entertaining: Saving Money on Food

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. ~Burton Hillis

I've been chatting with several people, like myself, that are on a tight budget for Christmas this year. I was looking over a couple of the inserts in our Sunday paper from local grocery stores with the expensive "holiday food" available. I truly do understand wanting to buy special food items for the holidays, but when you think about cutting corners, it's a good place to start. Presentation of your food can make it special, even if it's not the most expensive.

1. Boneless Beef Tenderloin: this can be $12.99 a pound or more. Why not substitute a pork loin which can be as low at $2.00 a pound. It can be served with the same sides, and spices or rubs, and roasted in the same way.

2. Seafood: Jumbo scallops or shrimp are easily $10.00 a pound. For half the price you can buy the medium size, and use them in the same way. The taste is the same, and the only difference would be in the length of time you cook them.

3. Spiral or Honey type hams: These type of hams can run $4.00 a pound and up. Watch sales for a "butt" cut of ham. They are very lean, and meaty, but sometimes they can be as low as .99 cents a pound. Glaze it yourself if you wish, or roast it plain, but I've used this cut of ham for years and it's delicious.

4. Wings: Buffalo, Asian, BBQ etc. are around $4.99 a pound. Make them yourself and a fraction of the cost. I'll share some recipes this week or next week.

5. Pre-made Cheese balls: Run $5.00 a ball and up. Cheese balls are SO easy to make. We have a lot of dips and spread recipes on OFL that are inexpensive and just as tasty. Anything that is premade is more costly, so consider making your own.

6. Breads: All types of quick breads, muffins and cupcakes are available in the stores, but for a fraction of the cost you can make your own. Below is the recipe I'm using to make breads for my husband to take to work, and as gifts for friends and teachers.

Poppyseed Bread

Ingredients:

1 box cake mix *see below

1 small box instant vanilla pudding

1 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1/4 cup poppy seeds

Optional: 1 tsp. juice or extract *see below

Basic instructions:

Beat together all the ingredients in a large bowl on slow to start, then on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Pour into 2 regular size bread pans that have been sprayed with pan spray, or you can coat in a very light coating of margarine or butter. Bake for 50 minutes in a 350 degree F. oven .

Notes: I am using several cakes flavors this Christmas. Banana, pineapple, orange, and lemon cake mixes. You can add a tsp. of lemon, orange or pineapple juice if you wish or a tsp. of an extract like vanilla for extra flavor.

Presentation: I use Christmas themed trays, and cut the bread ahead of time. (I don't include the ends of the bread because the kids and I eat them to taste test.). I place a row of one flavor, then a row of another, etc. on the tray. When it's filled (don't squash the pieces together) I cover with foil or plastic wrap. I also send a knife and butter with the tray.

As gifts: To give as a gift, I wrap the bread in colored plastic wrap, and tie a bow with a name tag around the bread. Another nice presentation is to place the wrapped bread in a gift bag, then add a box of holiday tea to the bag as well.

I wrote an article for OFL last month sharing ideas for making your own party platters.

Click here for the article: Do-it-Yourself Holiday Entertaining

~Brenda

25 Uses for Coffee Filters

I received this list via email, so I'm not sure who compiled it, but I definitely learned a few new tricks! You can pick up large packages of coffee filters from the dollar store, I believe there are 1,000 per package!

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.

2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome. Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.

3. Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee filter between each dish.

4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.

5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.

6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.

7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.

8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.

9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.

10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.

11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.

12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters..

13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. It soaks out all the grease..

14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great "razor nick fixers."

15. As a sewing backing. Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliquéing soft fabrics.

16. Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors.

17. Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put in soups and stews.

18. Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car.

19. Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills.

20. Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies. Saves on having extra bowls to wash.

21. Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage.

22. Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.

23. Use them to sprout seeds. Simply dampen the coffee filter, place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until they sprout.

24. Use coffee filters as blotting paper for pressed flowers. Place the flowers between two coffee filters and put the coffee filters in phone book.

