A (Minimal) Wardrobe Saves Money

Because I rent a room in someone’s house, I only have so much space. This actually helps me to keep to a minimal wardrobe and spend a whole lot less money than I would otherwise.

Frugal Winter Considerations

I don’t know about where you are, but winter is upon us here in my area of Maine. It is too cold too often, and the messiness of the snowstorms followed by rain makes for bad road conditions and icy sidewalks and driveways. Not fun times, for sure.

Happy New Year!

I hope you all enjoyed your New Year’s Eve celebrations! Are you excited for this year?

10 Ways to Save Money This Winter

We might be getting some nice days, but there is still plenty of winter left. And there are ways to live more frugally during the remainder of the season. These ideas will be helpful if you’ve been paying a lot for snow removal and heating.

1. If you do pay for snow removal, save some cash by shoveling as a family when you are home during storms. Everyone can get involved for the price of some shovels and ice melt. You’ll also come away from the winter more fit, and closer as a family.
2. Turn the heat down a few degrees in the evenings while watching television, and pile on the blankets. And leave it at that temperature until you get up in the morning. Unless you are worried the pipes will freeze. No one wants to deal with pipe issues during the winter months.
3. Turn the heat down a little during the really nice days, and wear a sweater and slippers.
4. Are you watching all those channels. If you find you’re only watching two or three regularly, you may want to get a Roku or another like product and see if you can do your viewing more affordably.
5. Already have one? Still not watching everything you pay for regularly? Cut subscriptions you don’t need right now. Maybe you have a list of Netflix movies you want to watch. Concentrate on that one month, then switch to a different outlet the next month. Really think about what you need every month, and what you might be able to get away with paying for only once-in-a-while. You can put things on hold, or cancel until you want them again.
6. Spend time as a family doing things other than going out to eat and to the movies. You can have a movie night at home, and make popcorn. Prepare an ethnic meal as a family once a week. And institute a family game night. These are a fraction of the cost of going out as a family.
7. Building snowmen, animals, and forts are other great family activities, as are sledding and snowball fights.
8. When winter starts to wind down and it’s not freezing at night, take your hot cocoa outside to enjoy while watching the night sky.
9. Start making gifts you’ll give to friends and family next Christmas. You’ll save money on next year’s gift giving. While you’re at it, do the same for upcoming birthdays and anniversaries.
10. Celebrate a snow day (if you have power) by baking a cake, making cider or hot cocoa, and watching winter-themed movies instead of going out and saving money.

Take the time no to plan how you will cut costs next winter with these articles:

• Winter Heating Considerations
• Getting Ready for Winter 101: Emergency Supplies on a Budget
• 5 Affordable Winter Activities for Children
• Frugal Fun for the Winter Months

How are you cutting costs this winter? Share your methods below.

~ Shannon

Winter Heating Considerations

If you are reconsidering how to heat your home, consider the various aspects of each type of heat. It’s always important to sit down and figure out how to save money and resources, no matter what type of heat you are using.

Electric Heat

My daughters and I used to live in an apartment with this type of heat, and remember that it was hard for us to keep warm sometimes. This type of heat was very expensive.

• Upstairs was always warmer because the heating elements were in the downstairs ceilings.

• Plastic that could be blow-dried on was used to cover the windows. You could also use painters tape to adhere plastic to the windows, because it would not peel the paint when removed.

• The lowest I could turn the heat to during the day was 69, and we had to wear extra layers and keep blankets downstairs to be warm enough.

• At night, the heat went down to 65. Extra blankets were placed on each bed. As long as it is warm enough so the pipes don’t freeze, these temperatures are fine, but that will depend on your personal circumstances.

Oil Heat

Oil heat was used in my next home, a trailer. This is also expensive, but there were ways I conserved oil.

• The heat was kept between 68 and 70 during the day, but turned down to 62 when we were gone.

• Blankets were kept handy at all times. Fleece ones that kept us extra warm.

• By placing the beds next to the vents in the bedrooms, I was able to turn the heat down to 55 at night. We’d just pile on the blankets.

• We would dress warm during the day and at night.

*These temperatures may not work if your home isn’t situated well. It worked for us because we were pretty well surrounded by other homes and a wooded area. A neighbor who wasn’t as well situated as we were had a hard time with his pipes freezing. He also didn’t do other things that I did, such as use heat tape.

Pellet Stoves

I have never used one of these, but know people who do. I know, while you are in the room with the stove, you are nicely warmed. I do not know anything more. It would be interesting to hear from readers what there experiences are with these stoves. I have noticed that people use a small fan to distribute the heat into other areas of the home.

Wood/Cook Stoves

The old ones were great, and I’m wondering if the newer models are as versatile. Many things could be used in an old stove to warm a place, from wood to straw. Some items were more efficient than others, but you certainly had more options for burning than with a pellet stove. I want one or the other of these.

I’m aware that the heat does not always travel well throughout the home, and this is fine with me. At night I only need minimal heat.

Natural Gas

I rent a room. The house I live in uses natural gas. I have heard rumors that our lovely state of Maine is not the best place to have natural gas, but I don’t know this as a fact. I do know that the first winter after the switch-over we had a horrible time. There were some very cold stretches of a day or so where we had to heat at all. And no hot water. Obviously, this did not make myself and the other tenants happy, nor was our landlord happy. But, subsequent winters haven’t seen those issues. Because I rent in a place where they pay the heat, I don’t know how expensive/affordable this option may be.

A Combination of Heating Methods

I know people who use a combination of heating sources during the winter. A pellet stove can be placed in a kitchen or living room that’s heating vents have been covered or removed, and oil heat can be used in the bedrooms and the bathroom.

