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Frugal Living

In The Kitchen: Heavy Cream Substitute Recipe

by Dana Zeliff on May 13, 20242024-05-13
in Frugal Living, My Kitchen, Recipes

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Heavy cream substitute1


Heavy Cream Substitute Recipe

I’m having a little fun in the kitchen today  making a Boston Cream Cake for John’s Birthday!  Oh how I love baking and cake decorating!!  😮  Anyway, I wanted to share this quick and easy recipe with you since I was making it for my chocolate ganache.  I didn’t have any Heavy Cream on hand and I didn’t want to stop what I was doing to run to the store either.   So, I used what I had on hand.  This is also an inexpensive alternative because the store bought cream can be quite pricey.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup butter

Directions:
(1)  Melt the butter
(2)  Pour it into the milk, and stir
(3)  Use in place of one cup of heavy cream

*****Tip: If you use low-fat/skim milk, whisk in a tablespoon of flour to the mixture to thicken.

Yields: 1 cup (Store any extra in the refrigerator)

Note: This will NOT whip!  It can NOT be used to make fresh whipped cream.
View Other Recipes Here!


Do you prefer to make your own Heavy Cream Substitute?

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Filed Under: Frugal Living, My Kitchen, Recipes

15 Other Uses for Cat Litter

by Dana Zeliff on May 11, 20232023-05-11
in Frugal Living, Other Uses

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

other uses for cat litter
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Ever wonder if there are other uses for cat litter than just a place for your furry friend to potty?  The bentonite clay in cat litter makes it a fantastic absorbent.  I’ve put together a list of some of the more practical other uses for cat litter.

15 Other Uses for Cat Litter:

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Frugal Living, Other Uses

35 Other Uses for Coffee Filters

by Dana Zeliff on April 21, 20222022-04-21
in Frugal Living, Other Uses

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Other Uses for Coffee Filters

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There are countless other uses for coffee filters other than just making your cup of Joe in the morning.  You can get crafty, clean-up around the house, hold food and more!  Their durability and versatility make it wise for any money-saver to find other uses for coffee filters!

Coffee filters are super cheap, so finding other uses for coffee filters can really help stretch your budget.  Find them at the Dollar Tree, Walmart or just about anywhere.  A 200 ct package will cost you $2 or less! I found several Coffee Filters on Amazon that are only $0.011 per filter!

Other Uses for Coffee Filters:

1.  Let kids draw on a coffee filter with markers then get the filter damp.  The colors will run slightly making a nice look for paper flowers.  Finish the ends with a pipe cleaner.  Kids can make single flowers or put them together in a bouquet.

2.  Make a parachute for your child’s action figure with a coffee filter and string.

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Frugal Living, Other Uses Tagged With: coffee filter, coffee filter craft, coffee filter crafts, Coffee Filters, other uses for coffee filter, other uses for coffee filters

16 Other Uses for Listerine

by Dana Zeliff on March 24, 20172017-03-24
in Frugal Living, Other Uses

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Other Uses for Listerine
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Listerine isn’t just for freshening your breath and reducing plaque.  Originally in 1879, Listerine was found to be an effective antiseptic for use in surgical procedures! It wasn’t until 1914 that Listerine became the first prescription product in the US to be sold over the counter as a product to kill oral germs.

As you can see, Listerine has a long history.  Some of the other uses for Listerine are possible because of the essential oils; menthol, eucalyptol, thymol and methyl salicylate.  These work together to create a great antiseptic, bug repellant, anti-fungal treatment and more!

Other Uses for Listerine:

1.  Clean mold and mildew in your bathroom –  Listerine is great for cleaning mold and mildew.  Simply soak your cleaning tool in Listerine and scrub away.  Another one of the other uses for Listerine in the bathroom is to remove hard-water stains and for shining bathroom fixtures.

Bonus – Instead of discarding that old toothbrush, you can use it to get into hard to reach places!  Don’t forget to label it for cleaning only.

2.  Clean your toilet bowl – Clean your toilet bowl and make it shine by pouring in 1/2 cup of Listerine instead of toilet bowl cleaner.  Scrub with the toilet brush as usual.

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Frugal Living, Other Uses

Save on Holiday Gifts with Groupon Goods

by Dana Zeliff on November 16, 20162016-11-16
in Frugal Living

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Disclosure: I was compensated for my time writing this article. All options are 100% my own and may differ from others.

If you’re looking to save money on gifts this holiday season, pop over to Groupon Goods. You’ll find a ton of deals for everyone on your shopping list.   Explore a wide range of gift options such as sunglasses, bedding, toys, electronics, groceries and more.

You can even get inspiration for those hard to shop for family members. There always seems to be someone on your list that you have no clue what to buy for them. That happens with my mom every year. I usually just end up getting her a gift card – BORING!

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How about getting dad a Beer of the Month subscription or Burberry perfume for mom? My son would flip if he opened Beats by Dr on Christmas morning. Lucy would adore the My Little Pony Crystal Empire Castle. I even found some super cute maternity t-shirts if you know someone who is expecting.