25. Use as a disposable "snack bowl" for popcorn, chips, etc.

Back to School Ideas

in just a few short weeks, sooner for others, our kids will be heading back to school. While I love my kids and usually hanging out with them is great, August is the month where boredom enters the picture and they start whining, nagging, and arguing. So back to school is not a sad event around here, it's a happy event, and not just for the adults. The kids look forward to school starting, seeing friends they didn't see over the summer, and getting fresh, new school supplies. This year, with the economy in the toilet, many people, myself included, are really having to pinch their pennies and watch how their back to school funds are divvied up.

I've included some tips here for saving on back to school shopping, at the end you will find some links to more information. Good luck with your back to school adventures!

Make a List

Be sure to have you child's school supply list with you when you head off to purchase supplies. Many, if not most schools have their own website now, and often times you can download the list right from their website. If not, call the school, they usually open back up around the first week of August, and they can get a list for you. Don't shop blind, it can be very costly!

Check What You Have on Hand

Whether it's back packs, school supplies, or clothing, be sure to go through what you have on hand before heading off to the store. Throughout the year, whenever standard supplies go on sale (three holed paper, spiral notebooks, No. 2 pencils, crayons, etc) I always grab a few as extras. I don't think I've ever experienced a school year (my oldest is 17 now) where the supplies you buy at the beginning of  the school year are all you will ever need. It's common to need more loose leaf paper, pencils (Oh the pencils!), erasers, and glue throughout the year for homework and projects. So be sure to take inventory of your stash before heading out.

Check Store Fliers

Stores know that they have competition, so they are famous for drawing you in and placing half the items you need at the best price, then pricing the rest at a little more than the competition. If you take some time and go through the fliers, you can find what you need and shop different stores to get the best prices. Obviously this is not cost effective if you spend more gas traveling to far away stores. 

Trade, Hand Me Downs, Yard Sales and Craigslist

A few ways to really save on clothes, shoes and backpacks is to trade with neighbors and relatives, hand down clothes to younger siblings, and check garage sales. Another option is craigslist. Craigslist is an online classified site, just follow their precautionary guidelines if you have never used their site before. 

See more great ideas on Conquering Back to School Spending

other articles you may like:

10 Ways to Save on School Gear
Back to School Gear For Less

back to school at Old Fashioned Living

Frugal Fun for Kids

These ideas come from an article I wrote several years ago. You can see all of the ideas here, but I thought some of these would be fun for those days that are just too hot to play outside!

Juice Carton Crayon Box

Wash and dry an empty cardboard juice carton and cut off the top. Using bits and pieces of masking tape, have the children tape up the entire carton, covering all sides, the more tape the better. Use crayons to color the masking tape box. The tape makes the box sturdier and will make a great crayon holder for their desk or dresser.

Coffee Can Stilts

Using two 1-pound coffee cans, turn each can upside down so that the plastic lid is on the bottom. Using a screwdriver, poke two holes, one on each side of the can. Using several strands of yarn braided or twisted together, or some rope, thread through holes in cans. Tie off inside the can. Cans can be decorated if you like.

Alphabet Catalog Collage

Using old toy, clothing, and plant catalogs, have the kids cut out colorful pictures that begin with a specific letter of the alphabet. Assign different letters to each child. Have them glue the pictures onto a piece of construction paper. Discuss the pictures afterward.

Cartoon Strip

make your very own cartoon adventure with crayons and a pad of paper. At the bottom of a pad, on each sheet, draw a figure (i.e., a dog). The first frame will be on the first page, second frame on the second page, and so on. Change the movement with each page. When you are finished, fan the pages with your thumb to see the show!

Bookmarks

Great for back to school or as a gift to someone you love. Make fun bookmarks with construction paper, markers, paints, and stickers. You can also use glitter, sequins, lace, doilies, buttons, and any other little bric-a-brac you have laying about. Cut strips from construction paper, painting the construction paper will make it sturdier, or you can visit the local library or office supply to have them laminated for longer lasting use. To complete the bookmark, attach a tassle make from strands of yarn.

