Frugal Trick from reader, Verlayne: Tired of spending big bucks on Jet Dry for your dishwasher? My glasses were getting increasingly cloudy & even Jet Dry wasn’t making a big difference. Someone mentioned white vinegar & I tried it. My glasses look wonderful after just a few loads. Just add full strength white vinegar to the dispenser in your dishwasher. It works & it’s cheap! While on the subject of vinegar, I found this handy website on 1001 Uses for White Distilled Vinegar. Do you have a household remedy, quick fix or money-saving method up your sleeve? Head here to share your frugal trick with the rest of the Frugal Keep Reading
Frugal Trick: Use vinegar as a dishwasher rinse agent
Veteran’s Day discounts and freebies
Thrifty NW Mom has compiled a huge list of Veteran's Day discounts and freebies. Be sure to send the link to veterans you know and share it on your Facebook page so as many retired and active military personnel can take advantage of the offers. And remember to gather your current and expired manufacturer's coupons and mail them to our adopted base in Japan! Keep Reading
What’s for dinner?: This week’s menu plan (11/7)
Did anyone try menu planning for the first time last week? How did it go? I stuck to my plan for the most part. I managed to have leftovers so that helped to save one dinner. Here's what's for dinner at my house this week: Monday -- turkey chili (there is a chicken version in The Ultimate Guide to Freezer Friendly Meals eBook) served with chips. Using Emily's recipe for crockpot pinto beans but leaving them whole. Tuesday -- BBQ Pork Sandwiches with Asian style coleslaw (doesn't sound like a good combo, but it is) Wednesday -- Mexican Lasagna (you may need to be a member to view this) with chips Thursday -- Our weekly dinner club Friday -- Keep Reading
Pacific NW Christmas Events: SW Washington & Western Oregon edition
Jen from Thrifty NW Mom, Karrie from Happy Money Saver and I have teamed up to bring you the most comprehensive list of Christmas Family Fun in the Pacific Northwest. In this post, I have listed Christmas events, kid-friendly outings, bazaars & craft fairs, and concerts in Western Oregon and SW Washington. Head to Thrifty NW Mom for a list of Puget Sound events and Happy Money Saver for a list of Eastern Washington and Central and Eastern Oregon events. PORTLAND METRO America's Largest Christmas Bazaar, November 25-27 & December 2-4, Portland Artisans in the Grove Holiday Market, November 2 & December 3, Forest Grove Christmas Keep Reading
What’s for Dinner?: This week’s menu plan (10/31)
Meal planning is a great way to help your family live within your monthly grocery budget. For those of you who haven’t started creating weekly menu plans, take the plunge! You can do it. Come up with a system that works for you. You don’t have to plan on Mondays. Do it on your payday or grocery shopping day. You don’t have to do a full week. Start with two or three days at a time. Keep at it for a few weeks until you see the benefits for yourself! For those needing some inspiration, here's a list of what's for dinner at my house this week: Monday -- Halloween party! Lots of kid friendly food -- sandwiches, cheese & crackers, olives, Keep Reading
Frugal Trick: Use shampoo to clean make-up brushes
Frugal Trick from reader, Kai: I use mineral makeup and have a lot of brushes to clean. Instead of using the expensive make-up brush cleaner they try to sell you, I use regular shampoo to clean the brushes. The brushes feel great! Do you have a household remedy, quick fix or money-saving method up your sleeve? Head here to share your frugal trick with the rest of the Frugal Living NW community! Keep Reading
Frugal Trick: Using hair conditioner as shaving cream
I was watching the Home Shopping Network while making dinner last week (yes, I am fascinated with shopping networks. Those people can sell.). They were selling a new book, The "Who Knew?" Almanac, which shares little and well-known tricks to save money. They were highlighting a few tricks from the book and one caught my eye (and ear) -- Use cheap hair conditioner as shaving cream. Interesting. Mostly because I am almost out of real shaving cream and I was planning to wear capris the next morning. So, I put my free-after-coupon hair conditioner to the test. Would it work as well as shaving cream, or regular soap for that matter? The result? It Keep Reading