Save Money and Grow Your Own Herbs
I’m sure you have noticed the high price of herbs at the grocery store; a small bottle can sometimes run $4 or $5 or more. Why not save some money and grow your own? It’s simple, provided you have a sunny area to grow them.
How to Grow Them
To grow herbs, all you need is a sunny area, fertile soil and a little of your time. If your soil is clay or sandy, you will need to add organic material such as compost or manure to get the best results. Once your herbs are planted, make sure they get at least an inch of water each week and keep the area weeded. If you have added plenty of organic material to the soil prior to planting, you probably won’t have to worry about feeding the plants for a while. All I do is work in a layer of compost around the plants each season and my herbs grow fine.
If you don’t have a whole area to devote to herbs, that’s okay, you can squeeze them into your flower beds or vegetable garden. Herbs make a pretty combination to flowering plants and some will actually benefit nearby plants by repelling insects. Just be sure the area gets plenty of sun and the soil is fertile and weeded.
You can also grow them in containers provided they get enough sun. If you do this, you will have to water on a daily and sometimes twice daily basis. Be sure to check the soil often to see if it is drying out. You will also have to fertilize the plants often because as you water, the nutrients get leached out of the soil.
What it Will Cost You
An herb plant at the local nursery will cost you between 99 cents and $5 depending on the size of the herb. I usually purchase the smallest size to save money because I usually don’t need a huge amount right away. If this herb is a perennial, it’s going to be there year after year supplying you with fresh leaves for cooking and will be growing bigger each year which will allow you to propagate plants by division, cuttings or seed which means more herb! If the herb you purchased is an annual, that’s okay because it will supply you with enough herb to still make it worth the purchase. You can also propagate annual herbs by collecting the seeds or by taking cuttings. If you’d like to save more money yet, you can start the herbs from seed or get a division or cutting from a friend, neighbor or relative.
How to Use Herbs
Through the growing season, you can use the herb fresh. If your recipe calls for one teaspoon of dried herb, substitute one tablespoon of freshly chopped herb.
Drying and Storing
You can dry your herbs for winter use or convenience. To dry them, cut them early on a dry day after the dew is gone. Bundle 8-10 stems of the herb with a rubber band at the cut end and hang them upside down in a well-circulated area out of direct sunlight.
I have a piece of lattice hanging on one of my kitchen walls for this purpose and I also use a pegged, wooden coffee cup holder which is made to hang on a wall. They both make pretty decorations with all the herbs and flowers hanging from them drying.
In about a week or so (or less if weather is hot and dry), check the leaves to see if they are crispy to the touch and no moisture remains. If so, remove the leaves from the stem, crush and put into a lidded container, label and store out of direct sunlight. When removing the leaves, it helps to do it over a piece of paper so you can catch any fallen leaves.
Growing my own herbs has saved me a bundle of money and has provided an enjoyable hobby, fresh taste and something to offer my friends and family. You can even make your own herb seasoning mixes to bottle in pretty jars to give as gifts as an additional way to save money. I’m sure you’ll find it worth the small effort too.
About the Author: Monica Resinger is the creator of ‘Homemaker’s Journal E-Publications’ where you will find many fun and informative home and garden related e-books, tip sheets and how to sign up for her FREE home and garden newsletter! Click here to visit: http://homemakersjournal.com/
Cheap Romantic Meals
Food and romance go hand in hand. A romantic meal shared with someone special will leave a lasting impression on both of you.
The food you choose is not nearly as important as the atmosphere you create. You could make a very romantic meal from hamburgers and French fries if you take the time to create the perfect ambiance in the room.
In serving your romantic meal, garnish the plates with twisted lemon slices, parsley, and cilantro for a fragrant, decorative touch. You may also want to use scented candles or potpourri to create a romantic feel.
The presentation of your meal is more important than the foods you serve. Keep things simple and mix flavors and textures, giving the meal contrast and different shapes. Plan ahead and prepare everything you can in advance so that your final meal preparation goes quickly. Romantic foods can include almost anything if you serve the meal with soft candlelight and music.
Choose your main dish according to your partner’s favorite dishes, and accompany the meal with wine served in chilled glasses. Appetizers are a great way to dress up any meal. Some favorite romantic additions include asparagus, artichokes, oysters, black beans, strawberries, and chocolate.