See all 20 Fun Ideas That Won't Break The Bank

More fun: Musical Activities for Guaranteed Fun

Buying Fabric on the Internet

A friend of mine, Mary Wilkins, wrote this article on what to look for when buying fabric over the internet. She has some great tips and Brenda and I appreciate her wisdom! Thanks Mary!

The World Wide Web - it is an integral part of our lives. The possibilities and opportunities are endless. Now our shopping has taken on a whole new dimension. We can buy basics, gifts, even a new car over the Internet. However, there are a few things to consider before you make any purchase online. While buying fabric can be fun helping our stash grow almost overnight, the buyer should beware. When you are contemplating the purchase of fabric from an online site, consider the following factors.

1) Can you see an actual swatch of the fabric online? If so, remember that color variations take place from one monitor to another. How the fabric colors appear to you may not be what it really looks like at all.

2) Is the fiber content, width, price and washing instructions all available? These are all important things you should want to know. Ask about catalogues and if swatches are available to be mailed to you. Better safe than sorry.

3) Do they have a return policy clearly stated? If not, then ask.

4) Does the site have an email address that really works? Do they have an address and phone number that is active. Send an email query and find out. If you do not get a reply, and you couldn't find anything in your spam or junk email foders, you want to consider purchasing elsewhere.

5) Does the site have a secure order form to handle credit card transactions? If not, do not order online. Never send a credit card number through regular email. This valuable information can be picked up by someone less than honest.

6) Make sure you know about cross-border shopping if you are ordering out of your own country. Make sure it is very clear what charges will be billed to you. If you are Canadian, you will be charged the applicable tax for your province, duty, delivery and border handling fees. Make sure you know what their delivery charges are and approximately how long it will take to receive your fabric.

The postal system is great to a certain degree. I have had fabric delivered half way around the world in 10 days or less and I have also had orders to the next county take 3 weeks. It's far from perfect, but then again, what is?

7) Make sure you insure your fabric order. This might cost you a dollar or two, but it is worth every cent. When your order leaves the vendor, they have no control over the route your package takes or where it ends up. If you insure your order the seller receives a tracking number on their postal receipt from the post office. If your order becomes lost, they can start a trace to find your order. This is a long drawn out procedure that may or may not yield results. If your insured package is not found, then insurance claims are filed and you go from there.

But, if you do not insure your package, tough luck for you. You have lost your money, the vendor has lost his fabric and the post office will not take any responsibility for the situation. It's a lose-lose situation--all because you did not spend one dollar.

This is a broad overview of what you should be aware of when ordering fabrics online. I know this seems like a lot to remember, so print this column and keep it close by your computer for the next time that you just have to have that special fabric.

On Old Fashioned Living:

Tea Dyed Fabrics

Decorating With Fabric

Cleaning Vintage Fabric

Thrifty Thursday: Making Simple Syrup

Simple syrup (also known as sugar syrup) is basically 2 parts sugar and one part water, boiled together until the sugar dissolves. Why make simple syrup? If you are like me, you enjoy iced tea and lemonade in the summer. You would also know that if you need to sweeten your drink and you add a spoonful of sugar to a cold beverage it doesn't dissolve well. Many finer restaurants serve simple syrup aside a glass of iced tea as a sweetener. It's also used by bartenders to sweeten certain cocktails.

A week or so ago I shared some strawberry recipes with you. Well I happened to have a freezer bag full of strawberries from the last batch I bought. I have been cleaning out my freezer in preparation of my new side of beef, so I decided to try to make some simple strawberry syrup as I absolutely love my tea flavored (no one else here appreciates that) forcing me to flavor one glass at a time. I usually just add a splash of cranberry juice from a bottle, but felt this was a perfect way to reuse that strawberry juice that was draining from my thawing strawberries.

This can be made with any frozen fruit's juices, next time I'll try blackberries as I have some of those in the freezer as well. Once you've made the syrup, store it in a small glass jar with a tight fitting lid in the refrigerator indefinitely. 

