We’ve made a guide to help your kitchen become more cost efficient! Feel free to print it out and never be hindered again when inspiration strikes. From everyday substitutes to reusing – we’ve got you covered!

Ever looked in your cabinets and made a meal from whatever you could find, only to discover you’re missing a key ingredient? You were trying to be frugal and resourceful, and now you’re hungry. Don’t worry, we’ve been there.

Below are some easy ways to reduce trips to the store and shop better!

• Ingredient Substitutes  –

Vinegar = lemon or lime juice

Corn syrup = honey or maple syrup

Red wine = beef, chicken, or vegetable stock

Mayo/ Sour Cream = Greek yogurt

Egg = ½ mashed banana or ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce per egg

Buttermilk = milk and vinegar

Heavy cream = milk and butter

Self-Rising Flour = all purpose flour, baking powder, salt

Kitchen Necessities and Storage

• Need glassware or leftover containers? Start checking your fridge or your pantry! Those glass jars are one wash away from making a unique glassware set! Wash out pickle jars, jelly jars, or any other glass jars for free cups! Also, keep the lids and you’ve got a travel cup or a container! Jars can be reused for food containers, too. If you get a sturdy plastic container from a takeout meal, you can clean it out and use it again and again! Personally, I find that soup or sauce containers from takeout meals work great to store leftovers or snacks in. If they are sturdy, they are typically dishwasher safe on the top rack too.
• Need more space? Better organization is just a door away…literally! If you’ve got a door in your kitchen, you can use a shoe organizer or any over-the-door organizer to keep spices, sauce mixes, or big utensils organized. You can also hang your pots and pans up on any wall to free up some cabinet space, with hooks or simply with nails!

• Need ideas for meal planning? One of my favorite ways to meal prep is cooking enough for leftovers for at least one extra meal, it just makes life that much simpler. I love making extra dinner and bringing it for lunch the next day! If you’re looking for a simple, on-the-go, nutritious breakfast, I highly recommend overnight oats.

• Need some fresh herbs for a recipe? Grow your own! Basil and Rosemary are relatively easy to grow, and they are in lots of dishes. Research best practices on how to plant and care for them. Most can be put in boxes or pots, or any unique containers for fun. What’s better than fresh ingredients!?
• Need utensil holders? When you’re finished with the containers for items like breadcrumbs and oatmeal – reuse them! You can either keep them as they are or cover them with colorful paper and glue it to the container for cute additions to your kitchen for little to no cost.
• Need to keep your produce fresh longer? It’s hard to use all your fruits and veggies before they go bad. There are many tips and tricks to keep produce fresh longer, many items can be frozen and used later, and some items can even be regrown, like green onions!

Interested in more resourceful kitchen ideas?

Give Me More Ideas!

Do you enjoy the thrill of the hunt for great deals on secondhand items? Garage/Yard/Estate sales are a great place to find hidden, used gems. Whether you are looking for appliances, home décor, furniture, clothing, or kids toys you can find them at the right sale. There are many tips that will help you have a successful drive around town. Where do we start? Research!

• Research before you head out
  • Use Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and Estatesales.net to find sales near you.
    • Look closely at the images to make sure it’s worth your time and the drive. This will help you plan your route later.
  • Check the best days and times to visit. Some sales are so good that people will show up and line up well before the sale even starts. If you have your eye on something special, chances are someone else does too so get there early if you can.
    • Typically, sales start on Thursdays or Fridays and commonly end on Saturday or sometimes even Sundays.
    • They usually start at 9am and can run till 4pm or until they run out of items to sell. If you start at 12pm, you may find slim pickings.
  • How much cash should you bring?
    • This can depend on what you are looking for.
      • Furniture and electronics: take a couple hundred in cash
      • All other items: take at least $20. This amount will go a lot further than you think, but it never hurts to take more if you can. Make sure you bring small bills since sellers can underestimate how many small bills they should have gotten for the sale. 
    • Some estate sales use Venmo or even have card readers but take cash just in case.
  • Bring a measuring tape along with you.
    • This is vital in making sure that sofa you really want fits in your space.
    • Sometimes sellers won’t let you try on clothes so it’s good to know your measurements and then check when you get there.
• While out driving around
  • Make sure to save all the addresses in Google/Apple maps so you can decide where you centrally want to spend your time.
  • If you have saved sales and there is one that you really want to check out, go to that one first so you don’t miss out.
  • Newer neighborhoods are more likely to find common family items especially for kids (toys, furniture, clothing, etc.).
  • Older neighborhoods will likely have older residents so if you are looking for vintage and antique items, these neighborhoods are a gold mine.