Decorate your table with tall candles and inexpensive flowers placed in a glass vase. A pretty
tablecloth and cloth napkins will add elegance to your romantic meal. Small bowls filled with nuts, mints, chocolates, and figs will create a special atmosphere. Use your best dishes or simply purchase 2 plates in a discount or thrift store. Fold your napkins into decorative shapes and use napkin holders made from colorful paper with romantic massages or poetry written on the paper. You can purchase inexpensive fortune cookies with romantic fortunes inside for a little excitement if you desire.
Your romantic meal can include any type of inexpensive food if you dress it up with garnishes,
appetizers, and fruits dipped in chocolate. Inexpensive wine or champagne will be a great addition to your cheap romantic meal.
Use your imagination instead of your credit cards to create a romantic meals that neither of you will soon forget.
http://www.RomanceYourHusband.com is a website dedicated to helping married couples stay friends and to help them remember why they married each other in the first place. Our disclaimer is: If he’s a jerk, this won’t work. But, if he’s sweet, rub his feet.
Copyright 2005 – Nicole Dean
Thrifty Frugal Meals
Simple Living, Frugal Eating
submitted by Moms like You
Thai Ramen Soup
Instead of making plain, ol’ cheap Ramen Noodle Soup… I take the Spicy Chicken Soup… and, just when the noodles are almost cooked all the way, and there is only a little bit of water left, I drop in a tsp of peanut butter (chunky is good!) and a dash of cayenne pepper. Makes the soup more like a Thai dish… more filling… substantial… tasty… and CHEAP! – Jill Hood
Crock Pot
Your Crock-Pot is your best friend. It really can make fabulous meals that require few ingredients which means it’s less you’ll spend on groceries. You’ll also save yourself time too, since you can make all in one dishes in a very short amount of time! – Shelly Howard, owner Munchkin Menus
Organic Farms
Find an organic farm nearby and ask if they provide a weekly “harvest basket”. One of our local farms provides a weekly harvest basket for $10 which includes enough fresh fruits and vegetables to feed our family for a week! The produce is fresh and because it’s organic, it lasts and lasts much longer than store-bought produce. I also find it so much easier to include fresh veggies in our meals when I don’t have to shop for them separately! — Ellen, slocountymoms.com
How to Make Meatloaf? – Quick Easy & Frugal Meatloaf Mix
Easy Hamburger and Green Bean Casserole
Easy Budgeting Tips for Moms
Budgeting Made Easy
I am a strong believer in budgeting because even with the smallest of incomes, it can help you make your money go farther. Budgeting is not hard and you do not need a degree in mathematics to be able to do it. You also do not need expensive software or online programs to write an effective budget.
The first thing you need to do is make a list of all your bills and expenses – monthly, weekly, quarterly, etc. I do my budget by the week because we get a weekly paycheck. Some people would do a monthly or bi-weekly budget. For example, I will do a weekly budget.
So here is an example of a list of expenses:
Mortgage $250
Groceries $300
Heat $50
Phone $75
Electric $80
Internet $20
Cable $50
Insurance $60
Car Payment $200
Credit Cards $25, $75 and $100
Gas for car $100
Now to start your budget, you would put each bill a week or two before it is due. For example, if your mortgage is due on the 10th of the month, you would either have it paid the last week of the month
before or the first week of the month.
Example budget using example bills listed above with an income of $450 a week.
March 5
Internet $20
Groceries $75
Gas $25
Credit Cards $125
Insurance $60
———————–
Total $305
March 12
Car Payment $200
Cable $50
Groceries $75
Gas $25
———————
Total $350
March 19
Mortgage $250
Groceries $75
Gas $25
——————–
Total $350
March 26
Groceries $75
Gas $25
Credit Card $75
Heat $50
Phone $75
Electric $80
———————-
Total $380
Now, this is your very basic and simple budget. You would want to add in things like Christmas, birthdays, taxes, etc. when appropriate. With a tight budget, you would try to add those in when you have an extra payday. These come every third month, I do believe.
What you have left is for whatever you choose to so with it. I would recommend that you add a weekly amount for savings/investments to help with the future.
Also, if you want to do a budget for your business, I would suggest doing that separately.
I simply write my budget in a notebook and go over it every week when I write out the bills. I also then write out my grocery list for the weekly shopping.
I keep my budget, bills, monthly statements and such in a folder type binder. Each month when I pay a bill,
I throw out the old statement and keep the new. This helps me keep track of things also.
