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Heather L. Clark asked:


Finding fun things for your family to do can be tough if you’re on a budget, but if you’re creative, you’ll find there’s plenty to do for just pennies.

With the rising cost of, well, just about everything, it can be difficult to indulge in the kinds of entertainment you may be used to. Never fear – there are things you can do that cost very little yet offer hours of family fun.

Game Night

Whether it’s a board game, charades, video games, cards or a made-up game, the whole family can get in on the action with a night of games. Add some fun snacks to the mix and get ready for a night of fun. This is a great option for older kids.

Movie Night

Head to your local video rental store and stock up on some good family movies, then settle in with some popcorn and candy and enjoy! If you want to go all out, you can even print some “movie tickets” and dim the lights to recreate the full movie experience. (Spilling popcorn and drinks on the floor is optional!) Best of all, you can always hit pause for bathroom breaks and no one cares how loud you’re laughing.

A Craft Affair

Do your little ones love to paint, color, cut and glue? Have them make decorations for whichever holiday is approaching. You can also have them decorate blank note cards, so you’ll always have a stash of unique cards ready to send out.

Cool Cooking

If your kids are like mine, they love to help me cook and bake. Borrow a kid’s cook book from the library and pick one recipe each week to work on. Of course baking sweet treats is fun, too, so be sure to keep cake mix, frosting and sprinkles on hand to make impromptu cupcakes.

On Your Marks

If you have some open space in your living room or basement, set up an obstacle course and then divide your family into teams for some friendly competition. The obstacle course doesn’t need to be elaborate, and you can use things you already have on hand such as pillows, laundry baskets and chairs. To make it even more challenging, have contestants perform some sort of feat during one leg of the course, such as carrying a plastic egg on a spoon without dropping it.

Befriend Books

If you really need to get out of the house, check out your local library. Both kids and adults love browsing the books, and some locations even offer story times and computers with Internet access and kid-friendly games.

Family fun doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Try some of the ideas above or use them as starting points for creating your own brand of fun.



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Nicole Dean asked:


If you have a family budget worked out, you know how hard it is to stick to it without having some real concrete plans and strategies to stretch your money as far as it will go. Usually, the first area we can squeeze a few extra dollars out of our wallets is on groceries. I’d like to introduce you to your new partner in your frugal endeavor, the black bean.

If you find yourself wandering aimlessly through the aisles of your grocery store, looking for something to make for dinner that won’t break your budget, take a detour over to the black bean display and check out the price. Considering that black beans are loaded with nutrients like protein, iron, calcium, and potassium, and they are high in fiber, and low in fat and sugar, they really offer a lot of bang for your buck. It’s obvious that black beans should be a staple in every household, frugal or not. So, let’s think up a few simple meals to create with your new best friend… the black bean.

1) Black Bean Cottage Cheese Salad

A simple but delicious use for black beans is turning it into a creamy salad. Put a 1 scoop of cottage cheese in a serving bowl, and sprinkle a little salt and freshly ground black pepper on top. Then top with some drained and rinsed canned black beans, about 1/2 cup. Add a bit of chopped celery to the mix and you have a great, crunchy, creamy lunch, packed with protein, calcium, iron and fiber.

2) Bountiful Bean Salad

You’ll be choosing your favorite canned beans for this salad, keeping in mind color and texture; favorites like black beans, butter beans, navy beans, kidney beans, waxed beans, and whatever else you like. Drain and rinse all the beans and put them in a large serving bowl. To the beans, add some sweet onion, or green onion including the tops, chopped celery, freshly chopped parsley, maybe some fresh rosemary, or whatever herb you like, and top it all with a little shake or two of a very good vinaigrette salad dressing, I use Paul Newman’s Own Balsamic Vinaigrette. You’ve got yourself a kid-friendly and nutritious salad.

3) Use-It-Up Black Bean Burrito

If you have a few staples in your pantry you can whip up this simple burrito. You’ll need a flour or corn tortilla, either heated or not, that’s up to you. Drain and rinse your black beans, then start building your burrito however you want. I add black beans, some diced tomatoes, a little onion, lots of shredded cheddar cheese, a little sour cream, leftover rice, some chopped up pieces of chicken from last night, and whatever else I have to use up. Depending on how I feel that day, I go a little heavier on the black beans and lighter on the other stuff. Get your salsa or taco sauce ready and enjoy.