Winter Tips

Here are my best tips, no matter how you heat your home:

• If you live in a trailer/manufactured home, or a home without a basement, see about installing heat tape. It will go a long way in making sure pipes do not freeze. I had this in the trailer the girls and I lived in. The pipes never froze, no matter how cold it got.
• Bank the trailer or the house. Using plastic sheeting, wooden slats, and a hammer and nails. This can be done in a day with some teamwork.
• Even if you bank your home, fill lawn or trash bags with leaves you have raked, placing a heavy rock in the bottom of each bag. Place these bags around areas of the banking that might be less protected from the wind than others.
• Once it snows, shovel the snow to cover the banked area for extra insulation. My stepfather calls this poor man’s insulation. Keep doing this throughout the winter.
• Particularly drafty older windows will seem less drafty if you hang some clear plastic on the insides, as mentioned above.
• Vacuum out the vents and dust registers before turning on the heat for the first time.
• Dust out the furnace area, and have the furnace cleaned professionally.
• Have fireplaces cleaned professionally.
• Clean wood stove vents.
• Sign up for a budget/payment plan through your electric or oil company.
• If you are really hurting for money for heating costs, look into how to get fuel assistance in your area. Do not count on this to cover the whole winter, or even a whole month of heat, but it can be helpful.
• Keep extra blankets on beds, and on living room furniture.
• Be sure everyone has warm jammies, robes, and slippers.

Feel free to discuss how you heat your home in the comments below, and to leave tips for saving on heating costs.

~ Shannon

Getting Ready for Winter 101: Emergency Supplies on a Budget

Let’s face it. Prices have gone up dramatically since I originally wrote this article back in 2011.We’ve also become more aware of our health problems, and that we can’t always do things as cheaply as we’d like, especially as far as food goes. Even in 2011 I mentioned that preparing for winter probably could not be done completely on the cheap.

I’ve had to change things a bit, and my circumstances have changed. How about you? Do you find you’re spending more on the necessities of winter prep these days?

Remember: Sometimes spending a little extra up front will allow you to save a good amount of money over time. And you will not have to worry so much about rising costs during an emergency situation.

Light

If you use flashlights during emergencies, you’ll want a few. I keep a small one in my bag in case there’s no power when I get home. I need to see when I get home. I bought a multi-pack at Wal-Mart a couple of years back, and gave a few to each of my daughters.

You’ll want a bigger one at home, and it doesn’t hurt to keep one in each room just in case. Also, keep on in the glove compartment in your car.

Buy a bulk package of each size battery that you need, and change the batteries out each fall. Or at least keep extra batteries near each flashlight. They could die at any time.

Buying a second bulk package of each type of battery is a good idea.

Oil lamps are another option. Be sure to have extra oil and wicks on hand. These will provide you with enough light to read by, or to play a game of cards. Keep one in the master bedroom, as well as in the kitchen and living room.

Candles are another option. You need to watch them carefully, and they won’t throw off as much light as an oil lamp.

There are solar lights available, as well as other options for lamps that don’t necessitate the use of fire or batteries.

Do some research and see which method(s) will work best for your situation. Remember to take into account all of your activities, the ages of the people in your home, and pets.

Entertainment

A deck of cards, or 5 if you like Canasta, will provide hours of entertainment, as will board games that you already have on hand. Mad Libs are also fun. Power outages are a great time to talk and reconnect as a family as well.

Heat

If you have a wood/cook stove you’re all set as long as you have plenty of wood available. Otherwise, you may want a kerosene heater for emergencies. In all honesty, as long as I’m huddled under a few blankets I’m usually fine.

Food and Beverages

There are many foods and drinks that can be kept on hand. Some cost more than others. Individual serving items cost the most, unless you happen across a sale and coupon duo 🙂

Keep food on a shelf or in a box and make sure everyone knows not to touch it unless there is an emergency. Replace these items every 4 to 6 months. None of these items need be refrigerated, and everything can be purchased as store brands to save money. You will also want to look to dollar stores for more savings on a few items.

• a big bottle of 100% juice

• Half-gallon of water per day per person, plus another half-gallon for cleaning purposes.

• crackers

• peanut/nut butter

• small jar of jelly/fluff

• canned or jarred fruit

• granola bars

• fruit bars

• large bag of chips

• raisins

• dried fruit

• seeds/nuts

• dry cereal

Be sure to have enough on hand to last at least a few days, maybe a week. Depending on where you live, you may need more.

Other Items

Many people who do not have power will also not have water (or at least no hot water) for cleaning tasks, so there are some non frugal items we normally do not purchase that may be needed.

• paper plates, cups, and bowls

• napkins and/or paper towels

• plastic silverware

I’d start getting these things together in October here in Maine. (Times may differ depending on where live.) Last year it did snow in October, even though it didn’t hang around until November.

Think about it. If you have no power, if you have no running water, you’re going to be saving money on utilities. If you have everything else you need, you won’t be wasting money at the convenience store or a fast food restaurant. Your budget will thank you.

If you have tips for surviving an emergency, please share them with us in the comments for this post.

Thank you,

Shannon

Warm Blessings on this New Year’s Eve

Are you thinking about what the New Year might hold for you? I can’t wait to see how things go in 2026!

~ Shannon

What Financials Moves Helped Me in 2025

Prices are still on the rise. And I am still looking for ways to cut costs. How about you?