Yes, sometimes it is hard to stick to a budget, but if you don’t things could get much harder and the bills could start stacking up.
Budgeting might sound complicated, but when you use a simple method, it gets easy very quickly. You do
not need to be an accountant or to have an expensive software program to help you do your budgeting. A simple notebook of paper and an ink pen or pencil is all you need. Oh, and a calculator to speed things up
a bit. 😉 Happy Budgeting!!!
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Find lots more tips, articles, and resources for your home, family & business at SeymourProducts.com
Terri and her husband Terry also offer a low-cost, wholesale distributorship with unlimited support, and a complete line of one dollar ebooks and software with full resell rights.
How to Cut Postage Costs
Here are a few tips to help you cut the cost of postage cost.
1) When you advertise for your business. Add the line ” For information send SASE.”
2) Advertise that you will do paid mailing. This is one great way to make money and to mail your own advertising campaign.
3) Sell ad space to cover the cost of postage, printing, etc. Make sure you use some of the ad space to place your own ad.
4) Exchange with people that you can trust. This works by you will mail a certain number of their ad campaigns and they will mail your advertising campaign for you.
5) Use Bulk mail. It is time consuming but it saves you money. I do this for my Mom State University Newsletter. I have to sort out my newsletter by zip code and state. You have to mail at least 200 like pieces at one time. If you have over 200 pieces it is worth the money. It saves me at least 35 % on postage.
6) My favorite postage tip is stamps that have not been marked with the date to do machinery error can be reused. Pay attention to the mail you get and start cutting off the stamps you can reuse.
7) Watch mail order publication for dealers who have new stamps to sell at a cheaper price.
I hope this will help you save money on postage. Remember 39 cents at a time will add up!
Chaele McMillan is a Work at Home mom. She runs a consulting company from her home.
Save Gas While Driving
With high gas prices, using less gas means more money in your pocket. Here are some tips on how you can save gas while driving. Implement a few of these suggestions to get more miles for the gallon.
Saving Gas By Changing Your Driving
We don’t have control over the price per gallon of gasoline, but we can change how much we spend on gas each week by the way we drive. Here are some tips to start saving gas by changing your driving.
Think Twice Before You Drive
Avoid unnecessary trips and combine errand whenever possible. You can look into carpooling with a colleague, or sharing the responsibility of driving the kids to school or afternoon activities with other parents. Driving less is the most effective way to save gas. Get creative and come up with ways to get through your day without using the car as much.
Don’t Speed
Driving the speed limit can save you as much as 10% on your gas mileage. All you have to do is to stop speeding and take your time. You’ll be saving a few bucks a week on gas and don’t risk getting a speeding ticket and the fines involved.
Use The Highest Gear You Can
If you are driving a manual transmission, shift up earlier and drive in the highest gear your car can handle. You and your gar will go further on each gallon of gas.
Avoid Rush Hour And Busy Streets
Sitting in your car with the motor running while you’re not driving gives you gas mileage of 0 miles an hour. Avoid this by not driving in rush hour whenever possible. It may also be worth staying away from busy streets where you know traffic is going to be stop and go.
Turn Off The AC
Running your Air Conditioner in the car will worsen the gas mileage you get. Instead of relying on your AC to cool off the car, park in the shade whenever possible and use a reflective sun shade across the windshield. If there is a lot of heat in the car, open opposite doors for a minute before cranking your car to let the heat escape. Leave the air conditioning off or run it at the lowest setting whenever possible.
By changing just a few of your driving habits, you can make a difference in how far those $50 of gas will take you. Give it a try.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Get more gas saving tips at www.ourfamilybudget.com/how-to-save-money-on-car-gas.html. Learn more about creating a family budget and saving at www.ourfamilybudget.com – and sign up for the free family budget newsletter to get weekly money saving tips in your email inbox.
Our Budget Basics
By ClubMom Member Janette, Omaha, NE
When we were in college and first married, my husband and I made $7,000 – $8,000 together annually. Now that we’re out of college, my husband works and I stay home with our children. He makes more than we made during our college years, but we use the same budgeting method.
We were both able to get out of college debt free, and remain debt free other than our house payment and the minivan we just purchased. Here’s how we do it:
First, we make a spreadsheet. On top of the spreadsheet we list the amount of money we have each month to spend.
We then list in order of necessity the things that we’ll be spending our money on, starting with essentials such as house payment, food, insurance, gas, and so on. As we get down towards the bottom we list things like “date money, spending money, clothing,” and so forth.