How to Make Simple Sugar Syrup

1 part water

2 parts sugar

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan, then add the sugar to the pan. Stir to combine until sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and let it cool. Pour cooled syrup into a jar and store in the refrigerator.

How to Make Simple Strawberry Syrup

1 part strawberry juice from thawed strawberries

2 parts sugar

If possible, place a fine grate cooling rack over a cookie sheet. Place the frozen strawberries on the cooling rack so that the juice drips down onto the cookie sheet. If you don't have a fine grate cooling rack, just thaw the berries directly on the cookie sheet. Remove the thawed berries and carefully pour the juice into a measuring cup. Make note of the measurement and pour juice into a saucepan. Add two times the amount of sugar that was in your measuring cup (so if you had 1/4 cup strawberry juice, add 1/2 cup of sugar). Bring juice to a boil in a saucepan, then add the sugar to the pan. Stir to combine until sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and let it cool. Pour cooled syrup into a jar and store in the refrigerator (I used a small glass empty spice jar).

Use one spoonful of syrup to sweeten and flavor your tea or lemonade. :)

To see my post on uses jars as glassware, be sure to visit my cooking blog! This is an entry into this week's Thrifty Thursday event. Visit and see what other thrifty ideas are out there!

Thrifty Thursday: Reusing Denim

I have 4 kids, 3 boys and a girl. The two younger boys wear holes through their blue jeans before they even outgrow them. Sure, you can cut those jeans into shorts, but what do you do with the legs you cut off? There are only so many pairs of cut off shorts that you need though, so what else can you do with those remaining pairs that aren't worthy of the donation pile?

Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

QUILT: Cut the good parts of the denim clothing into four inch squares. Sew together to form a quilt. I did this and made a "rag" quilt. I sewed the quilt and left the denim seams on the outside of the quilt. Washed and dried for a little fraying and bam .. one Christmas gift was finished.

PURSE: Turn the jeans (I used shorts) to the inside and sew just below the bottom at the beginning of the legs. I sewed a few times for extra reinforcing. Sew on a strap using the waistband from another pair of jeans. Lace a belt or use ribbon through the beltloops to draw closed. I also put a strip of Velcro on the inside of mine to keep shut.

PILLOWS: I made "butt" pillows for our van the same basic way the purse is made. Except you need to close the entire top with Velcro. Put a ready made pillow form in and you can unvelcro for easy cleaning. Just toss in the washer. I used an old pillow as the pillow form and had no cost at all for my pillows.

APRON: Use a pair of overalls for this project. Cut the seams of the legs apart and then sew both of the front legs together and then both of the back legs together. Slip over you head for a great apron. You can also use as a great overall dress. Quick and easy.

NECK ROLL PILLOW: Cut off one of the legs at the crotch. Cut the other end off at the length you want the pillow to be, so you're left with a 'tube' of denim open at both ends. At this point you could use some fabric paints to add designs. Then wash the fabric a couple of times and put them through the dryer. This will help make the ends frayed in a more natural (and easier!) way than doing it by hand. Once it's done, all you have to do is stuff the tube, and tie off each end with ribbon, kind of like a Tootsie Roll! If you're using cotton stuffing - stuff it good and full, because it will settle with use. You can even stuff it with what's left of your jeans, if you don't mind it being harder than an average pillow.

Here are a few other projects you might like:

Denim Diary for Girls
Braided Denim Rug
Denim Christmas Stocking

Here are a couple blue jean projects I made for Kaboose this year!

Denim iPod Holder
Denim Bible Cover

To see some other great frugal tips, visit Thrifty Thursday. Have a great Thursday!

~ Amanda

Thrifty Thursday: Efficient Refrigerators

Now that it's summer, most of us start thinking about keeping our electric bill in check. One way to do that is to keep your refrigerator and freezer, if you have one, running efficiently.

Here are a few tips to help get you started:

Be sure to vacuum the condenser coils on your refrigerator at least once a year. You may have to pull your appliance out from the wall to do this, but when the coils are dusty, it keeps the fridge from cooling efficiently.

