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Frugal Living

Do You Need Frugal Hobby Ideas?

by Dana Zeliff on September 12, 20152015-09-12
in Crafts, Frugal Living

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Frugal Hobby Ideas
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When you need frugal hobby ideas, it generally only requires a bit of observation of the world around you. People are getting more creative every day. They share their creativity on social networking sites, blogs, and in their daily lives. If you pay attention to what is going on in these places, ideas will literally spring up before your eyes. Here are some tips & suggestion for when you need frugal hobby ideas and are not sure where to start:

Craft Hobbies & More:

  1. Pinterest – Pinterest is one of the most popular sites to visit when you need frugal hobby ideas. The images there often lead you to places where you can learn crafting skills and countless other cool ideas. You can even put your own twist on the crafts that you see there.
  2. Use Search Terms – You can always use your browser to find frugal hobby ideas. Just type in a search term for an interest you already have. Add words to your term as you narrow your interests based on the returns you get. The power of the almighty Google is a very effective tool.
  3. Recycle – If you want to save some cash, start looking at items you don’t use. You can come up with some interesting hobbies when you recycle what you already own. These hobbies usually cost you very little and often end up being centerpieces of your collection.
  4. Reading – Check out books from your local library or borrow books from sites such as Kindle Owners Lending Library or  Open Library to get books for FREE.
  5. Puzzles – put together puzzles or complete puzzles such as word search and cross word puzzles from local newspapers.  You can also purchase these items for relatively cheap.  Jigsaw puzzles can be found for less than $1 at garage sales.
  6. Cooking – Cook for pleasure instead of just necessity.  If you like to bake, plan one day a week as a baking day.  You can also put your skills to good use and give meals to friends, neighbors or school fundraisers.
  7. Photography – You don’t need a fancy camera to take great photos!  Start with the camera you already have and play around with light, angles and backdrops.
  8. Couponing – A hobby to help you save money!  See the Couponing Basics guide to get started.

Hobbies Outside of the House:

If you need frugal hobby ideas for outside the house, it usually means you are up for some adventure. Cash doesn’t have to be a problem here because many of the best outdoor hobbies are completely free. Below are some suggestions for outdoor hobbies:

  1. Gardening –  Seeds are inexpensive enough and you can make your own compost so you don’t even have to pay for fertilizer. You can grow your own food and save money on the groceries. You might even sell some of what you grow so you go beyond frugal and make it lucrative. You might even grow flowers instead of food and use them for other hobbies.
  2. Explore – Look into taking nature walks or geocaching in your area. This gives you a chance to get outside and get some exercise. You will probably also get to explore areas you never thought about before.
  3. Foraging – Foraging is a great outdoor hobby because it costs you nothing. You can even reduce your bills by foraging for food. This is also a great way to learn about plants and teach children about the benefits and bounties nature has to offer.
  4. Fishing – enjoy the great outdoors and catch dinner at the same time!  You don’t need to spend a fortune on fishing gear either.  If you don’t already have a rod, take a look at your local thrift shop to find many like new reels.

You hobbies are only limited by your own imagination. When you need frugal hobby ideas, consider what you already have and how you can use it. Hobbies are often a great way to make use of things that are just sitting around the house or branch out your existing interests.

What are some of your Frugal Hobby Ideas?

Make sure to take a peak at our crafts section for specific ideas!

2 comments

Filed Under: Crafts, Frugal Living

Ways to Save Money on School Lunches

by Dana Zeliff on September 7, 20152015-09-07
in Frugal Living

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Ways-to-Save-Money-on-School-Lunches

Packing lunch is a great way to save money and keep our budget in check.

An important task for me once the school year begins is making lunches for the kids (and hubby) each evening.   In my area, it costs $2.95 for lunch and milk at school.  Hubby can easily spend $5 a day eating out at work.  That’s about $10 per day on lunches if I don’t pack at home!

The expense is not the only thing that keeps me packing lunches day after day.  I don’t know what Monkey is eating when he buys lunch at school.  I have noticed fairly healthy options, but I know what I send is better.  He does get to buy lunch once per week now –  “My friends buy lunch, Mom!”

Ways to Save Money on School Lunches:

1.  Pick a lunch box:  Pick a lunch box that your child will use.  Better yet, let them pick it out.  Also, be mindful of how the lunches will fit into the box or bag.  My kids have had lunch boxes where the items just didn’t fit well or were squished down in the bottom of the sac.