I started a financial journey in 2024 to cut costs and be more mindful of what I am spending and why. It has been an adventure, and I am learning a lot about myself and my spending habits. These are the steps I have been working on this year:

1. In 2024 I started tracking my spending so I could identify the areas I could cut back in. I noticed I had way too many subscriptions, so I cut back a lot. In 2025, I have fine-tuned things. I did keep my Amazon Prime because I am finding more and more that I need to order groceries because I can’t find everything I need in the stores. Also, I do order other things as well. This does provide me with a couple of other services as well, such as free reading materials and shows and movies to watch. Amazon Prime is a keeper for me. At least right now. I did downgrade my Hulu subscription to the lowest priced one, with ads. And I do keep my DoorDash. Right now, I am getting HBO Max free because of DoorDash, though that will be ending this year. I do also get frndly TV during their Black Friday sale. $1.04 per month for three months so I can watch the Christmas movies and catch up on the mysteries, then I cancel until the next November sale. I let go of a number of other channels. To be honest, I’d had a lot of subscriptions I’d forgotten about or wasn’t fully utilizing, when I started this journey, and I have cut way back. With this year’s fine-tuning, I’m spending a lot less than I was when I started letting things go. Also, I do have Netflix when I stay at my daughter’s but not when at home. Netflix doesn’t like to share, so I am limited to watching certain things at her house. She pays for Netflix, and I pay for Hulu for both of us.
2. Not every day or anything, but I do play games on my phone sometimes after work at night, so I decided to switch to a platform that will pay me for my time playing. I chose Rewarded Play. I also am on Fetch, where I earn points for uploading receipts. And I earn points form MyPoints for looking at emails and answering surveys once in a while. As I earn enough points, I cash them in for gift cards to Amazon. This helps me to get items I need at a discounted price. I only earned $3 from MyPoints this year but didn’t really keep up with it very well. I earned $13 from Fetch. And $20 from Rewarded Play. These are just things I am doing in my spare time, while watching television. An extra $36 I wouldn’t have had, all went toward Amazon purchases. These are just examples of what I get for very little effort, that help me to buy things I need. I also have StraightTalk and enjoy a free month’s service every so often with their rewards program. I have both Dunkin’ and Aroma Joe’s rewards that give me free things throughout the year. DoorDash sometimes has great deals, especially when those groceries are 50% off. So little things do pay off in little ways, with next to no effort. Also, they keep me from being bored when I have downtime.
3. My kitchen is setup is starting to save me money on food, and I couldn’t be more pleased. Go ahead and click that link to see all I did to save money in the kitchen this year.
4. I did very low-cost days with the bestest, and an almost no-cost vacation, so I was not spending too much this year. We did utilize some of our fund’s thrifting and might have had some treats at the mall’s craft fair. But overall, we really reeled things in this year. We kept things pretty simple, but I saved a couple hundred on these things which is a great thing.
5. I take the city bus a lot to get to work most of the time, so that is always a huge savings over Ubers and cabs. Hundreds of dollars a year.
6. I live in a very small space – a large bedroom in someone’s house – and have a very low rent. It’s what I can afford right now, and I am making it work. Utilities and Wi-Fi are paid for from my rent, and there is a washer and dryer we can pay to use in the bathroom next door to my room. Super convenient. I do have to share a bathroom with others in the house. This is saving me thousands of dollars a year, but I will eventually have to move because it is getting more difficult for me to get up and down the stairs. There are sacrifices I am making for the low rent. I do pay for my own phone, and I do not utilize the satellite service provided by the landlord for channels. I have a Roku and use StraightTalk for my phone service. Right now, I am blessed to have this space. I might not be able to afford another place when I can no longer maneuver the stairs.

I can still see room for improvement, but I think I did pretty well this year. How about you? Share which financial moves you have made this year. We can all learn from each other for next year.

~ Shannon

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I wish you all the happiness, joy, and peace imaginable on this Christmas Day. I hope you enjoy the rest of the holiday season and are ready for the new year.

~ Shannon

Happy Christmas Eve!

Just popping in to wish you all a happy Christmas Eve. I hope you enjoy the holiday.

~ Shannon

Can’t Afford New Clothes?

Want a new wardrobe but don’t have the money? Maybe it’s time to start letting go of some things. You could have a yard sale, sell items online, or trade with friends and family. You could also sell things on consignment at a thrift store.

Go through everything in your drawers and closets and decide what you can let go of. Clothing, footwear, accessories, coats. Got stuff in storage? Look at everything.

Too small or too big? Let it go. Haven’t worn it in a year? Let it go. Don’t really care for it as much as you thought? Let it go. Be ruthless.

Use the money you earn to buy what you need. Be smart. Utilize yard sales, thrift stores, and clearance sales. Look for great deals. Forget about instant gratification and take your time. Find the best deals possible on what you need and want. You will want to start with the necessities, then work on getting the other things you want. You can also, if people give you gift cards at special occasions, use those to get some of what you want.

What can you do with anything that doesn’t sell? Give it away to someone who can use it. Or find a good cause, such as a women’s or homeless shelter to donate to. There is always someone who can use what you no longer need.

Share how you build a wardrobe without breaking the bank.

~ Shannon

I’m Creating a Thrifting Plan

The weather in Maine has recently been in the 90’s. Too hot for my liking! But it has cooled off some the last few days and been so nice. It’s actually put my mind on fall. My favorite season! I think fall is a great time to go thrifting! It’s a great way to save money. So frugal!

The bestest and I try to do a couple of things each year, outside of the occasional get-together. We’ve visited different areas within our state. We’ve gone to Hampton Beach for a night. We’ve spent a day yardsaling. This year we planned two outings. First, going to Jasper Beach, and second, having a thrifting day!

I am beginning my thrifting plan. I know there are some things I want, and some things I would consider needs. I can use more leggings, warm gloves for winter, and canning jars. I might also like some new-to-me books. I’ve started a list of items I don’t want to pay full price for and am excited to see what I can find.