Janette is a ClubMom Member from Omaha, NE.
Copyright © 2006, CMI Marketing, Inc. All rights reserved.
7 Tips for Thrifty Living
It is no secret that life is more expensive today than when our parents were growing up. How can we offset soaring prices without sacrificing quality of life? Here are a few tips to help you save more:
1.) It is no surprise that credit cards represent a trap for many people. Incentives such as “earning” frequent flyer miles or free internet access are only “free” if you can pay off the balance every month. Otherwise, you end up on the losing end of the stick, paying interest rates in the double digits. It makes more sense to save for that ticket to visit the Caribbean or your relatives than to rack up frequent flyer miles on a card you can never pay off. Tip: Only use credit cards if you know you can pay off the balance at the end of the month.
2.) Electricity doesn’t come cheap. Heat-producing appliances such as dryers and refrigerators burn up enormous amounts of energy. Tip: Consider purchasing an energy saving appliance. Turn down the refrigerator in the cooler months. Hang your wash outside instead of using the dryer. It will save you money, and the clothes smell fresh!
3.) It is tempting to spend a lot of money on the weekends “because you deserve it.” That may be true, but you may not be able to afford it, too. Tip: Instead of that expensive weekend at an amusement park or that ski trip that costs a bundle, take a bike ride with your kids or check out a new park to go sledding. You’ll get some exercise and needed fresh air while creating memories with the kids.
4.) Children usually like to draw. If your little Picasso is eating up all of your expensive computer printer paper, think about this. Tip: Consider using paper bags or recycled office paper for some of their artwork. They work fine for collages, and they are free. An added plus? You’ll reduce that pile of bags in the pantry that keeps growing, and you’ll save several trees.
5.) Spending time away from the kids is essential, but babysitters can be expensive. Tip: Consider swapping babysitting with a neighbor, at least some of the time. It will reduce the cost of going out with your partner, and you’ll benefit from a night on the town for less.
6.) Good picture frames can be very pricey. Tip: Purchase one stable picture frame for the kids’ annual school photos. Keep the old photos behind the frame to compare prior years’ pictures. An added benefit? You have all of the school pictures in one place!
7.) Entertainment need not be expensive. Tip: Rent a video instead of attending a movie in a theater. Invite your friends and have a potluck supper. Now you’ve multiplied the fun without the extra cost of parking, movie tickets, and refreshments!
Life can be beautiful. It doesn’t have to be expensive.
Christine Louise Hohlbaum, American author of Diary of a Mother: Parenting Stories and Other Stuff, is a freelance writer living near Munich, Germany with her husband and two kids. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Smith College and an M.A. in International Relations, German and English Literature from the University of Constance, Germany. When she is not leading a toddler playgroup or writing, she likes to dance, sing with her kids, and generally frolic.
mailto:chohlbaum@smith.alumnae.net
(c) 2003 Christine Louise Hohlbaum. All Rights Reserved.
How to Reduce Bank Fees
Nobody likes to pay banking fees, but if you aren’t active in trying to reduce them, you are probably paying more in fees than you need to be. One of the most important actions to take in order to reduce the banking fees is to figure out exactly how you use your bank. Consider what your average balance will be and how low the balance may dip. Also consider the type of transactions you make and what types of services you need. Once you have a better understanding of how you utilize the bank, you are in the position to get the most out of it while avoiding fees for services you don’t need or use.
Probably the best move you can make is to try and qualify as a member of a credit union. Credit unions are not for profit organizations meaning they don’t have to worry about making a profit. The qualifying factors to join a credit union vary from institution to institution, so you will need to check with each. The good news is that there are a large number of credit unions associated with a wide variety of organizations. Qualifying for inclusion has been broadened a great deal over the years, so it is much easier to find a way to qualify.
Since credit unions are there for their members and not out to make a profit, they are much more likely to offer completely free checking or free checking with a small minimum balance. In most cases, they also charge lower banking fees and their interest rates on accounts are higher. The one big drawback is that they tend to have fewer branches and automatic teller machines (ATMs) than major bank networks which can be costly if you are an ATM addict. You can begin your search to locate a credit union near you at the National Credit Union Administration.
If a credit union isn’t a possibility, then you need to take a look at the different types of banks. While the major banks will have a better distribution of ATMs and a greater variety of services, their fees can be as much as 50% higher than those of local banks. It is also worthwhile investigating Internet banks since their fees still tend to be lower than those of major banks.