Consider purchasing containers to send sandwiches, snacks and drinks to avoid buying baggies and juice boxes; plus it’s more Eco-friendly.

2.  Prepare the night before:  I always find it beneficial to pack lunches the night before.  It saves me time and hassle in the morning.  It also helps me to make sure the ice packs are in the freezer and ready to add to the lunch box the next day.  On Sunday night I like to get snack containers together for the week.  Use what you have in your stockpile to put together a snack container of goodies.  You can try gold-fish, cheez-its, raisins, pretzels, dry cereal, anything.

3.  Think variety:  I tend to pack lunches with 4 categories: main dish, fruit or vegetable, snack, and a drink.  I want my kids to always have a healthy option, but they want a treat too. Most days they’re beverage is water, but I do throw in a little surprise 1 or 2 times per week and add juice.  Remember to be mindful of what your child will eat.  There is no sense in sending food that will just be thrown away!

4. Consider convenience items:  I like to keep juice boxes, uncrustables and individual snacks on hand for crazy days.  I’ll even pick up lunchables when I can score them at a great price.  The kids get excited when I pack these items, and they can be a real timesaver for me.  I just try to make it more of an exception than a rule.

School Lunch Ideas

Main Dish:
Sandwiches and wraps: meat, cheese, PB&J, tuna, or egg salad
Cheese and crackers
Thermos of soup
Cereal-I put dry cereal in a small container, pack a spoon and give milk money
Boiled egg and muffin

Fruit/Veggies:
Favorite fruit whole or cut up
Favorite veggie-carrot sticks, celery, cherry tomatoes (sometimes I put ranch or peanut butter in a tiny container for dipping)
Fruit cup
Yogurt

Snacks:
Snack containers
Homemade granola bars or store bought
Homemade Rice Krispy treats
Baked Chips
Fruit Snacks–kiddos told me this was their favorite, of course

What are your ideas for packing school lunches?

Photo Credit: Personal Creations

 

9 comments

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tagged With: Back to School

10 Other Uses for Rice {Not Just in the Kitchen}

by Dana Zeliff on March 6, 20152015-03-06
in Frugal Living, Other Uses

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Other Uses for Rice


You may enjoy eating rice as a side dish or in a casserole, but did you know that rice has other practical uses as well? It turns out there are all sorts of creative uses for rice that you can try, and since rice is so inexpensive to buy, this is excellent news!

Take a look below at 10 other uses for rice that you can try.  You may never look at rice the same way again.

1. Save your cell phone. This is one of the best uses for rice there is. If your phone gets wet, place it in a bag of rice and let it sit overnight. The rice will help absorb the moisture and in many cases, can save your phone. This method works best when done immediately after the phone gets wet.

2. Soothe soreness. Fill a tube sock with dry rice and tie the sock closed with a knot. Place the sock in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until it is warm. Use the heat pack to soothe sore muscles or a sore stomach.

3. Clean out slender bottles. If you are trying to wash out a slender bottle or glass, add some dry rice to the inside and shake it around. It will get into those tight spaces and help loosen dirt and debris.

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Frugal Living, Other Uses

How to Save Money at Dollar Tree

by Dana Zeliff on March 5, 20152015-03-05
in Dollar Tree, Frugal Living, How to Save Money at...

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

How to Save Money at Dollar Tree 1

Dollar Tree offers shoppers a great value on everyday products from personal hygiene and holiday decorations to food and much more.  All for just $1!!   With thousands of stores located all 48 contiguous states, you are sure to find a store near you.

The problem?  There are so many products available;  how do you know you are getting the best value for your dollar?

How to Save Money at Dollar Tree:

1. Know your price points for products:  Not everything at Dollar Tree is a good deal.  Consider the unit price and quality before making a purchase.  Often products like Ajax dish soap are $1 at Dollar Tree but only $0.97 at Walmart.  Compare prices before you shop.

What should you buy?  Cards, party supplies, gift wrap, serving dishes (perfect for taking to functions and just leaving them), kid craft items, coloring books, storage baskets and holiday decor.

What shouldn’t you buy?  Kitchen utensils, foil and other storage bags, vitamins, soda, candy/chewing gum, school supplies (cheaper at other stores during back-to-school sales), canned pet food and all things with a plug.

2. Shop multiple locations: Each Dollar Tree will have different stock. Browse the stores in your area to see which has the best selection of items you purchase most. I tend to shop at the largest stores, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t missing out on deals at the small stores.  You never know what hidden treasure will be around the next corner!