Things I am taking into consideration:

• I want a new tote for work. One with compartments and pockets, that will easily carry my tablet, notebooks, and laptop in an organized way. If I can’t find a good deal on one before our thrifting day, I will see if I can find something then.
• I would like a couple of new summer and winter tops.
• I don’t know if I can find any decent looking socks, but if I can find some ankle ones, that are white and look almost new I am snagging them.
• Canning jars. One quart and smaller in size. Also, because I don’t actually can and am using the jars for storing dry goods, I will look for random lids and rings. (Update: I found plenty of smaller jars and rings. Many came with lids as well. I also found some quart size jars, but not as many as I would like. I will keep looking.)
• Unused journals.
• Books, always. (I found two very old classics. Both hardcover. Little House on the Prairie and Farmer Boy, both by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The bestest actually found the first one, and when I went over to get it I found the second.)
• I need a nice, fluffy mattress pad.
• I would like a die-cut machine for my cardmaking and scrapbooking.
• I need some organizers for my kitchen.
• Some plant pots for herbs.
• A different organizer with more space for the inside of the closet door.
• Vitamix Ascent X5 blender/Ninga Twisti Blender Duo/Breville The Fresh and Furious countertop blender/KitchenAid K400 Variable Speed blender (for my smoothies)
• Food chopper/processor
• Shelf organizers for food/plates/cups, etc.
• Unbleached coffee filters (paper)
• Pioneer woman stuff!
• New pillows
• Towels/cloths/bathmat
• Soup freezer silicone cubes/rectangles
• Glass airtight food storage containers
• 2 or 3 magnetic shelves for side of fridge
• spice jars (I found a few of these.)
• Glass pasta holders (airtight)

I can add to or delete from this list as necessary, but I will be taking it with me so I can be sure to stay on track.

Do you enjoy thrifting days? I love to hear about people’s thrifting experiences!

~ Shannon

Play Games on Your Phone? Earn Gift Cards

• This article has an affiliate link. By clicking on the link and joining, you are helping me to earn gift cards without you having to spend any money, which helps me out greatly. Doing so will also give you a way to earn gift cards of your own! I do want you to know that I appreciate you! And you do not have to click the link if you do not want to.

Sometimes I like to play games on my phone. When I get home from work at 11:30 PM I relax while playing. If I am not in the middle of a bus read, I will play on the way to work. If I have extra time before my shift starts or while waiting for an appointment to start, I might play then. Playing games is not a major part of my day, but I do play a little throughout the week.

I used to just choose a game I thought would be fun, but nowadays I am a little more strategic. I kept asking myself why I am not choosing games that will earn me a little money and finally deleted the games that don’t. I decided to choose a platform that would allow me to earn gift cards while I play. I chose an easy one and have earned a number of $5.00 gift cards since I started playing them. I use these to get things I need on Amazon, but you can get them for different places.

Because I don’t play all the time, I don’t earn as much as some people do. I really only play games in my spare time, which I don’t have a lot of.

I am using Rewarded Play. If you care to join, you can do so by clicking here. Joining through my link allows me to earn gift cards, which is a great way for you to support my efforts to help you to live more frugally, without spending any money, and will provide you with a way to earn gift cards as well! It is an affiliate link. I do appreciate you! Enjoy the games!

~ Shannon

Affordable Date Night/Day Ideas

Dates can happen any time of day or night, so why would I limit the suggestions? Whether you’re just getting to know someone, have been married for thirty years, or are somewhere in between as a couple, there are so many fun things you can do together. You aren’t limited to just dinner and a movie, though that is always a perfectly fun date idea!

Here are some ideas that will be fun and won’t cost a lot:

• Pack a lunch or stop in at your favorite restaurant to pick up a meal for each of you, and head to your local park for a picnic. After your meal you can sit and talk for a while. Then walk and look at the pretty scenery.
• Take in some of the free community concerts and other events that happen in your area. You should be able to find a community calendar on your town’s website.
• Is there a stream or river in your area that offers an area for sitting, or maybe fishing? Again, pack a lunch or drinks and snacks, grab your poles, and enjoy. Maybe you can even swim there. Time near water is very calming for me. How about you?
• If you are both card players, you could take a deck with you and play.
• A great activity if both people like to hike is finding some trails to walk in your area or the surrounding areas.
• Biking is another great way to spend time together.
• If you are having a nighttime date, stargazing is a great activity. Spread out a blanket or set out some chairs. Get a cheap bottle of wine and some cheese for snacking. Pretend for a little bit. What would life on the perfect planet be like?
• On a crisp autumn eve, you could sit out on the porch and watch nature or neighborhood traffic, enjoying a hot cocoa or latte and some chocolates, while reading to each other or talking about topics you both enjoy.
• If you are both interested, you could spend a day visiting antique stores and/or flea markets.
• My parents bird hunt by riding the back roads during that season. They enjoy their time together.
• I’ve always enjoyed day road trips on the back roads. Seeing the different places. Stopping at roadside stands. A picnic, or a lunch or dinner out, along the way. Random shops. End your day watching the sunset.
• If you live near one, national parks sometimes have free entry days.
• Do you share a love of photography? Don’t forget to bring your cameras on your outings!
• Set yourselves up outside for a movie night! Or play a game on the front porch.
• Instead of going out to eat, make a date to grocery shop and cook dinner together.
• The University of Maine at Orono has a lovely garden area that is open to the public and free to visit. There is a pond with frogs. If you have something similar, it might be the perfect place for a picnic. There are also walking trails if you want to stretch your legs after your meal.