Once an appropriate bank has been chosen, reducing the standard fees they charge is an important. Although there are a wide variety of checking accounts offered, most banks will offer at least two typical checking account alternatives. A basic checking account will have a lower minimum balance requirement, but it will usually have restrictions on the number of no cost transactions you are able to make each month. A premium account will usually offer interest and allow for more no cost transactions, but will require a larger minimum balance to avoid monthly fees. Not meeting the requirements of either of these can be quite costly, so it pays to chose the checking account style that best fits your use.
Although an interest earning checking account seems like the obvious choice to make, there are a variety of situations where you’re better off choosing a no interest checking account. If your account balance fluctuates quite a bit so that you are likely to go under the minimum balance required for the account even a few times during the year, you are likely to pay more in fees than you will ever earn in interest. In addition, checking account interest rates are some of the lowest, so choosing a checking account with no interest and a low minimum balance can make sense if you can put the difference into a higher yielding account.
Many people have several bank accounts at different institutions. It sometimes make sense to consolidate them at one bank. Consolidating your banking to one bank can give you more leverage in negotiating fee reductions and allow you to be more proactive in getting the best deals available. If you keep several different accounts at a bank, some banks will take into consideration the total balance of all your accounts at the bank. Although you may not have the minimum requirement in your checking account to earn interest, if you are also keeping a large deposit in a CD account that more than covers the checking minimum, the bank may be willing to count the balance of the combination of accounts as meeting the minimum requirement.
Another option that can give you leverage when negotiating on checking account fees is to have your paycheck direct deposited. Although every bank has its own set of rules, most will waive the checking account monthly fees if you direct deposit your paycheck. Don’t, however, assume they will automatically give it to you. Chances are you will have to politely ask before they offer you this service.
A further possibility in getting free checking is to invest in the bank. Although this doesn’t work with the larger banks, some small to medium sized banks have programs that award free checking and other special offers to investors. All you need to do is purchase a single share of stock to qualify.
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Jeffrey Strain has published hundreds of money saving articles and is the co-owner of http://www.savingadvice.com – a website dedicated to saving you money.
Use What You Have!
It may seem obvious, but here’s a frugal tip that I sometimes forget: use what you have before you buy more! This goes for food, cleaning supplies, clothes, and just about any other consumable you can think of.
Food
Challenge yourself to eat out of your pantry, refrigerator and freezer for a week, and see what you can come up with. Take a good look and see what’s really lurking in your kitchen. You might be surprised at just how much food you have already. This might take some creativity, but think of it as a game. And when you avoid a trip to the market for a week, you win! If you need help thinking up ideas for the random things you find, try doing a search online. For example, right now I have lentils and tomato sauce in my pantry. Going to Google (www.google.com) and searching for “lentils tomato sauce recipe” yields pages and pages of links to recipes that use lentils and tomato sauce.
Cleaning Supplies
Before you buy the latest cleaner that you see on TV or while waling down the aisles of target, use what you have first. Most of us have plenty of cleaning products at home that we’ve bought thinking they’re going to be the latest, greatest thing for getting our homes clean. The thing is, you have to actually use them for them to work. So don’t buy more products when you still have bottles and bottles of cleaners sitting in the cupboard.
Clothing
It may not seem as fun as the thrill of buying a new pair of shoes or some new jeans, but try to get the life out of what you already have in your closet and dresser before going out to buy something new. My closet isn’t overflowing, so where do I struggle with this? My daughter. I am a sucker for all those cute little girl clothes and accessories. So if you’re reading this and thinking, “But I love buying new clothes!” I’m right there with you. This is where I am currently challenging myself, actually. I sat and looked hard at her closet last night, and again this morning, and I tried to count how many dresses she has. I couldn’t without physically moving each dress along the closet rod, she has so many. So does she need anything new? Not at all. And my task is to hold off on new purchases until there is a need.
Remember, the next time you’re thinking about buying something new, ask yourself if you already have it at home. If you don’t know, go look. If you do, then ask yourself why you want to buy it. If it isn’t because you sincerely need it, then try to figure out the real reason for the purchase. Good luck!
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Jennifer Thompson owns and manages DivaTribe, a web site for smart, creative, courageous women. DivaTribe features free journals, message boards, articles, book reviews and more to help women reach their full potential.