4) Simple Four Bean Soup

What you’ll need for the beans is 1 can each, black beans, garbanzo beans, butter beans, and navy beans (although you may substitute your favorite beans for any of those). Drain each can and set aside. Into a large pot, pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil or vegetable oil, add 1 cup finely chopped celery and 1 cup of diced onion. Cook on medium low until celery is just tender. Next add 1 clove of garlic, either minced, crushed, or grated, and let cook for just one minute. Then throw all your beans into the pot. Add 1 small can of fire roasted diced tomatoes and 1 small can chicken broth. Simmer nice and slow for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. It’s done!

5) 30 Second Black Beans with Taco Seasoning

Try it and I guarantee you’ll be wondering why you haven’t thought of this before. My daughter was the person who “invented” this recipe in our family, and now we’re all sold on it. Simply drain and rinse a can of black beans. If you have those little packets of taco sauce laying around, leftovers from carry-out, just squeeze a few in your black beans, give it a toss, and you have an incredibly delicious side dish that is sure to please. You’ll have to try this one to believe it. You might want to try some hot salsa instead of the taco sauce, but use only a little, just enough to flavor the beans. (Throw some shredded cheddar on top and you’re set.)

There are countless ways to enjoy our new friend, the black bean. You will easily be able to take the five ideas I’ve listed here and add your own personal flair to create black bean dishes to suit any taste, even your family’s most finicky eater.



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Dawn Hall asked:


ooking supplies are not cheap. The cost for colorful paper and card stock, stickers, embellishments, and adhesives can really add up. If you are looking for frugal scrapbooking ideas to help cut back on these expenses, keep reading. By using discarded items you find around the house, you will save money and recycle things that would otherwise end up in the landfills.

1. Cereal Boxes

If you have a die cut machine capable of cutting chipboard, such as the Cricut Expression, don’t buy chipboard at the craft store. Instead, use cereal boxes. Once you adhere colorful paper to the cereal box die cuts, no one will ever guess it came from your pantry! You can also use inexpensive cookie cutters as patterns for your cereal box chipboard shapes.

2. Wallpaper Remnants

Many wallpaper remnants are as beautiful as the pricey papers in the scrapbooking stores. Make regular stops at your local paint and wallcovering stores, get to know the staff, and ask them to call you when they have discontinued sample books that they are discarding. Unfortunately, there is a good chance that these samples are not acid-free. Although they may not be suitable for your scrapbook pages, they are the perfect touch for handmade cards and other paper crafting projects.

3. Gift Wrap

Think of all the beautiful gift wrap that ends up in the landfill. Instead of throwing it away, recycle it. At birthday parties and other special occasions, check with the guest of honor to find out if he or she has any plans to use the gift wrap after unwrapping presents. If they plan to throw it away, you should be able to collect a good assortment of gift wrap paper that can be used for your frugal paper crafting projects.

4. Fabric and Ribbon Scraps

If sewing is another one of your hobbies, you already know that fabric and ribbon scraps are the perfect complement to your paper crafting projects. Many of these fabric and ribbon scraps are too small for sewing, yet are the perfect size for accenting handmade cards and more. Ask your friends and family members that sew to keep a ziploc handy to collect their scraps. These bits and pieces of ribbon and fabric are perfect for your scrapbook and paper crafting projects!

5. Office Supplies

Many of the products in the scrapbooking aisle are simply embellished office supplies. Office supplies, however, are much cheaper, and can be jazzed up with very little effort. For example, instead of buying the colorful brads at the scrapbooking store, pick up a box of paper fasteners. Paint them with inexpensive acrylic paints to coordinate with the your layouts.

With a little imagination and creative thinking, you will surely find even more common household goods that you can use for frugal scrapbooking ideas. Keep an inexpensive container handy, and as you come across odds and ends that could find a second life in one of your projects, place it in the container until you find a use for it.

