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The Sock in the Dumpster

Recently it was trash day in our household. Thankfully we have a dumpster in an alleyway behind the house. Very helpful. As it had been a while since we’d taken things out (and we’d recently accumulated a lot of stuff after sweeping up the mess our son made) the waste bin was overflowing. Since it was nice weather outside we decided to have our son come out to the side yard to help us take out the trash. Little did we know that he’d given us a surprise that we weren’t prepared for. As I dumped the overflowing trash (some … Continue reading →

The Garbage Fun

Garbage is dirty. It’s a fact. Earlier this month I found myself diving into a dumpster to retrieve some items our son had thrown beneath the garbage bag. While our garbage is relatively clean (mostly organic produce and eggs), the same could not be said for the dumpster I dove into earlier. Quite funny to think about in hindsight. At any rate, the garbage in our kitchen has now, for reasons I don’t fully understand, been living without a lid for about a week. While this would normally not pose any serious risk, our little one has proved that a … Continue reading →

New Uses for Old VHS Cases

We are slowly in the process of getting through our many VHS movies. Over the years, we’ve picked up quite a few of them from thrift stores and yard sales. Friends have given us their VHS tapes when they have upgraded to DVD because they knew that we would use them. We were one of the last hold outs in purchasing a DVD player. Some of the movies are starting to wear out and are so loved that we will have to attain the DVD versions. Others have been watched a few times but are not worthy of precious space … Continue reading →

New Uses for Old Inflatable Toys

Now that summer is here and in full swing, you are probably raiding your garage, closets, attics, shred and wherever else you store your summer swim toys. You know the types of toys I am talking about? Those inflatable tubes, mats, beds, dolphins, snakes, water wings, beach balls, etc. And chances are, when you go to blow them back up, at least a few will be flat as a pancake and unable to be used. Maybe the toys were split at the seams near the end of last summer, got thrown into storage and forgotten about. or maybe they got … Continue reading →

More Using Diaper Boxes

In a previous article, Using Diaper Boxes, I talked about some great uses for these boxes in the garage and on our porch. Now I’ll cover even more uses for these handy boxes. What are diaper boxes? They are the large, sturdy boxes that you get when you purchase your baby diapers in bulk. Bulk diapers can be purchased, usually, at a warehouse store or even at some baby stores, such as Babies R Us. I find that purchasing diapers in bulk really saves money. And to save even more, I take advantage of the boxes in which the diapers … Continue reading →

Using Diaper Boxes

If you buy disposable diapers, one of the best ways to save money is by buying them in bulk. As a result, you may wind up with quite a few of those large bulk diaper boxes. I have found that they are very useful around the house. Here are some ways that we have put those large diaper boxes to good use. In our new home, we have a garage that is actually big enough to park a car. Currently, it still has quite a few boxes that we haven’t unpacked, mostly all of my books. But regardless, we have … Continue reading →

More Things to Do with Cardboard Tubes

Still have some cardboard tubes laying around? You know the ones? They are what is left after you use a roll of paper towels, a roll of toilet paper or a roll of gift wrap. These tubes have so many uses around the house, so there is no need to toss them away. In a precious article: Things to Do with Cardboard Tubes, I covered some fun ways to use these free items from fire starters to knife sheaths. Now here are some more things to do with cardboard tubes. Remember, there is no need to purchase something when you … Continue reading →

Things to Do with Cardboard Tubes

Everyone loves paper towel and toilet tubes! What about gift wrapping tubes? All of these tubes are just so useful. There are so many things that can be done with them, and so many solutions for household use. You know my philosophy: why purchase something when you already have something that will work. After you read some of these ideas, you may just stop tossing those tubes. Did you know that you can extend the reach of your vacuum cleaner hose or wand with a long gift wrap tube? Use duct tape to make the seal airtight. You can even … Continue reading →

More New Uses for Old Soda Bottles

There are so many wonderful uses for empty soda bottles. You can save money by using the bottles that you already own instead of spending money buying something new. (Or if you don’t drink soda, ask for some empty bottles from a friend.) In yesterday’s article, New Uses for Old Soda Bottles, I shared some basic ideas on using the empty bottles to save on boots, heating pads and water. Now here are some more creative ideas and ways to use empty soda bottles and be frugal. Custom bag dispenser. You are saving your plastic grocery bags, aren’t you? Well, … Continue reading →

New Uses for Old Soda Bottles

Do you buy soda? Instead of throwing the empty bottles out, put them to good use around your home. By now you know all of the three principals of frugal living: reduce, reuse and recycle. Oftentimes there are plenty of things you already own that can be used for things you might otherwise purchase. Take the humble 1-liter plastic soda bottle. There are so many things that can be done with it. And, when you are done with its new use, you can always recycle the bottle the traditional way, at a recycling center. Less waste means more savings for … Continue reading →