Please note that the offers are only available for a limited time. Some specifically state an expiration date others just mention a limited time offer. If you see an item you want, go ahead and grab it before it disappears.

You’ll also get FREE shipping with a $34.99 purchase. What gift ideas did you find on Groupon Goods?

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Filed Under: Frugal Living

Save for the Future With 10 Simple Holiday Budgeting Tips

by Dana Zeliff on October 13, 20162016-10-13
in Frugal Living

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

simple-holiday-budgeting-tips

The holidays can be a stressful time. Purchasing food for holiday dinners, buying new decorations and finding the perfect gifts can wreak havoc on your budget.  If you don’t prepare, you could end up overspending and paying for all those holiday purchases long after December has passed. The good news is, you don’t have to get stuck in a cycle of unease. Use these simple holiday budgeting tips to prepare for the upcoming holidays and add more holiday cheer for less money and stress.

Start planning early: You should budget for the holiday season throughout the year. Christmas is not a surprise. It happens every year, so start saving in January. When saving for a holiday, budgeting a small amount each month will spread the expense throughout the year.

If you’re just starting a holiday budget now, it’s still okay – you have time!

Set up a holiday shopping savings account: Put all the money you’ve allocated to holiday spending in a separate account. Keeping the money separate can help deter you from dipping into the Christmas cookie jar.  Consider setting up an automatic transfer, so you don’t have a chance to miss the money.

Set a holiday budget and stick to it: Creating a holiday budget is critical to success. It’s easy to fall victim to the blinking lights and “must have” toys of the year.  Look at past spending to get an idea of how much money you need to budget for, then stick to that amount. If you budget $10 for each niece and nephew, than spend NO MORE than that amount. Which brings us to the next holiday budgeting tip…

Create a gift list: Make a list of everyone you need to buy gifts for. Write down a maximum amount to spend on each person.  It can also be helpful to talk with family and set gift giving guidelines. During the discussion, consider only buying for the kids or organize a Secret Santa, so you only purchase a gift for one adult instead of four. With my brother-in-law, we’ve established a $5 per child Christmas rule and $10 per child birthday rule. If you know how much you’ll be spending in advance, you can create a more realistic budget.  If you keep your list on your phone and you see a gift or come up with a gift idea anytime during the year, you put that gift idea next to their name. When it comes time to buy, voila, no stress!)

Don’t forget about gifts for teachers, friends and coworkers. Add these to your list and consider budgeting a little extra money for people you’ve forgotten.

Purchase throughout the year: Watch for sales throughout the year to purchase gifts when prices are low. Pick one area of your home to store the gifts, such as a closet, and add to it each time you find a deal.  Again, keep your gift list with you at all times, so you can mark off people as you purchase presents.  When it comes time to buy, joila, no stress!)  Before putting the gift away, write the name of the recipient on a sticky note and attach it to the gift. You might not remember who you intended a gift for if you purchased it in June.

grocery-shopping

You can also shop in advance for your holiday dinner. Turkey’s go on sale at huge discounts right before Thanksgiving.  Purchase an extra and put it in the freezer for your Christmas dinner. Stock-up on baking goods, canned veggies and boxed goods when they go on sale. Watch the sale papers each week to find the best deals. Using coupons can help stretch your dollar even further.

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How to Prepare for Hurricanes & Save Money

by Dana Zeliff on September 3, 20162016-09-03
in Frugal Living

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

How to Prepare for Hurricanes

My area is prone to hurricanes this time of year, so I wanted to share ways to save money while preparing for a hurricane.    If you’re new to the area, a hurricane is a type of storm called a tropical cyclone that forms over tropical or subtropical waters such as the Caribbean. If the storm’s maximum sustained winds reach 74 mph then you have a hurricane. Tropical storms are also common and are characterized by having a maximum sustained winds of 39 mph+.

These severe thunderstorms can cause massive damage. One of the worst hurricanes in VA, that I can remember, was Hurricane Isabel in 2003. With Tropical Storm Hermine moving up the East Coast, I wanted to remind everyone of these tips to prepare for hurricanes.

How to Prepare for Hurricanes:

1.  Develop a family plan: Get together as a family and talk about your emergency plan and what to do in case of a hurricane or natural disaster.  Where will you meet, what is the safest location in your house, what if you need to evacuate, what should the children expect, etc. See a checklist here.

2.  Prepare early: The best way to save money is to be proactive and look for necessary items year round. Pick up flashlights, batteries, bottled water, non-perishable food, candles, paper plates and cups when they are on sale.  Even if you haven’t prepared beforehand, don’t wait until the day of the storm to get supplies.  Not only will you probably pay more and find many items out of stock;  you don’t want to be stuck in the last minute craziness in the stores.  Word of a hurricane hits my area and the shelves are literally cleared within hours.

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Frugal Living


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About The Coupon Challenge

Hi! I'm Dana, the writer behind the scenes of The Coupon Challenge, a Hampton Roads, VA based coupon blog. I'm a wife and mother of 2. After getting out of debt we started using our savings to travel together as a family and create memories.

Are you looking for ways to save your family money? I strive to help you save on the products you need, so you can spend more on the things you want. Read More about Dana & Family

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