What affordable date ideas do you have?

~ Shannon

3 Problems with Instant Gratification

I get it. You’re out shopping with friends, or looking at an online shop, and you see something you think would be great. It happens. I’m not saying don’t get it because I have no idea if you need it or not, but I wanted to share just a few reasons why getting that new item in that moment might not be the wisest use for your money.

1. You don’t know if you might be able to get the item somewhere else for less. Also, you could be missing out on getting that item at a yard sale or thrift store, or possibly for free. You might be spending way more than you need to.
2. You might not really need that item at all, so it might be used a handful of times then forgotten. Ask yourself if you really think you will use the item often enough to justify the cost.
3. You may just be adding more clutter to your space. Ask yourself if you have a good place for it.

For more than a year I knew I was going to want a new popcorn maker. Mine finally gave out a couple of months ago, after lasting far longer than I had expected. The thing had issues. I’d seen one on Amazon that I really liked, but didn’t want to spend $30 or more on it. I’d been looking at it every so often for a good year but decided when the old one went that I would just use a pot on the hot plate instead of spending that kind of money. Then I was in Goodwill, and I found one just like the one on Amazon. The only difference was the one I wanted was red and this one was a different color. The one at Goodwill was $10, so I could get it for at least $20 less than I thought I would have to pay. I stood there looking it over for a few minutes, trying to decide if I wanted to even spend that much. I finally decided to go for it. As I was carrying the popcorn maker a lady who had noticed me deliberating stopped me. She told me that she had one of the same type of popcorn makers, and she absolutely loved it. That lady told me about her experiences with it and helped me to seal the deal. I might have put it back on the shelf before leaving the store had it not been for her. I’ve used this popcorn maker a few times now and I love it!

I also recently decided that I wanted a gallon size pitcher. I’d been on Amazon and seen them, again in the $30 range. I knew I wasn’t going to pay that much for one, but I thought I could substitute with one of those gallon size canning jars. Well, that would have cost at least $18, and I didn’t want to pay that much either. I decided I didn’t really need one that badly. Then I had an idea. I put out on my personal Facebook page that I was looking for a gallon size pitcher but would also be happy to accept that size canning jar or even that size pickle jar. At about that time my bestest was helping her mom clean out the garage. They had come across about 8 of the old gallon pickle jars. The bestest texted me and asked if I still wanted one and of course I said yes. I offered to see if anyone I knew wanted the rest and my daughter said she did. So, the bestest dropped them off with me and my daughter picked them up the next time she was over to clean. Less things they needed to dispose of or try to sell, my daughter used most of hers to decorate with, and I now have the pitcher I so desired. And no money changed hands. We were doing her mom a favor by taking things off her hands. Free for us!

Not long after that I decided I need other size canning jars to use for food storage. I again took to Facebook and put out a request. During my weekly phone call with my mom she asked if I was still looking for some and I of course said yes. I told her that I was going to use them to store some of my dry goods because a couple years back we’d had a huge ant problem. Last year not so much, but I want to be prepared just in case. And I also had found out that produce will last longer in the fridge in glass jars. While my daughter and I were vsiting mom on Mother’s Day she gave me quite a few canning jars. All I needed to buy were lids and rings. She also gave me a number of honey jars with lids. I have decided that I am going to use 3 or 4 of the honey jars so I can make bigger batches of my healthy smoothies and have them on hand in the fridge, and that the rest can also be used for food storage. Again, these were free!

I am so thankfyl for that woman in Goodwill for helping me to finalize my decision about the popcorn maker, and to my bestests mom for giving me that old pickle jar to use as a pitcher. And I am always thankful for my momma. She is amazing.

As you can see, by not giving into instant gratification, I saved myself a bunch of money and still got what I wanted. Every single item will be used time and time again, and I am hoping they will each last for years of use.

Do you have any such success stories?

~ Shannon

It’s About Creating Habits

Does it really take 21 days to form a habit? According to Scientific American, the answer is no. It could take longer but also might not take that long. It depends on the person. We each have our own habit-building timeline that dictates how long it will take us to form a new habit.

When I decided to make my financials a habit, I did so by making myself sit down every week and do the work. I am not perfect, but my budgeting journey is now pretty much set in stone. I have a couple of things that I keep up with now and will be building on these habits in the coming months.

Habit 1: Tracking Income & Expenses

I have been tracking my income and expenses for about eight months now, fairly consistently. I haven’t been perfect, sometimes skipping a week. But I found I didn’t like putting that much time into it and have managed do this weekly for months now. I am so proud of myself.

How do I keep on this track? I have a financials date on Friday mornings at Aroma Joe’s. Why does this work for me? I honestly think it’s because I am pairing the work with something I enjoy. I didn’t really think about this until recently when I was watching Kate on the YouTube channel Kate Kaden. She mentioned that she pairs going over her finances every morning with something she really enjoys, her morning cup of coffee.

It made perfect sense! If you pair something you don’t care much for with something you love, then it makes it better, easier somehow.

I love going to Aroma Joe’s (AJ”s). I love that they get to know my order. The idle chit chat when ordering. Getting out and being around people, even if most of my time there is spent doing my own thing. I like my breakfast and love their organic iced black tea. I also enjoy the walk there and back; it’s just a couple minutes up the road from my house. And I like being in a different environment than my home for a little bit. It’s a win for me! It does cost money, but I build it into my (so far) mental budget. (I think my next goal is to start the actual budgeting but, for now, tracking is where it is for me.)

Creating an enjoyable activity around this task has really helped me to keep on track, but your activity does not have to cost anything. Maybe you would like to listen to rock music or sit on your front porch with a cup of tea.