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Dollar Tree, Frugal Living, How to Save Money at...

11 Other Uses for Cascade

by Dana Zeliff on February 27, 20152015-02-27
in Frugal Living, Other Uses

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Other Uses for Cascade


Did you know Cascade can be used as more than a dishwasher detergent?  I’ve listed 11 other uses for Cascade to help you clean everything from your clothes to your bathroom.

Other Uses for Cascade:

1. Clean bathtub rings or soap scum from showers: Use a bit of cascade on a sponge and scrub stubborn rings off your tub. It also works well to remove soap scum from your shower.  Rinse clean after treatment.

2. Clean toilet bowl stains: Help get rid of water stains in your toilet bowl by cleaning with Cascade. Let the Cascade sit for several minutes then scrub with a toilet brush.

3. Remove coffee or tea stains from glass cookware: Use 2 Tbsp of Cascade to 2 Qt of water and let soak. Then wash glassware as usual before storing.

4. Remove stubborn food from pots and pans: Food that is stuck or burnt to your pans can be removed by soaking in Cascade and hot water. The hard to remove food should become loosened enough for easy cleaning.

You can also try making a paste out of Cascade and a little bit of hot water. Let sit and the burnt food should come right off leaving your pot as good as new.

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Frugal Living, Other Uses

Thrifty Thursday: My Savings Story

by Dana Zeliff on October 13, 20142014-10-13
in Frugal Living

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Today’s Thrifty Thursday post will be a little bit different.  Why?  It will be all about me!

 

I was raised, for lack of a better word, spoiled.  My father grew up extremely poor and had to drop out of high school to help support his family.  Despite that, he had the drive and heart to work hard and make something of himself.  He wanted to make sure my brother and I were raised having everything that was denied of him during his childhood.  Although I was not given everything and was raised to be hardworking and self-sufficient; how to live within a budget was never a topic of discussion in my house.

I had a rude awaking when I moved out of the house.  I had worked since I was 15, but I didn’t fully grasp real life expenses.  I also falsely assumed that everyone had a mortgage, car payment, student loans and credit card balances.  Wasn’t that how the world worked?  It simply never occurred to me that there was a better way.

Eventually I started to use coupons on a small scale and later still, learned that debit was not a way of life.  It was a life changing experience to learn of a world where people had little or no debt, and to experience the gratification you feel when saving for that night out, new dress or vacation.  That is why I am so passionate about helping people save money.

I am passionate about helping people save because I can see both sides.  I have seen how through hard work and discipline you can get out of debt.  I know first-hand that life will not be any less fulfilling if you don’t try to “keep up with the Joneses.”  I am a self-taught money saving fanatic, and pride myself on striving to learn something new every day.

I am proud to say that my family is debt free except for our home.  With hard work and discipline, we hope to be completely debt free in another 13 years (15 year home payoff goal).  In addition to not having debt we want to instill the idea of living debt free in our children.  At the same time, we plan to work hard so we can spend our extra money taking vacations (even if it’s just day trips) together as a family.  We have learned that life is short and while we need to plan for the future and live within our means, we also need to enjoy life.  Finding a balance is one of our current Savings Goals.

Update:  In 2014 we sold our home and most of our belongings to move to France.  We left Virginia in January 2015 and are now living in Nice, debt free.  Traveling has always been our dream and a huge motivator to become debt free.  Everyone has their own dreams and this was ours.  We still live within a budget, an even tighter budget than when we living in the States.   Through hard work and a frugal lifestyle, we achieved our goals.

We want to spend our hard-earned dollars wisely to save on those things we need, so we have money to spend on the things we want.

Please feel free to share your savings story.

 

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Filed Under: Frugal Living

8 Fun Uses for Spider Rings

by Dana Zeliff on September 29, 20142014-09-29
in Frugal Living, Other Uses

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Uses for Spider Rings

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An inexpensive bag of spider rings can be used in many more ways than just their intended function. Try one or more of these 8 uses for spider rings to add a little fun to the Halloween season.

8 Fun Uses for Spider Rings:

 

1. Ice cube trays– Pop one in each cube, fill with water and freeze- the perfect touch for your Halloween party drinks.

Uses for spider rings 2

2. Necklace– String them on a cord or ribbon, just a few or all the way around they make a fun piece of jewelry besides a ring. Some rings go on all the way and will stay on just fine, if you have the ones that are split you may want to add a dab of hot glue to close the gap.

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Filed Under: Frugal Living, Other Uses Tagged With: Halloween


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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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