• While at the sale
  • It’s best not to go with a specific idea of what you want. Keep your expectations open since you’re not guaranteed to find exactly what you want.
  • If you are there on the first day of the sale, prices aren’t going to be very negotiable because they have an entire weekend to sell the item.
  • The best but also the riskiest day to check out a sale is on the last day. Items are typically priced half off, easily negotiable, or closer to the end of the day may be FREE!! Don’t be afraid to haggle or make an offer on the item.
  • If you are interested in an item but on the fence about it a great resource is using Google Lens on your phone to take a picture of the item. It will pull up all relevant places they exist on the internet. This is great for price checking to see if the seller is price gouging.
  • Don’t just do one walk around the tables. Walk around and look a second time since you may have missed an item upon first glance.
  • Do your due diligence on inspecting and testing the item you are interested in. The last thing you want is to get home and find something majorly wrong with it.
  • Bundle deals- instead of negotiating your item’s prices individually, offer a bundle price. You may end up getting a better deal this way.
  • See the potential in that fixer upper piece. For the right price, you may be able to take it home and give it a new life with a little work.

Going to a sale to look for secondhand goods can be so much fun and having these tips on hand can give some ease to your experience. Now it’s time to get out there and enjoy your weekend hunting for treasures. Don’t forget to throw in some visits to some thrift stores afterwards!

Caught the thrifting bug and looking for some home décor? Check this out!

Decor Thrifting Tips!

It’s easy to get lost in the bustle of life. Holidays are great, but for many they are a time of financial stress, reflecting on loss, or feeling alone. Maybe you fall into one of these categories yourself. If so, it’s all the more reason to give back. In a time of year where we look to our families, travel, and gifts, let us not forget our neighbors.

Giving to those around us doesn’t mean giving a lot of money, or any money really. It’s more about resources, time, and thoughtfulness. We encourage you to give this Thanksgiving. Below we’ve got some ideas to help you get started.

• Check your pantry Do you have some canned goods, dry foods, or supplies you don’t need or use that are in date? Consider donating some to a local food bank. You could also organize a neighborhood or street-wide food drive and ask people to donate along with you!
• Make baked goods for community workers Are you thankful for firefighters, police, librarians, teachers, etc.? Make them some cookies with a card and thank them for what they do to better your community.
• Volunteer Help with a marathon, visit a nursing home, or a hospital. Your time and effort are the best gift you can give.
• Become a tutor or mentor Do you know a child who needs some help with reading? Ask area non-profits in your city if they have a program you can help in tutoring kids or volunteer your time at a local school. Do you know someone who needs support or guidance or do you just feel you have skills you could offer? Consider becoming a mentor.

• Clean someone’s house/car Do you know someone who just had a baby? Do you have a friend that needs a break? Offer to clean their house or help them do so.
• Invite someone over for dinner You’re already making dinner. Why not everyone eat a little less or skip the leftovers so a friend in need can feel loved and supported?
• Offer to babysit or dog sit for someone Everyone needs a break or a night out! Have a friend going a way for a while? Offer to watch their dog so they don’t have to pay money to board them.

Does all this giving back have you feeling thankful?

Try a Gratitude Journal!