If you have an older fridge, check the door gaskets to make sure you have a tight seal and aren't losing cold air around the doors.

Another "small" thing you can do: when you are putting away your groceries after a trip to the store, gather all your items for the fridge in one place. Then you can open the refrigerator one time and put everything inside.

If you don't have a frost-free freezer and there's more than 1/2 inch of frost built up, it's time to defrost. You can speed up the process by setting pans of hot water inside. Never use a knife to try to dislodge the frost and never use a hair dryer to melt it. Water and electricity do not mix!

Now that it's clean and defrosted, keep your freezer efficient by filling empty spaces with old milk jugs filled 3/4 way with water. These jugs also make good ice blocks for your picnic cooler!

Another good use for these jugs of ice: set one on the kitchen counter in the morning. As the ice melts, your children can have ice water to drink without opening the refrigerator door.

One last thing to remember, when there's lightning around, it might be safer to just unplug your fridge and freezer. Food in the freezer will stay frozen for up to 48 hours if the door is kept closed. Food in the refrigerator will keep up to 24 hours.

See other Thrifty Thursday ideas!

Thrifty Thursday: Frugal Headboard Ideas

There are a lot of different and creative ways to create a unique headboard for your room. Honestly, I had never thought of some of these ideas but was so intrigued I felt the need to share them. A great way to save money and redecorate at the same time!

An Old Door

If you want a classic wood look, sand and stain the door to match existing furniture. Or paint the door and distress for a vintage look. If the door is paneled, the inserts can be painted a contrasting color, stenciled with elegant designs, or decoupaged with fabric or handmade papers.

Fencing

Use a section of wooden picket or wrought iron fencing. The sections can be painted and fastened with bolts or hooks.

Trellis

Decorate with ivy, silk flowers and ribbons for a Country French look or simply paint.

Old Window Frames

Leave painted window frames as is for a distressed look. Or paint a garden scene (or use a wallpaper mural) behind the frames to give the illusion of looking outdoors.

Folding Screens

An elegant folding screen with fabric or painted panels can be easily attached to the wall or left standing for a simple headboard solution.

Vintage Napkins or Placemats

The linen can be hung on curtain rod which is attached decorative rod holders just above the bed.

Plywood, Siding or Paneling

Use scrap plywood or MDF covered by cedar siding or paneling. The headboard can have a rustic, lodge look if covered by cedar shakes or a more traditional look if covered by tongue-in-groove paneling.

Shutters

Stain or paint the shutters to create a country or cottage look in your romantic bedroom.

Framed Photos

Create an arrangement of photos grouped by size, frame color or theme to give the illusion of a headboard.

Quilt or Tapestry

Mount the fabric over a shower curtain or cafe curtain rod using curtain hooks with a clip bottom. This looks great in a country or European-style bedroom.

If you use your imagination, tiles, strips of fabric, bookcases, the back of an old sofa, a large poster or wooden shelves can all be used to fashion a headboard.

See other great ideas for your home in our Home & Heart section.

This post is part of Thrifty Thursday. Visit Thrifty Thursday for other frugal ideas!

Thrifty Thursday: Fun Ideas for Kids

This week I thought I would share with you some fun ideas for your kids or grandkids that cost very little or nothing (nothing is good!). There are quite a few fun activities and crafts here to keep them busy for hours. 

~ Amanda

Juice Carton Crayon Box
Wash and dry an empty cardboard juice carton and cut off the top. Using bits and pieces of masking tape, have the children tape up the entire carton, covering all sides, the more tape the better. Use crayons to color the masking tape box. The tape makes the box sturdier and will make a great crayon holder for their desk or dresser.

Coffee Can Stilts
Using two 1-pound coffee cans, turn each can upside down so that the plastic lid is on the bottom. Using a screwdriver, poke two holes, one on each side of the can. Using several strands of yarn braided or twisted together, or some rope, thread through holes in cans. Tie off inside the can. Cans can be decorated if you like.