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Judith Turner asked:


rising cost of groceries it might seem impossible to cut your food bill. Here are 13 tips that will help stretch your food dollar while feeding your family healthy meals.

1) Plan your meals around the sales. Stores routinely rotate sales items every 6 weeks so plan accordingly and stock up. Are the big packs of chicken breast on sale this week? Instead of buying one pack purchase several packs, separate into family size portions and freeze. If you were to purchase extra of the items that are on sale each week you will have a well stocked freezer and pantry in no time.

Try to avoid buying anything in a box. Most boxed foods are full of preservatives and trans fats so it is best to avoid them. Do you like the convenience of boxed foods? There are several good cookbooks and recipes online for making homemade mixes to keep on hand. Everything from homemade cookie mix to macaroni and cheese and more. Put these mixes in a pretty jar with the directions to prepare and it also makes a nice frugal gift!

3) Use coupons wisely. How many times have you found yourself spending more than you planned after using coupons? The key to saving with coupons is to only purchase the items you would normally use anyway. You will also find that the store brand may still be the better bargain. An even better idea is to hold onto that coupon and wait for the item you want to go on sale.

4) Do a coupon exchange. Check with family and friends who get the Sunday paper and exchange coupons for ones you can use. This is a good strategy for stocking up when you use coupons for items on sale.

5) Buy produce in season. It will taste much better and you will usually pay less. Also in the warmer months be sure to take advantage of farmers markets for low prices on produce. Buy items like peppers and onions when on sale, chop them and freeze them for quick recipes during the week. Zucchini freezes well once it is shredded. You can use it for anything from bread to mock crab cakes.

6) Make your grocery list and stick to it. Beware of those impulse buys! The only exception is when the store might be having an unadvertised sale on products that you currently use.

7) Shop after dinner. you wont be tempted to pick up fast food because you are too tired and hungry to cook dinner. If it isn’t possible to shop after dinner then be sure to have a snack before you go to curb your appetite.

Shop alone. Nothing blows a budget quicker than when your kids are with you! You will also get out of the store much quicker which will actually save you money.

Think of creative ways you can use meat and poultry for more than one meal. Meat sauce is just as satisfying with half the amount of ground beef. Slice cheaper cuts of meats thin and use for stir fries. Leftover chicken and beef is also great on top of a salad.

10) Don’t be loyal to just one store. Most grocery stores have certain items priced really low to get your business. If you have several grocery stores in your area try and take advantage of what deals each store has to offer. Of course with the high price of gas it helps to plan these trips when you are in the area, such as stopping at stores that are on your way home from work.

11) Have breakfast for dinner once in a while. French toast with fruit and milk is quick and economical and the kids will love it for dinner.

12) Think leftovers! When planning your meals think ahead of creative ways you could use the leftovers. Did you roast a whole chicken? Shred the leftovers for a quick chicken casserole the next day.

13) Invest in a freezer. To really stock up on sale items then you will find that purchasing a freezer will pay for itself in no time. Watch for sales in your local paper. We found the best deal at our local warehouse club.

These are just a few simple tips to help you stretch your budget. Even if you use just a few of these tips you will find them useful for saving money!



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Mario Carini asked:


he loss of jobs, many people find themselves struggling on a single income to maintain their standard of living. But in today’s economy a turnaround may take some time, so some adjustment to lifestyle is necessary on that one source of income.

The single income route is not an easy one for either the man or woman of the house. Hopefully, government incentive programs will create a turnaround in the economy before the current situation becomes worse.

The first question you need to ask is whether you can make a go on a single income. Likely you will need to use some of your savings as a buffer while you adjust to one income. But since the average American simply hasn’t saved much and is only two months away from bankruptcy, a single source means a severe cutback on lifestyle unless that second source of income is found quickly.

Living on one income demands you deal with your current expenses. For most families, quite a lot of it is going toward unnecessary luxuries, nor do they have any budget or plan on using the money they have. The best way is to keep a ledger and write down every dollar spent. Keeping tabs on your money will show where you are losing money that isn’t adding any value to your life.