It’s my opinion, but I wear it proudly – Autumn is worth the whole year. In other words, I seriously love fall and wait for it each year with expectation. I enjoy the other seasons as they come, but there’s nothing like the season of fall to me. If I had to peg the one underlying reason I love this time of year it’d have to be that the outdoors turn into the perfect playground, from gorgeous colors, to perfect temperatures, football games, etc. it’s all so inviting!

So since the outdoors are gearing up to create the ideal backdrop for all your family fun, why not enjoy it all without the cost? That’s right, here’s how to have the best fall weekend without breaking the bank!

• Go hiking: If you need an all-day event, or your looking to spend some energy with your older kids or your pets this option is made for you! You can stay active and enjoy the scenery – talk about the best of both worlds!
• Host a scary viewing party! Get your favorite spooky show or movie and invite your friends over! Borrow a projector and take it outside or watch on your deck or screened in porch.
• Use fall foliage for décor: Acorns, pinecones, and leaves make for beautiful décor pieces! No need to go out and buy what you can find in your backyard. If you are nervous they are filled with bugs, dry them out or try one of the many cleaning options on Pinterest!
• Take lunch to the park: Instead of staying inside, take lunch outside! Heck, it can be your own backyard!
• Have a candlelit story time: Put the phones and electronics away. Light some candles and turn the lights off. Read the kids a book by candle light. You’ll feel like your back in the day and get to focus on one thing at a time for change! 

• Make tea or coffee and invite a friend over: Enjoy a low-key chat without having to go out and spend money. A warm cup of hospitality is just as sweet as friendship.
• Volunteer: Easy, free, and it helps someone else! This is the best one on the list. It’s never too early to teach your kids to put others’ and their needs first. It is the season of gratefulness after all!
• Clean/Organize: Open the windows and freshen up the house for the season! Organize the kids’ toys, the kitchen, or make a box to donate. Does a room in your home need a good scrub, too? Get some kitchen cleaning inspiration!
• Break out the board games: Work together or enjoy a little friendly competition playing some games. This is great for those kiddos that need a little break from technology.
• Go outside and draw what you see: Take another look at your backyard or your front yard. Draw your best rendition! Be sure to include all the color you see!

Get More Frugal Ideas!

Enjoy the best season of all! Remember, fun can be free!

It’s true that the thoughtfulness of the gift is what makes the impact. With that in mind, it makes me think of how adding a little time and personal touches to your gift does just that. I’ll be looking at things people enjoy getting, are practical, or just add some pizzazz to everyday life. Of course you know who you are gifting better than me, so go with your gut if these ideas don’t fit.

All the ideas below you can embellish, personalize, or make from scratch. Pinterest has tons of ‘how tos’ surrounding each idea. Or you can just follow your own inspiration. Here are some personalization ideas:

• Add some color with paint/washi tape
• Monogram it
• Add patches
• Add stickers/vinyl
• Stamp it
• Add photos
• Add ribbons

Here are some gift idea categories:

Kitchen gifts: If you’ve got a friend or family member that’s a new homeowner or a new renter – a gift for their kitchen can be fun and useful! You also can’t go wrong unless they don’t love cooking and even in that case you could make something that makes their life easier and inspires them in the kitchen.

Ideas:
• Wooden spoons
• Mugs
• Cannisters
• Food mix (hot chocolate/soup/dip)
• Spices (mix up your own blend)
• Aprons
• Soaps
• Reusable grocery tote bag

Accessory gifts: Everyone likes something that helps them keep their stuff together and/or gives them some flair. These ideas are great for the organizer, teenagers, or just someone you want to treat with something fun!

Ideas:
• Ring holders
• Jewelry
• Lotion
• Wallet / money clip
• Keychain
• Notebook
• Tie clip

Home gifts: Every home needs a little warming. These gifts are perfect for the homebody and the one who loves to entertain in their home.

Ideas:
• Blankets
• Coasters
• Magnets
• Flower / plant pot with plant

Try Something From Our Pinterest Board!

There are endless options – these are just a few to get you started. I hope these help you brainstorm on some amazing gifts you can give this year without the big price tag.