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I agree your spending on your children is way out of proportion with the rest of your monetary usage. My children have always been raised frugally from infancy on, so they don't know any different. As they've gotten old enough (7-9), I've always explained to them that we are very careful with how we spend our money. Sure, they still want stuff, but they know it won't just get handed to them. I worry your children will have a great sense of entitlement and that they will expect everything to come to them even without them having to work for it.
You will have to sit them down, be honest with them, explain
the current shaky economy, and tell them things are going to
change. It's up to you whether you want to gradually cut
spending on them back or go cold turkey. (Of course, in the
case of laid-off parents, cold turkey may be the only option.)
Let them chose one (or two, max) extracurricular activities.
Then allow no more. Save toys and games for birthday presents
(2-3) and/or Christmas presents (2-3). Your step-children are
old enough to be on the their own. Then stick to your word.
Spend time with your kids rather than money on them. I don't
believe they will be scarred from this at all. They'll be
enriched. You are preparing them for adulthood, when no one
will give them stuff for free.
Ann in Kentucky
editor's note: For more on Overspending on Your Kids, please click here or check out the discussion in The Dollar Stretcher Community.
During holidays or gatherings throughout the year, I always
take a gallon zipper bag or two of ice (as in ice cubes).
People never seem to have enough, or send someone out to buy
some! I keep some made up in the freezer as it takes space,
but when my husband needed ice on his turkey in the brine, I
grabbed my bags, poured on his bird, and refilled from my
icemaker! Most people are very appreciative, and we don't pay
for water, so it's my time and a few zipper bags. It's a
thoughtful thing, saves them money, and doesn't cost much!
It's a win-win-win situation!
Jacque Z. in Iowa
I got this idea to create building blocks last summer when I took my kids to a local art fair. Cut corrugated cardboard (or some other sturdy material that can be cut with a scissors) into squares. The ones I saw were roughly one foot square, but the exact size probably does not matter. Each square had notches cut out on each side, about 1/3 distance from the edges. The notches were a few inches deep and wide enough so that the cardboard could fit. Each one was painted a bright color.
My kids (ages 3-11) had a lot of fun making houses out of them
by fitting the pieces together at a 90-degree angle, at the
notches. Since they liked them so much, the kids will be
getting a set for Christmas (made by mom!). I figure I can
make these myself out of the paper boxes from work, and paint
them with any leftover paint we have at home, so it will
basically be free.
Rachel O.
During the Christmas season, there are a lot of ways that you can experience holiday attractions, sights, and sounds for free or minimal cost. In our area, local churches often host concerts. The symphony played a Christmas program at several local churches, and we got to hear Handel's Messiah sung by a local city group in a local church. Both were excellent and great cultural experiences for our family! Children's choirs often host several events around the city during the holidays.
Local churches offer "living nativities," Christmas musicals/extravaganzas, Christmas tree displays, etc. A lot of cities will often have local light displays that you can visit with a carload for a small "donation." If you have children, schools often go to children's theater presentations. Chaperones can go for a small fee, and the teachers are grateful! Even parents with preschoolers can usually attend these. Libraries usually host a lot of free or low cost programs during the holidays. Ours has a visit from Santa and they send you a free digital picture of your child with Santa. They even have cocoa and cookies with Santa!
Another library holiday event offers "gingerbread house
decorating" for a small fee (for children). Puppet shows come
in regularly, and even local museums will often bring in
traveling exhibits or programs for free. So, the next time you
would like to experience a free holiday/cultural event or
activity, call the local churches and choirs/symphonies, check
your newspapers for advertised holiday events, or visit your
local library. There's so much offered for free!
Krystyna
editor's note: For other ways to enjoy some free fun, please click here.
This hint is actually from my late mother-in-law. She never owned a dishwasher so this was a big deal to her and now is to me.
Instead of using a cookie sheet to bake frozen biscuits, roast
marshmallows, or reheat pizza, etc., use a doubled sheet of
foil! Tear off the appropriate size, fold in half, and spray
with a cooking spray to prevent sticking. The cooking time
will be reduced, and there's no clean up! It will save energy,
water, washing soap, and time! Her motto was "Why use a pan
when a piece of foil will do?"
Carol
Instead of buying pet beds, which are expensive, I buy large
pillows for my dogs to lay on. I have gotten some very nice,
nearly new ones at local thrift shops for 50 cents each. They
look cute on the floor and the dogs love how thick they are.
Heidi
editor's note: For other inexpensive ways to keep Fido happy, please click here.
Never throw away stale bread again! Before it gets moldy, put
it in the freezer. Then when you have enough, slice it and
stack it up on a cutting board. Slather the top side of each
slice with butter and then sprinkle with garlic powder. Slice
the stack into cubes, put them in single layer in a low-sided
pan, and bake at 300 degrees F. Stir every 15 minutes until
they are browned and crisp-tender. Cool and store in airtight
container in the fridge or pantry. These make great croutons
for salads and soups!
Alene
I've had trouble in the past with my cats not liking the scent
of odor controlling cat litter. Instead of buying this
expensive litter now, I make my own. I buy the store brand
(which is generally the least expensive) and mix baking soda
into it. I put about a half a box of baking soda in each time,
so the cost is minimal. This really helps control the odor,
and the cats are fine with it.
