Get what you want for FREE!, Get rid of what you don’t for FREE!!!

Absolutely my most favorite frugal thing is to freecycle. Do you have a  child who wants to try a new sport and you dread investing in equipment that may be dumped after one use? Or do you have stuff in your garage that someone might get use out of, something you can’t bear to throw away??? Do you have something that would be a pain, or even too large to get rid of,  Freecycling is your answer in all these instances. It’s good for the environment. It’s free. It feels good. How much better can it get?

We joined Freecycle.org. We had a swingset that my kids had grown out of. It was in good shape. I wanted the area cleared to make a garden. I posted the description on freecycle. It was gone, literally out of my yard in an hour!! The woman who got it was delighted, I was delighted. No perfectly good swing in a landfill. The environment was delighted.

That was our first experience. I love it. It’s great for spring cleaning. It’s great for seasonal “gear”.

Try it.

 

How to read current bestsellers cheaply!

Some of us have great local libraries. Some of us are put on a list for weeks in order to get bestsellers. Some of us spend a fortune on books to keep up.

I use PaperBackSwap. If you have shelves of books that you love and would love others “readers” to have then this might work well for you. Paperbackswap.com asks you to post 10 books on it’s website. Just type in the isbns on the back of your books into the website. It will create a virtual bookshelf for you. It will then grant you 3 credits that allows you to pick 3 books off other peoples bookshelves. The members will send those books to you for nothing ! Other members may pick a book off your shelf. You mail it to them. When they receive it it earns you another book credit. You can order another book !  and so swapping out your books for others books etc etc etc. I love it.

I’ve been doing it for over a year, I have read Like Water for Elephants, The Kite Runner, Pope Joan, Three Cups of Tea and on and on and on. Once read I pop the books back into the system and swap them for something else. The quality is awesome. All books so far have been in pristine condition. Do not swap books with torn covers or odors. Some people request that books be from non-smokers homes. You can customize your preference.

My username is rdrkm on there. Take a look at my bookshelf. You might see something you like.

there is nothing better than getting a new book in your mailbox. It is so much better than getting bills !!!

Happy Reading

Get your family through the recession

I read an article in Time yesterday that stated that for belt-tightening will be “in” for the next year or so. I don’t know about you but with milk and gas prices soaring this is not news to us, this is life. I have been actively frugal for quite some time now and sharing tips on how we do it might help others new to the game.

 Spending too much on food?

If you are not a cook or have zero imagination in the kitchen hearing everyone drone on about meal planning causes your eyes to glaze over. I am similar, but I have a solution !!!  I found e-mealz

E-MEALZ Easy Meals for Busy and Frugal Families

It allows you to pick your favorite (or cheapest) store and builds a meal plan based on the sales of the week. It includes the recipe for the meals it picks. It lists staples that you will need and it builds your grocery list ! I love it.

You can pick low carb, low fat, ww points,  even vegetarian - based menus  ! It offers Publix, Walmart and Kroger as well as an “any store” option which bases it’s menus on seasonal items. The meals are good, the recipes don’t repeat over a 3 month period and you use leftovers for lunches

Guesswork gone !!! The cost is for a 3 month period 15 dollars so $1.25 per week. There is a Dave Ramsey discount if you put in DAVE in the coupon area. (Dave Ramsey we will talk about later) Best of luck !!!