Next you need to analyze all your bills. Credit card debt is a major problem. The average family has some 17 credit cards and that means a lot of debt. If it becomes difficult to pay off the minimum balance you should contact the credit provider to make suitable payment arrangements. The best strategy is to cut up your cards and keep only two to use for emergencies only.

There is little that can be done with taxes, heating bills, insurance and loans, but there are steps you can take even in these areas that can save you money.

Grocery shopping is a necessity, but there are several methods where you can shave off as much as 30% of your current expenses on food. Using coupons, buying in bulk and creating your own meals instead of buying prepackaged, throw-in-the-microwave can save a good deal of money.

Entertainment is another area where you can save some needed dollars. Eating out and the movies are a luxury, but you pay for the convenience. Consider the tips, alcohol, popcorn and chips and that evening out costs upwards of a hundred dollars plus. Instead of the movies, rent a video.

While we all need clothing, it’s not necessary to keep up with the latest fashion trends. That closet of unused clothing can be varied to create unique styles. There’s no shame in hand-me-downs or buying at thrift shops. Dry cleaning is not a necessity except for clothing that enhances your appearance at work. The washer in many homes sits idle as many people prefer the easy route of a laundry service. Dry your clothing outdoors instead of the dryer to save on your electrical bills. Being frugal with buying clothes can translate into a 50% saving on buying new.

Next to appliances, furniture is one of the family’s major expenses. You don’t need to buy new. Be attentive for discount and close-out sales where you can pick up good furniture for less that you would at a well-known furniture retailer.

Lastly comes those little expenses. That pack of cigarettes costs you more than just your health. Eliminating that extra cup of coffee and donuts or eating at the company cafeteria can save you as much as $1250 per year based on an average expense of $5 a day. Workplace gifts, cards, cakes and other contributions only add to the totals. that you’re often asked to contribute to.

Many families discover that single income living isn’t as bad as they thought. Usually that second job only creates more expenses than what it puts into the pocketbook. Before you take the step to a one-income family, plan ahead. Make up a budget that you can live with and discipline yourself to stay with it. Learning how to survive on less that you’re used to will install the discipline that will translate into a more prosperous future when the economy makes a turnaround.

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Nicholas Tan asked:


The word “frugality” has left a more negative connotation for most people than simply being a saver, a cheapskate or tightwad. There is a thin line difference to saving and too much frugality to the point of being awkward and ridiculous. This is where the negative connotation comes from.

But if you are guided with the right principles and reasons in deciding to live a frugal life, you would never go wrong.

If you have decided to live frugally, no need to be worried of insults. Keep your head up high. And keep your focus through these tips.

1. Eating Out – Having gimmicks with friends on a Friday night is fine if you do it once in a while. But this can be expensive if you add them up at the end of the month.

2. Clothing – Naturally, if you are the kind of person who adores signature and designer clothes, do not expect that there will be something left of your take home pay. Instead of being trendy, wear clothes that can easily be matched with your other clothes.

3. Own Home – If you are planning to move out and find a place to settle, do not be overwhelmed by the excitement, instead be practical. As a start, buy a smaller house or try other ways like rent-to-own, do-it-yourself arrangements, and owner financing.

4. Buying Your Own Car – Shy away from sports cars or SUVs. Just stick to your purpose of buying a car which is to transport you anywhere you need to go. Check out also program cars like a new car warranty. Maybe this is not just the best time to replace your car with a new one.

5. Shopping for Groceries – As much as possible do not go with items that are branded. Choose non-brands and try looking for items on the highest or lowest shelves for best prices. Grab the opportunity and shop during sales or use coupons.

6. Family Out – There are inexpensive ways to bond with your family and be entertained like going to libraries, local parks, malling, picnics, visit friends and local church.

7. Buying School Supplies – Stock school supplies at home and do not buy anything fancy.

8. Be contented with what you have and try to live within what you earn.

9. Plan your Child’s College Education – Teach them the ways to be independent and self-supporting by encouraging them to apply for scholarships and “on campus jobs”.

10. Be Aware of your Financial Limitations

11. Anticipate your Failures by Planning – Have always a budget plan so you would avoid impulsive buying.



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