Alphabet Catalog Collage
Using old toy, clothing, and plant catalogs, have the kids cut out colorful pictures that begin with a specific letter of the alphabet. Assign different letters to each child. Have them glue the pictures onto a piece of construction paper. Discuss the pictures afterward.

Paper Plate Holders
Using two paper plates, cut one plate in half and place on top of the other plate (turn the half plate to form a pocket over the whole plate). Use a paper punch to make holes going around the outside of the plate. Use scraps of yarn and "sew" through the holes of the plate. Start and end at the top of the plate so that it can be extended about six inches and tied. Have your children color, paint or decorate their plates. Now they have their very own place to put prized possessions, notes from Mom and dad, special pictures and more.

Cartoon Strip
make your very own cartoon adventure with crayons and a pad of paper. At the bottom of a pad, on each sheet, draw a figure (i.e., a dog). The first frame will be on the first page, second frame on the second page, and so on. Change the movement with each page. When you are finished, fan the pages with your thumb to see the show!

Animal Jumble
Using construction or white paper, ask each child to drawn a different body part of an animal, but to have their animal be a secret. For example, have one child draw the head, another draw the tail, another the legs and so on. let the children pick the animal they want to draw. When they are done have then put the animal together with tape or glue. Have fun coming up with a name for the animal (monk-dog-lion-potamus).

Go to 20 Fun Ideas That Won't Break the Bank to see even more ideas like this.

This post is part of Thrifty Thursday. Visit Thrifty Thursday to see more frugal tips!

Thrifty Thursday: Freecycling

If you haven't heard of Freecycle, then you really are missing out on a great opportunity to not only rid your home of things you don't want anymore, you are also missing out on lots of freebies! Freecycle is (quoted from their website):


"It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free."

Since moving back to Wisconsin, I don't use Freecycle as often as I did in Vegas. Lately though I've been thinking about getting back in the groove as spring cleaning time is upon me and I will need someone to give away things to. Yes, you can simply donate to Goodwill or Salvation Army, but Freecycle gives you a real sense of giving back. It makes you feel as if you really, truly helped someone. 

Fair warning: There are some on Freecycle that don't necessarily want the item they request, but rather take as much as they can to sell on eBay or at a yard sale. Some freecycle members get upset at this prospect. My thoughts? I don't mind really. If it helps someone to support their family, then so be it. I don't need it anymore, so if they can put it to use, wonderful!

I have not only gotten rid of many things I no longer have a use for, but I have received quite a few things in return! I still use the camping table that a kind woman in Boulder City, NV gave to me several years ago. It's a great way to make new friends as well. 

There are general rules & guidelines, and each group may have their own rules as well, so just be sure to follow them and you should have an enjoyable experience. To find a Freecycle group in your area, go to Freecycle.org and either enter your city and state in the search box or click on the Browse Groups button at the top.

Freecycle is a great way to keep things out of landfills, help others who need it, rid your home of stuff you don't use anymore, and get something free yourself!

This post is participating in Thrifty Thursday. To read other frugal ideas, click the Thrifty Thursday link!

~ Amanda

Thrifty Thursday: Hodge Podge

This week I want to share another hodge podge of tips. Again, came across these shared by the members of FamilyCorner.com's message board community. Many of the members there have been frugal for years, it's not trendy for them. Dur to the economy, many people have had to change their ways and learn to be less wasteful. It's funny, the more people I talk to the more I find that those same people are actually finding it fun to be frugal!

• If you need to wrap a gift that is really big go to the dollar store and buy two plastic birthday table cloths. They work perfectly, and were very easy to manage.
  


• After each meal gather up leftovers and any food or drinks that need to go in the refrigerator, put them together and only open the refrigerator one time. Do that after grocery shopping too to save energy.
  


• Make batteries last longer-- put the batteries in the fridge. I have kept batteries for 3 years and they still work great.
  


• It will save you a lot of money if you buy beef or pork in bulk (from the farmer). See complete tip here
  


• Did you know hair conditioner is the best shaving cream? I've been using it for years and you can't beat the price.
  