Habit 2: Tracking Cash Expenditures & Gift Cards/Found Money

Most I my expenses happen with the use of my debit card but there are some things I still use cash for, such as bus tickets and cab rides for work, the cleaning service, and if, say, I owe someone a few dollars for an unexpected expense. The last one rarely ever happens, but here’s the thing, it happens.

For example, my daughter bought us Brett Michaels tickets. We saw him in concert last year and really enjoyed the show, and this year he will be here with different musicians than last year. She bought me the ticket as my birthday and Mother’s Day gift. But then we got notice that Billy Idol and Joan Jett will also be playing here we were both excited, so when she learned what the price for tickets where she let me know. $130. That’s a lot, for sure! She paid for them, and I am paying her back because I didn’t have the funds right then. It worked out for us. I am paying the cost of my ticket back with cash.

There is a particular way that I keep track of cash payments, gift cards and cash gifts, and found money. Found money is money I find while out walking or while checking on things around the hotel while working. It’s not usually a lot, but every penny truly does count.

My phone has a sticky note app that I utilize for notes. One of the sticky notes is used specifically for cash and gift tracking. This is what it looks like today:

For This Pay Period

found 1 cent

$115 transportation envelope

$6 bus tickets

found 10 cents

$15 cleaning

Each Friday, during my financials date, I transfer these amounts to my Income & Expenses pages in my financial planner and delete them from the sticky note. The note is then ready for new amounts to be recorded.

I have trained myself to make a note every single time I receive or spend so I do not forget anything.

(Note that my cleaning bill is low because: 1. My daughter is the one who cleans for me, and 2. It takes her 5 to 10 minutes to do what I need her to do. I have a back and shoulder injury that prevents me from doing a few bathroom and other tasks, so she helps me out with them. She owns her own cleaning business and is super successful at it. I told her I wanted to keep doing the things I still can, while I can, and she is respecting that. I do know that eventually I will need more help.)

Habit 3: Keeping Track of How much I Use

I’m also starting to keep track of roughly how much of specific products I am using in what amount of time. I do this with lotion, bodywash, hand soap, shampoo, and mouthwash right now.

Using the sticky note feature on my phone, I note the product, size, and date when I opened it. Then, when it is used up, I go in and add that date. In another sticky note I am recording each product (with size) and how many I might need for a year. That way, if I find a good deal on an item and want to stock up, I have a good idea of how much I should buy.

Also, I only have one of each product going at once. Not three bottles of shampoo, four of body wash, and two hand soaps. I am limiting myself intentionally to learn what I really need in a one-year period.

For example, I bought a 50-ounce bottle of liquid hand soap refill for $2.99 last October 16th and just refilled my small pump bottle from that for the last time the other day. 7 1/2 months. Clearly, I do not need 2 to 3 gallon size jugs of this, no matter how much of a deal I can get on them. Mind you, there are some long weekends I spend away from home. If I didn’t do that, the bottle may have been used up in a 6 1/2-month period.

Habit 4: Exercise

My exercise routine is free. Right now, that is mainly walking. I get steps in when I can at my job at The Inn. I often walk to the bus to go to work, then get dropped off by my cab driver at the store to walk the 10 minutes home after my shift is over. A nighttime walk is great for me, especially on super busy days when I don’t get all my steps in at work. I also, during good weather, will walk 2 to 4 miles per day on my three days off each week.

I am thinking about brining yoga back into my life as well. And the use of hand weights. I do already have a yoga matt and the hand weights, so it will cost me nothing to reinstate these routines. And I can utilize YouTube for workout videos if I want.

There will be no added cost for any workout routines I decide to implement. For me, exercise is a free activity to enjoy.

Habit 5: Meal Planning

Don’t get me wrong, I am not a master meal planner. I only plan loosely.

I have a dry erase mat on my fridge. On it I have three categories. The first is a Use-it-Up section. This one is the most important, for my situation. Each week, as I notice things that need to be used up, I list them under that category. Because I can see this at a glance, I can easily decide on meals and snacks that will utilize those food items.

The second category, Ideas, is for just that. Ideas on how I might use some of those items. I might not actually do anything under that category, but it gets my mind working on what is possible.

And the third category is Meal Plan. Again, I might not follow this 100%. That is fine. It’s more like a guide of things I might like to have the next week. But it also means I might need to pick up some ingredients. If I’m on a tighter budget that week, I may have to choose a different meal to make, one with less or cheaper ingredients. When I do decide on meals for sure, I note any items I need in the shopping app.

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There are more habits I am going to instate, of course, that will help me along my frugal journey. My life journey. But these were a good place to start and I am glad I chose these areas to begin with.

What habits have you created to help you along your frugal life journey? We’d love to hear about them!

~ Shannon

Another Way I’m Saving on Hand Soap

I recently made a blog post about how I save money on the purchase of liquid hand soap for the bathroom, explaining that I don’t use bar soap for handwashing because of my currently living situation and the messiness of bar soaps.

There is another way I’m saving on liquid hand soap this year. Before I start, though, I do need to mention that I was gifted a small pump bottle of hand soap, and that is how what I did today got started.

I pulled out my bulk bottle of hand soap to refill the pump bottle I keep in my medicine cabinet. That’s when I saw it. The lone pump bottle of liquid hand soap I had been gifted months ago. Too tall for my medicine cabinet but still needing to be used. I refilled the pump bottle in the bathroom using the last of the stuff in the bulk bottle. There was enough to fill the little bottle about 2/3 full, so I added water from the faucet to fill it up and gave it an easy shake before putting back into the medicine cabinet.

