Frugal Gift Ideas for Mother's Day

With Mother's Day just around the corner, I thought I would try to come up with some frugal ideas for Mother's Day gifts that she will love.

Here are a couple that my sister and I have actually done.

 

Make a throw pillow with pictures.  Here is a link to a sample from Country Living.

My sister is quite the seamstress, so she came up with the idea on her own.  She made a pillow case and then used an iron on technique to put pictures of each of us kids when we were younger.  Mom loved it.

Another one of my sister's great crafty ideas was a notepad with pictures on it.  Here is a how to link from Chica and Jo.

You can put pictures on it, your mom's favorite flowers or animal pictures.  Of course, don't forget the grandchildren.

Take the notepad, add a pen, pencil and eraser and you'll have a great care package for Mom!

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

Homemade Febreze

If you use a lot of Febreze, you might consider making your own Febreze.  I found these instructions on Facebook from https://www.facebook.com/groups/gettingskinnywithcourtney/.

It seems to be quite a popular article, so I wanted to make sure Courtney received credit.

Here's how she says to make it:

What you'll need:
1/8 Cup of fabric softener (I used Downy April Fresh)
2 tablespoons Baking Soda
Hot tap water
Spray bottle (I used my empty 27 oz. Febreze bottle)

Preparation:
Using a funnel, pour fabric softener and baking soda into your spray bottle. Fill spray bottle with hot tap water and shake well. Don't forget to twist the nozzle over to the LOCK position if you're using a Febreze bottle, or you might fall on your hiney. Now go spray every fabric surface in your house and take a nap on your very comfortable and now un-stinky couch. :)

Store-bought Febreze: $5.59
Homemade Febreze: $0.15
Total Savings: $5.44 OR 97.3%!

Thanks, Courtney Luper, for sharing this great idea with everyone!

Transplant Flowers and Bulbs

Spring is the time of year when everyone is starting to plan their new flower beds and gardens.

It is also a great time of year to transplant hostas and daylilies. 

Why not plan your flower garden around transplanting as many items as possible.

Transplant your daylilies to thin them out and help them grow better. 

To save money on flowers, you can barter and trade with friends.  You'll also end up with different varieties in your garden.

Daffodils can be transplanted about 8 weeks after the bloom fades.  Tulips should be transplanted in the fall, about 6 to 8 weeks before the first frost.

Do a little research on your varieties and determine when is the best time to transplant.  Fill your yard, without breaking your pocket!

Another idea to get more perennials is to place an ad in the paper, or on a free online advertising site.  You can offer to thin someone's flower garden for free, as long as you get to keep the excess plants. 

A lot of elderly people may need a hand in their garden, or just enjoy the company.  See if there is anyone you know who would enjoy you stopping by to lend a hand, and give you a few starts from their garden.

Good luck with your new flower garden!

Earn a Quick Buck

Are you looking for a way to Earn a Quick Buck? 

Sometimes, we just need a little push to get us through a couple of extra bills and we'll be fine.

Or, perhaps you're like me, and you're always looking for a way to earn a quick buck.

Open a New Checking Account

Collect Aluminum Cans

Visit An Auction

Find Free Stuff

Learn to Earn for Free

When you are bound and determined to make an extra buck, you will find a way.

It's like I always say, where there's a will, there's a way!

Good luck!

Find Free Stuff

Find Free Stuff

This is a great time of year for garage sales.  When you're out and about on the weekend, stop by any garage sales you might see.  Keep an eye out for the free box.  Most of the time these items are something for which someone else may be willing to give at least a few cents, if not even a buck or two.  The people having the garage sales, usually just want the items to go away.

Put these items in your own garage sale and make a few bucks, for free! 

You can also get free stuff on the internet.  Check out this free gram of fine silver.  It may not be a lot, but every little penny counts!

While you're at the garage sales, you might also look for items people are selling at a cheap price.  If you learn the value of things, you can put them in your own garage sale flip the items and make a few extra bucks.

Visit An Auction

Visit an Auction

Most cities and towns have an auction house that has a regular auction day every week or two.  Visit an auction and see what kind of deals you can find.  It's best just to watch, your first day out, and just get the feel of things. 

Once you get a grasp on how things work, see what kind of great deals you can get.  Perhaps you can buy a whole table full of stuff for a dollar.  Take it home, sort thru it, then have a garage sale to make some extra money on the weekend.  Or, if you come home with a real deal, you might be able to list some things on eBay or another auction site and make even more money!

Collect Aluminum Cans

Collect Aluminum Cans

Most of us try to recycle these days, and I'm sure you probably already know you can get cash for your aluminum cans, even if you don't live in a state that requires a deposit.

However, consider this, take a stroll down your neighborhood and see if you find some aluminum cans.  Especially this time of year, early spring, there are cans laying along side of the road that someone has thrown out of their car window.  I usually do this about once a month, and end up with at least a grocery bag full.  It's also a great way to get a little exercise and get out and enjoy the weather.