• Instead of using wax paper or paper towels, I purchase inexpensive basket-type coffee filters at the dollar store, and use them to reheat food in microwave and also use them to grease my cookware when baking.
  


• A good way to use old pantyhose : Bunch up a leg and snip off the foot for a gentle scrubber that won't scratch surfaces.
  


• Save those dish soap bottles that have the pop up top. Clean them out good & then fill with water or plant food to water your small house plants.
  


• If you buy the liquid laundry detergent, when you are finished with it, remove the pour spout and you will get anywhere from about 1/2 to a full lid of soap.
  

We are participating in Thrifty Thursday this week. If you have a thrifty post on your blog, join us! All you have to do is link to Thrifty Thursday's current week's post and then add your thrifty link at the end. 

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.
  

Kitchen TIp Tuesday: Hodge Podge of Tips

Today I have a variety of great tips that have lasted over the years. No particular theme today, just a hodge podge of great ideas!

Handy Clothespins: Forget the laundry, try using clothespins (the spring type) in the kitchen. they work great in place of twist ties for holding bread bags and chip bags closed. Pretty much any bag that needs closing, such as cereal or even frozen vegetables. Try gluing a magnet to the back of a clothespin and hang your shopping list on the fridge. Here's some fun decorated clothespin magnets you can make!

Easy Freezer Storage: Place a zipper freezer bag inside a coffee can or large mouth jar and fold the zipper edge back over the lip of the can or jar. Fill the bag with sauce, gravy or other food, this also keeps the zipper edge clean. Now, lay the bag flat in the freezer by placing on a cookie sheet, a flat pizza box, or anything else you have and let it freeze. Once frozen, this can be stood up and stacked in the freezer for better storage room.

Salad Shaker: If you're like me you don't like your salad drowning in too much dressing. Place your salad into a gallon zipper bag and add the amount of dressing that you prefer. Zip the bag shut leaving air in the bag. Shake the bag until your salad in evenly covered. This can also be done in a plastic storage container with a tight fitting lid.

Homemade Pasta Sauce: All you need for a basic pasta sauce is a 7.5 oz can of tomato sauce and a 6 oz can of tomato paste. This will serve 3-4 people. Make your batches as large as you want simply multiplying the ingredients by the number of batches you want. Combine the two ingredients and add 3 tomato paste cans of water (or 18 oz water). Add whatever seasonings you like such as basil, salt, and pepper. Play around to find your favorite, suggested herbs are oregano, basil, and marjoram. Onion and garlic are a common ingredient, and a teaspoon of sugar helps tone down the acidic nature of the tomatoes. Bring to a boil, simmer and separate into portions right for your family. Store in the freezer in zipper storage bags (use the flatten method above!) and thaw when ready to use.

Value Packs: Sometimes the value packs of meat at the grocery store can be a great deal. When you come across them, bring them home and immediately break them into meal sized portions. Freeze so they are ready to use when you are.

Lumpy Gravy: If you gravy has lumps, toss it in the blender for a few spins until smooth!

Homemade Pastry Bag: Fill a plastic zipper sandwich bag and squeeze out excess air. Push everything to one corner, twist the empty end of the bag and snip off the bottom corner of the bag with scissors. Voila - instant pastry bag!

Zest it First - Before peeling an orange or slicing a lemon or lime, zest off the rind first and place in a zipper storage bag. Pop the zest in the freezer to use the next time you need zest!

No Peel Mashed Potatoes: Instead of peeling the potatoes first, cook the potatoes in the microwave skin on, then cut in half and scoop out the pulp. Save the skins for a tasty appetizer. Slice skins into strips, spray with cooking spray or brush with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and place under the broiler for a few minutes until crispy. You can also add shredded cheddar and bacon bits!

Do you have any great kitchen tips? We'd love to hear from you. To share, click on "Post a Comment" at the bottom of this post!

Thrifty Thursday: Frugal Cleaning

More and more people these days are looking for less expensive alternatives to everyday necessities. You can't stop cleaning your house because 409 and Windex don't fit into your budget. Instead, make some of your own cleaning solutions and supplies from items you have laying around the house. We are including these ideas for Thrifty Thursday hosted at Amanda's Cookin'.