Then I emptied the extra pump bottle of soap into the bulk bottle. After I was done with that, I added a little water to the smaller bottle to rinse it out and catch all the perfectly good soap that is often left at the bottom of bottles and poured that into the bulk bottle. Then I went into my room and went through my bin of personal care items, grabbing the bottles of shampoo and body wash that only had a little left. I took those into the bathroom and added a little water to each, giving them an easy shake, then emptied them into the big soap bottle. I now have about a third of a bulk bottle of “hand soap”.

And I’m not done. I bet after I go through the things in the closet while cleaning it up, I’ll end up with more (mostly) used bottles of body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. I may end up filling that bottle halfway, or even more. At no extra cost.

I don’t know why it takes me forever and a day to use up those little bits. I guess I just get bored with the scent and want something different. I think this is a great way to use that stuff up. And I will be decluttering in the process. Not a bad deal!

~ Shannon

Saving Money on Shampoo

Recently I wrote a blog post about how I am saving money on bodywash, which stemmed from a video I watched on YouTube. And I decided to implement their idea for saving on bodywash. I can’t remember if the idea came from Kate Kaden, Frugal Fit Mom, or Under the Median, but they are all great channels I recommend.

This got me to thinking. I probably also use too much shampoo and wondering if similar changes could be made there.

First, let me just say that I used to use the very cheap, under a dollar shampoos, and that worked for me for a lot of years. I would switch out which ones I used according to what I could get the cheapest at the time. But then I started to notice that I needed to condition my hair more and more often, costing more money, until conditioning just didn’t help at all with that straw feeling hair can get.

So, I started using the bottles of shampoo that cost just under $3.oo and have had great success with them. I don’t even buy conditioner anymore, which is a savings.

But the video about bodywash got me thinking about the shampoo. Would that cost less? Do I use too much? Can you even get it in a pump bottle?

As it turns out, you can. And, while it comes in a bigger bottle that seemingly costs more, it is actually cheaper per ounce. So, I bought the pump bottle and am going to experiment to see just how much shampoo I actually need to use each time I wash my hair.

One thing that does save me a little already is that, when I am at the end of the bottle, I put a little water in, shake it gently, and get a couple more uses out of it. I will continue to do that.

Another thing that saves me money on shampoo is this:

I only wash my hair once or twice a week. That’s all I seem to need.

In the summer, after a long hot walk, all I really need to do is rinse my hair while showering and it is fine. My hair doesn’t get too greasy but will get super dry and straw like if I wash it more often than I do. This, of course, also saves me money. It will be interesting, once I figure out exactly how much shampoo I actually need to use, to see how long a pump bottle will last me.

I used to wash my hair daily, then cut back slowly. I would go two days without washing at first, and it would feel greasy. I kept with that schedule until I didn’t notice greasiness anymore, then gave it another day in between. Over time I have managed to cut back to once a week in the winter, and twice a week in the summer.

If my hair doesn’t need to be washed (or rinsed) when I shower, I just put it in a bun, so it isn’t in the way.

~ Shannon

My Budgeting Journey (So Far)

Confession time.

I haven’t always budgeted. As a matter of fact, I have always hated to do so. And wasn’t particularly successful at it. Sure, I’ve done budgets, on occasion, when I have absolutely had to. But each time I hated it. The process actually seemed painful. Likely because I was doing so when I didn’t have enough funds to cover the necessities. It just wasn’t fun. And it set off my anxiety so much I would actually feel ill.

A couple years ago I started watching two YouTube channels on the regular, and I’m so glad I did. What two channels were so interesting, and sometimes even fun, that I decided to give budgeting another try? Budget Girl and The Budget Mom. You should check them out and go back and watch from the beginning so you can see how they actually got themselves out of debt and on a good financial track. These women are absolutely amazing.

After following their videos for a time, I decided I had to start budgeting again and get my own finances on the right track. So late last summer I made myself sit down and figure some things out.

One of the first things I did was figure out what recurring bills and subscriptions I had. I checked my bank statements back a year. I made a list, noting the due dates. I also noted how much I paid per month and, if it was possible and practical do so, how much I would pay if I could do so by the year. I thought a lot about these expenses over the course of a couple of months while I began my budgeting journey, and I asked myself some questions and made some decisions. I played around with faux emergency budgets, and asked myself if TSHTF, what would I want to keep, and what would I give up?

I’m happy to report that, over the last (roughly) eight months, I have made financial decisions based on my needs and desires, letting go of subscriptions and other things that weren’t serving me well. Another thing I learned to do is look more closely at what I have subscriptions for. Did you know that Straight Talk, DoorDash, and even some online banks have benefits such as discounts for other things you might like to use regularly, or even free channels. Check out your subscriptions to see what benefits you might enjoy. For instance, I get the max channel for free through DoorDash, and up to 7% cashback on gift cards purchased through Go2Bank. Every little bit helps, right?

I am still not perfect at budgeting. At the end of my pay period, I’m sometimes over or short. Not even sure how but because this time I have decided to stick it out, I am getting better at it.

My parents were actually surprised that I wasn’t already a budgeter. I raised two girls as a single mom, so I think they thought I had to be budgeting to do it. I have talked to my mother a few times over the past few months about how much anxiety budgeting used to cause me, and I have told her when I am under or over, and about my successes when it is perfect or so close to not matter at the end of a pay period. She has been super supportive. I still feel anxiety when I sit down each Friday morning to do my financials, but now that I have a better handle on things, that anxiety seems to be less and less as time goes by. Maybe someday I won’t feel the anxiety at all.