Jacki
When shopping at the thrift store or consignment shop, don't
forget to look at the two-piece or even three-piece suits. I
often find the kind of short-fitted blazer I like, but usually
the skirts are too short for me and I don't wear pants. I can
re-donate the parts of the outfit that don't work for me and
still have spent far less money than retail. The suits are
often expensive brands and are still in near-perfect
condition, having only been worn in an office setting.
Kathleen
editor's note: For more ideas on buying and maintaining your clothing for less, visit The Dollar Stretcher Library "clothing" section here. You'll find dozens of ways to look great for less!
At Wal-Mart or a dollar store, I bought laundry bags that are
white and zip. They have a loop on them. I hang a bag on each
hanger with our winter coats. I place the scarf and gloves and
earmuffs that belong with that coat inside. When it is time to
wear the coat, we have all the extras there. We no longer have
to hunt for the missing glove. This works for each member of
the family.
Nancy G. in Missouri
To revive stale bread, I suggest putting the bread into a brown paper bag, wetting it and putting in the oven. For French or Italian bread, if not too dry, use the paper bag method. If fairly dry, run a bit of water over the bread and put directly on the oven rack. It will be soft and warm inside and crusty on the outside. Just get it lightly wet if not too stale. I do this often.
As a child in my native Brazil, we would spend some time out
in the country far from any bakery. My mother always took two
or three dozen loaves of bread (Italian type) in a flour sack.
They would become hard dry and it was always freshened with
water and warmed in a makeshift oven. The stove was rustic. It
was built of stones and adobe atop of stumps (less
backbreaking) and an iron top like those of wood burning
stoves.
Dorothy C.
editor's note: For other food-rescuing tips, please click here.
We use a lot of baking soda as I do laundry with it due to
allergies and clean with it as well. I buy it in 50-pound bags
at a "country store" for about $12. I'd like to hear about
cheaper sources for white vinegar!
Lucinda
We live in a small community and most of us know each other very well. We all read magazines, but we don't all read the same ones, so we share. When we are through reading one, we place it on the newspaper delivery box. When the next person comes and gets the paper, they drop off the next one. We save those plastic newspaper wrappers and put the magazines in them on days we think it is going to rain.
When everyone has had a turn, we put the magazines back into
their original owner's box, and once a month (on a non-rainy
day), they are collected. I then take them to the local
nursing home.
Darlene K. in Trinity, NC
editor's note: I bet that this would work in many offices, too.
We bought a small tabletop tree when our son was a baby, so it was up out of his reach. We've used it every year since and still use it. It keeps things in proportion. On Christmas morning, everything looks huge and dramatic under that tree!
It doesn't matter if it's a smaller Christmas this year. The
tree is only three feet tall and it's bright and happy. With
that tree, we can pile presents all around it and make it look
like it's the most extravagant Christmas ever! I keep the
stockings smaller, too. When the stuffers are popping out the
top, it looks magical! Even though we have a really sharp
eight-year-old, it still works! The tree is dwarfed by
presents on Christmas morning.
Fred
Window shades make excellent banners for yard sales, public, social or church events, or even newly opened stores who don't have their signs yet.
With a window shade and two of the "push in the ground-type" metal garage sale frames, you can make a "planted" sign. You can either make a long sign by taping the metal frames on either end of the window shade or make the banner two sided by wrapping the window shade around the two metal frames and then taping.
If you want to hang the sign, use the "sticks" from the bottom of a few shades and tape the sticks to the long sides to stiffen the edges of the rolled open shade.
If you don't put a specified date on them, these can be used
over and over, especially if they are the plastic kind of
shade (paper shades probably won't last quite as long).
JS
I recently stumbled upon my local Dollar General's "dented and
discounted" rack in the back corner of the store. I had to
sort through several items to get to what I could use
(everything was just tossed in one on top of the other). I
found a three-pack of undershirts for my son that had been
opened but the contents were not disturbed, an 11-pack of
match boxes (that used to be a 12-pack), and two cans of green
beans. Everything on the rack was half price due to packages
being open or small items missing. In the case of the
vegetable cans, they were dented but not leaking or bulging.
For a family such as mine on an extremely tight budget,
savings such as these are a great find! I now check this rack
for new items every time I am in this store.
Amy from Kentucky
My best tip is to get the butcher to grind up the meat for you. Get what is on special and have it trimmed to your specifications. You'll get better meat for a better price, and it's fresher!
By the way, around the holidays when turkey gets real cheap, they can grind this up for you as well. I buy it and make up patties. They are easier to use and defrost this way. Don't forget that pork is also excellent this way.
I even make a few meat loaves and freeze them in large Reynolds oven bags, which always go on sale this time of year. I then pop them out of the pans and put them in another plastic bag until needed for better protection in the freezer. I often put the meat loaf in the oven frozen. This is an easy and economical meal in the hectic holiday season!
You can also use basically the same mixture with some Italian
seasonings and make meatballs. I put them on a cookie sheet,
freeze them, and use them as needed. Sometimes I cook them
ahead, depending on my needs. Other times I leave them
uncooked. They make a great meal and even an easy snack.
CS
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