T-shirts

You know the ones. Their too stained to give away to a clothing donation, but you can't bear to add it to the landfill. T-shirt make wonderful dusters. They are soft and won't scratch your wood furniture and they work great for cleaning mirrors and glass as well. Toss them in the washing machine when you are done to use them all over again!

Empty Milk Jugs

Believe it or not, these make great carry all containers. Cut off the top where the spout is but leave the handle in tact. Use it to carry your sponge, rag, cleaning products and other items. When cleaning the bathtub, empty out the jug and use it to rinse the tub. This does double duty by cleaning out your jug for you too!

Mis-matched Socks

These are perfect for dusting. Slip a sock onto your hand and simply wipe! These are great for little helpers too. Slip two mismatched socks on your child's hands and have them help you dust!

Old Towels

We have several different "categories" of towels in our house. There's of course the bath towel, then the hand towel, kitchen towel and after that they get demoted. Once they've outlived their life in one of the previous categories, they are moved down to cleaning towels. These are the tattered and torn towels that just don't look nice anymore. But just because they've lost their luster doesn't mean they've useful life is over! These tattered towels are perfect for cleaning the car and using as rags around the house.

Swiffer Imposter

I have a Swiffer Sweeper, I'll admit it. I love it! I don't love buying the pads though. If you use dryer sheets, instead of tossing that used dryer sheet from the laundry, attach it to your Swiffer for a quick floor dusting. We also use old rags, run under hot tap water and wrung out, then attached the Swiffer for quick mop jobs.

What supplies have you "created" instead of bought?

Next week I'll share homemade cleaner recipes! Meanwhile, check out these great uses for vinegar.

~ Amanda

Frugal Gift Wrapping Ideas

May the star that shone in Bethlehem brighten our path each day. ~Theresa Mary Grass


Wrapping gifts each year is always a challenge for me because I just can't bring myself to spend a lot of money on fancy wrapping paper that gets torn and thrown away. I'm always looking for creative alternatives. Try these fun and easy felt bags this year:

Easy Felt Gift Bags

You'll need:
green and red felt
green or red yarn
large needle
scissors

Cut two 6x7 pieces out of green or red felt or another color if you wish. Sew the sides and bottom of the pieces together to create a bag. Turn the pouch right side out. Thread the large needle with yarn in a different color than the felt and weaving the yarn in and out the felt about 2 1/2" from the top of the bag. Cut the yarn leaving enough length to tie a bow. At this point you can decorate the bag with fabric paint or cut-outs made from the felt, or my favorite--old buttons! You can glue on ric-rac, sequins or other decorative items. Use the bags to put gifts in, or line it with a plastic bag and fill it with cookies.

You can make the bags smaller or larger depending on your needs. If you don't have a sewing machine you can easily hand stitch the sides and bottom and still make the bags. I did this one year by stitching on the outside of the bag with a contrasting thread and kept the stitches a little longer and even. It made it look decorative! You can also use other material and ribbon instead of yarn to create fancier bags.

Some other creative gift wrap ideas:

-Photocopy a collage of family photos on paper and wrap smaller gifts with the copy.

-Use last years Christmas cards for your gift tags. Cut out rectangles from the cards, fold in half, punch a hole and attach a piece of raffia or a skinny silk ribbon to tie it to a gift bag or tape it to a package!

-Wrap kitchen, tea, coffee or cooking related gifts in pretty tea towels, or if you are giving kitchen gadgets place them in an oven mitt and tie a gift tag to it!

-Garden themed gifts can be placed in a pretty planter, then wrapped with colored plastic wrap, fabric or tulle---gather at the top and tie with a matching ribbon. You can also place a small amount of rubber cement on the back of seed packets, allow it to dry and then stick the packet to a gift bag or card for a neat gift.

On OFL we have tips for creating a memory album:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/cmasalbum.html

~Brenda