I have a Friday morning routine that I am pretty consistent with, unless I am away from home on a Friday. Then I will get to the budget when I get back home. My routine is that I take my financial planner over to Aroma Joe’s, which is a short walk up the street from where I live. I order myself breakfast and an extra-large organic iced tea. After enjoying my breakfast, I open my planner and get to work. I check my bank statement and record all expenses and income. I also have a sticky note app on my phone, where I record all cash income, gift cards received, and cash expenses I receive during each pay period. I also record all money I found on that sticky note. Working at an inn, I usually pick up at least a few cents a week. I record everything. One day, while out for a walk, I found a five-dollar bill. That went into my sticky note as money found.

Because I assigned categories to my expenses, I then go through any shopping receipts, online and off. I separate out and total up what I spent in each category from each business. For instance, I might have to separate out the costs for the categories of groceries, medical, and household from that week’s trip to Walmart, and personal hygiene, books, and office supplies for Amazon. Each category for each business will have a separate line in my income and expense tracker. Once I have everything recorded on my income and expense tracker, I get out my calculator and line by line I add or subtract the amount until I am done. At the end of each pay period, which is every two weeks, I can see if I was under budget, right on, or over somehow, If I was under budget and had money left over, that amount starts my next pay period on a separate page. If not, then the first line for the new pay period is my income from my check.

Over the last eight months or so I have also been tweaking my categories for both income, and expenses.

The part that I haven’t been the most consistent with is the actual budgeting. I do aim to change this. I want to know what I expect to pay for each category, versus what I actually end up paying. I am still learning, and I am still developing habits. It’s amazing that I am always tracking income and expenses now, so I am ahead of where I was eight months ago. Babay steps are working great for me.

I know I have come a long way on my journey, and I know I can still go further.

~ Shannon

Trying to Save on Bodywash & Why I Use that Instead of Soap

Because I am trying to find ways to save money on everyday needs, I have been watching YouTube videos of my favorite frugalista’s and families. I am not sure which one I heard this from recently, but it is a tip I am implementing now. I watch these three channels regularly and am near positive the tip came from one of them. Kate Kaden, Frugal Fit Mom, and Under the Median. Please check them out if you have a chance. They are so knowledgeable!

Because of my living situation, I share a bathroom with another person who also rents a room in the house I rent in. We do not leave our things in the showers, so I need items I can quickly dry off and move back and forth from my room to the bathroom and back again. Soap, as you probably know, is a messy thing and does not work for my situation, so I use bodywash. I buy one about every 5 or six weeks, usually at a cost of about $2.97. I have stopped using cheaper body washes (and shampoos) because I noticed just over a year ago that they were drying out my skin (and hair) too much, and I was having to then spend more on lotions and conditioners than I was previously.

I generally use Suave for bodywash (but am open to using other products at that price or less if on sale) and have been having good results, for which I am thankful. For most things, I am not brand loyal.

While watching one of the YouTube channels above the other day, the person was discussing bodywash and how, when we squirt it onto our scrubbies, we are using far more than we need to. I thought about that for a moment, and how after my shower I am always trying to rinse most of the soap out of my scrubbie and how long it takes – which is, by the way, a huge waste of water and money over time. I thought, you’re absolutely right. We do use too much bodywash. She was saying that she switched to pump bottles and, as a result, is using less therefore spending less. This makes perfect sense.

Today, while at Walmart, I made the final decision to try the pump to see if I could save money on bodywash.

• But being a pump bottle was not the only determining factor in this decision.
• The other was the size of the bottles. It seems the pump bottles hold more bodywash.
• And they cost less per ounce is less than in a regular bottle.

I was sold! I spent a little more up front to save more over time.

Another way I save on bodywash:

• When the bottle is mostly gone, I add a little water and shake it a little so I can get almost every bit out of it. (I do this for hand soap and shampoo as well!)

So, a HUGE thank you to the person who mentioned the pump bottles. I am implementing that and expect to be using less bodywash during my showers from now on.

~ Shannon

How I Save on Hand Soap

I may have mentioned that my income went down this year and that I am doing some things to cut corners financially. One of those things is saving on liquid hand soap which I use multiple times a day.

Let me explain my living situation. In my area rents are very high and income will not cover the rent for a full-size apartment. I am single, so I don’t have a person helping with bills. I rent a room in a house and have to share a bathroom with another person. We keep our stuff separate, contained and cleaned up, not leaving anything lying about in the bathroom. I have the medicine cabinet above the sink for the things I use daily at the sink, keeping everything out of sight.

We don’t keep things like bars of soap visible. I use liquid hand soap. Once or twice a year, if I can find one of the small SoftSoap pump bottles for under a dollar, I pick it up because every so often the pump will stop working. These bottles fit perfectly on one of the shelves in the medicine cabinet, making it possible for me to just open the door, squirt a little soap on my hand, and close it right back up. It’s the perfect setup.

This is a non-messy way for me to have soap in the sink area while keeping it out of the way. It is too messy to try to use bar soap for this purpose.

The rest of the time, I buy the cheapest large, bulk size, bottles of hand soap I can find. It takes me a while to get through a large bottle of this.

• The large bottle can be any brand, or generic. It is literally going to be whatever is the best deal per ounce. I am not picky about scent.

• I don’t use a full squirt. That’s a lot of soap and is unnecessary. As long as you are scrubbing your hands well, you don’t need a lot.

While bar soap would be cheaper, this is what works best for my situation.

I do another thing that helps me to save money on hand soap as well.

• Each time the small bottle is about 1/4 gone, I fill it the rest of the way with water. This helps me to stretch my dollar further and does not affect cleanliness.

This is a small thing in my whole scheme of frugality, but every small step helps. And this is one area I found I could scale back the cost in.

~ Shannon