fun

When being frugal isn’t easy…

Abby H.
"Hot Diggity Dog! .25 off a 48 pack of Toilet Paper!" Courtesy : thegraphicsfairy.com
“Hot Diggity Dog! .25 off a 48 pack of Toilet Paper!” Courtesy : thegraphicsfairy.com

Being Frugal ain’t easy sometimes, kids. I won’t lie.

It’s not always carts of free groceries, double coupons, and mail boxes fulla rebate checks.

Sometimes it’s getting stuck with a cart full of free food that’s yucky (once I bought a bunch of dinner kits that were free after coupon, but they tasted like what I imagine dog food resembles), a newspaper full of .35 off a huge package of already very expensive toilet paper, and an empty mail box (or a mailbox full of bills-Even Worse!).

These are all experiences that every couponer and frugal person goes through.

How do I keep my head up during the hard times were it seems like no matter how I try, money is just pouring out of my hands, and I can’t get a handle on it?

  1. This too shall pass! It’s hard to believe, but everyone goes through it. Even frugal folks like me!
  2. Count your blessings. And while you’re at it, inventory your pantry, fridge, and other stockpiles. Know what you’ve got on hand, and find ways to use up what you’ve got- That will help you get spending under control.
  3. Make a plan. How can you: Repair, upcycle, use up or do without? Don’t forget local community resources like freecycle, Craigslist free section, and your local branch of the Buy Nothing Project to help you find what you need.
  4. Forget about the Joneses.  Everyone wants what’s new, bigger, better, faster. Get out of that mindset. Forget about what your friends and neighbors have, and focus on what matters. Family, friends, and being a good person (seriously!). If you ever find yourself thinking “What kind of dining set defines me as a person?” maybe it’s time to re-assess priorities.
  5. Don’t spend money. For some people, shopping is catharsis. Buying new things makes you feel new, but at the end of the day, how did all this stuff get paid for? If you gotta get out and shop, check out a local thrift store. Support a charity and save some money.

How do you keep your head above water when living the frugal life gets hard?

 

DIY: Stuff Animal Bean Bag Chair

Abby H.

Lil’ Man has a lot of stuffed animals. He’s got some in a hammock like this one, but it’s not enough space.

IMG_1812-1024x757Witness the 45 gallon Sterilite tote on wheel crammed full. Now We’ve weeded out the ones he doesn’t play with or like, but there are still a lot.

I’ve been looking online for better storage methods, and I came upon a few sites suggesting a “bean bag” chair.  You can buy a bean bag chair cover for about $20, or if you’ve got a little craftiness in you, you can make one of your own for a lot less.

Basically you are making a large drawstring pouch.

All you need is:

  • 3 yards of 60 inch wide fabric or a twin sized duvet cover (scour thrift shops)
  • 3 yards 1 inch wide(or wider) grossgrain ribbon
  • Pins, scissors, sewing machine, thread

IMG_1809-1024x764I used a queen  sized duvet cover that I found at Amvets. I washed it and turned it inside out. I trimmed it down to 86(width) x60 (length). I kept the top with the snaps (the 86 inch side), and one adjoining side.

 

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If you are using fabric, fold the fabric in half, the long skinny way, so the selvedges (that’s the edges that are already finished-sometimes they have writing on them) are at the top  and  bottom of what will become the bag.

Now the the bag is sewn together, fold over the top and stitch it down. This is called a casing. You’ll need to leave a gap of about 1 inch, so that you can thread the ribbon through the casing.

Here is what the casing looks like on the other one I made:

Because my duvet already had a finished top, I snipped little holes in the top casing and threaded my ribbon through, using the safety pin. Attach the ribbon to your safety pin and guide through the casing.

Then, I turned it right side out, stuffed it full of friends,  pulled the drawstring tight, and it was ready to be enjoyed as a bean bag chair in Lil’Man’s room in a corner with some books.

IMG_1817-1024x764As you can see, Woody and Salmon Fish are kicking back.

There are tons of tutorials. Many call for a piece of mesh to be sewn in, but it’s a PITA to sew down (it moves even when pinned down), so I opted not to do that. and really, if you need to get into it, just open the drawstring and start fishing for toys!

You can also use an old top sheet in whatever size you have, just cut it down to fit. Our toy bag chair is large because of all of the toys Lil’ Man has, but if you’ve got less, feel free to make the bag smaller. Conversely, if you have more, make it bigger!

Recipe Tuesday: Black Beans and Brown Rice!

Abby H.

I’m going to try to publish a recipe at least once a week. Some of these may seem familiar to those who have eaten in my kitchen before. Most of these recipes are family favorites with a healthy twist.

Ingredients:

  • 1 T. butter
  • 1 T. diced garlic
  • 1 bag Birdseye Recipe Ready Mirepoix OR 1/2 cup each, chopped: white onion, celery, & carrots
  • 1 red or green bellpepper, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups brown rice
  • 4 cups water or broth (I used homemade chicken broth)
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 T. Cajun Seasoning

Directions:

  1. In a large saucepan, melt butter and add garlic. Cook until fragrant (about 5 minutes)
  2. Add Mirepoix and pepper.  Cook on medium until onions are clear.
  3. Add rice and liquid, cook on medium, stirring often, for 30-35 minutes, until rice is tender.
  4. Add black beans, and cook until beans are heated.
  5. Add Cajun Seasoning and serve.

This makes 6-8 servings. It’s yummy!

*To make it vegan,use coconut oil in place of butter, and use veggie broth instead of chicken broth.

 

 

Photo credit: ronnieb from morguefile.com

A new chapter!

Abby H.

Everything in life changes, it’s true. To that end, because of all of the changes coming up in my life, I have decided to turn a new page in my blogging career.

I feel as though over the past year I have gotten away from my roots, my raison d’être. Instead of helping others on their savings journey, I was posting mindlessly about deals, sales, and products I didn’t care about and was not invested in.

Why? Well, to be honest, I was caught up in the thrill of trying to earn some money and give myself some sense of importance. I guess I needed to prove that I was more than just a “mommy blogger” (which btw- I really mislike that term, like all things that parents do- regardless of their gender- they are more than just their career or hobby), I was a serious entrepreneur. So, to do that, I was trying to monetize anyway I could.

In the end, it only ended up hurting myself and my family. I spent hours in front of the computer, posting deals and coupons for stuff I’d never buy or use, or honestly, couldn’t afford. When I really should have been playing trains with Lil’ Man, doing crafts or coloring, or spending family time bonding and having adventures doing stuff we like to do.

So what will this new blog be about? Well, for one, our family! Activities we like to do, places we like to go, recipes, crafts, and what really fuels my passion: tips and strategies to help YOU save money, live frugally, and have the type of lifestyle you want to have WITHOUT breaking the bank.

And for the most part, this blog won’t be monetized. I will be posting about my E-book, once I get it published on Amazon, but that will probably be the end of the monetization (for now). I will definitely keep up the product reviews, as long as they are relevant to my family and our life. I love sharing fun stuff!

 

So Welcome to the Hewes Family Fun Blog!