Free Online Calorie Counter & Burn Meter

New Year's Resolutions often include weight loss or fitness. These programs can often be very expensive.  An older lady in my neighborhood has lost quite a bit of weight and she recommended this website to me.  It offers a free online calorie counting service, but there is also a lot more to it. I have never done Weight Watchers (or other diet programs) before, but I did have a friend tell me that strict calorie counting is part of most plans. 

I like this website because you can do it however you want and it is up to you how strict you want to be. In addition to caloric intake, it also tracks your burn for the day.  You can look at it and quickly see if you need to limit your calorie intake or simply increase your burn. You can also tell it that you want "weight maintenance" or that your goal is "weight gain."  Then it will make some caloric intake recommendations for you.  But you can also type in what activities you participated in for the day and it will tell you how many calories you burned. These activities range from running, swimming, moving furniture and vigorous cleaning to lighter activities such as hairstyling, folding laundry, reading and even sleeping, if you want to get that specific. 

NOTE: For those of you used to a metric system, you can enter your items in grams, pints, etc. instead of cups, tablespoons, etc. There is also a unit converter.

You can tag the items that you do on a regular basis. For example, if you eat a certain oatmeal every day for breakfast, you just tag it and then you don't have to enter the info every time. 

Another thing I like is that it has a large database of nutritional information that is quite specific. There are over 107,000 foods. (And if that's not enough for you, you can also create custom food information if you can't find what you need.) For example, you can type "Pizza Hut pepperoni pizza", and the nutrional choices will come up for various pizza sizes and crust choices, etc.  Then you can simply adjust how much you consumed and add it to your food log. The woman who recommended it to me said that she keeps the calorie counter open on her computer all the time, and then she just forces herself to be brutally honest about what she is eating. 

You can take a quiz about your diet profile; you can read articles about various topics; you can join forums and keep a journal if you want to.  You can track your weight and it will give you graph telling you if you are on target for your goal.  It will give you a graph of your nutrition that shows what percent of your food was fat, carbohydrates, sodium, etc.  You will receive a letter grade for your nutrition and most foods have a letter grade next to them.  For example, a Pizza Hut medium-sized Pepperoni Lover's pizza gets a D+ on the nutrition scale. Hmm... perhaps not the best choice for dinner, eh? 

You can even track stuff on your phone.  Let's say you are sitting in a restaurant and you want to get some nutritional info.  You can. You can text them and they will send it back to you, or if you have a web-enabled phone, you can access it that way.  They also have recipes you can try. There's even a recipe anaylzer. You enter your recipe and the number of servings and it will provide you with some nutritional information.

Anyway, just passing on a free tool that you may want to try if weight/fitness are part of your goals for the new year.  Certainly there are many, many calculators out there, and this is only one of them. I have liked it so far, and I hope to stick with it. For me, it has been more about realizing the nutrition of certain foods that I have never thought much about before.  Then when I am faced with those foods, I can decide if it is really worth it to eat it. If I want to, then I do. And I alter what I am eating for the rest of the day, or I increase my burn to make up for it. I guess it's simply creating an awareness for me. It's helping me make healthier choices. It's helping me realize that I need to get my body moving more.  I guess it's something about seeing what you ate and did that day facing you in black and white (and of course, color graphics! lol)   It's kind of a wake up call. 

Click here for a great article about making New Year's Resolutions stick.

Good luck with your goals for the new year!! If you want to share what your goals are, comment below. (They can be anything-- not just fitness/dieting).  Please include the tools or methods you plan to use to achieve them if you can, and if possible, how you are doing it frugally. We can all benefit that way. I always love hearing how others are saving money. Thanks!

Shopping AFTER Holidays, A Few Tips & Stocking Stuffers for Next Year

We all know that after a holiday you can really save by purchasing things that have been marked down significantly. The sales will usually last one week after a holiday. Typically you will see this pattern for sales:

Days 1, 2 and 3 after the holiday:   Items marked at 50% off their original prices

Days 4, 5 and 6 after the holiday:   Items marked at 75% off their original prices

Days 7 & 8 after the holiday:          Items marked at 90% off their original prices

After that, the merchandise is pretty much gone, or the retailers will even dispose of it so that they can clear their shelves for the next coming holiday.  (Anyone notice that Valentine's decor was already out in JoAnn Fabrics BEFORE Christmas!?  I was shocked!)   This is a great way to get holiday decor for the next year and just put it away with your items, but you can also save on other things, like gifts.  One year I went to Wal-mart and stocked up on the bath stuff that had been marked down 90% off.  I had teacher gifts and gifts for my friends all year 'round. I even used one for a graduation present for my niece.  If you want to do this, look carefully through the selection, because many of them do not have Christmas logos on them, though some do. 

Another tip: I have started paying attention when people are opening gifts.  For example, when my husband opened a tool, my brother mentioned, "Oh, nice!! I need one of those."  I have a little notebook and I write that stuff down in it. It gives me ideas for their birthdays or the following Christmas. And sometimes I can even find them at the after-holiday sales and I can save a lot of money, so I can get an item I might not normally be able to afford. Note that if you choose this method, the recipient can't return the gift, so be careful to whom you give these types of things.  If it is someone who would try to return it, then remember the idea, but don't purchase it this far in advance!

And if you live alone or are one of those people who has to fill your own stocking......well, here's a tip.  Buy some things now, after Christmas while they are marked down, and wrap them up.  Put them in a box or bin and mark it "My Stocking" or "My Presents" and store them with your Christmas decorations as you put them away this year. Next year when you get out your items, resist the temptation to open the gifts.  You will NOT remember what they are. (Well, if you do, wow! What a memory!)  On Christmas morning, you will have gifts to open and will be pleasantly surprised and you will receive things that you actually wanted because you bought them! 

If you can combine some of your items with coupons, you can really save big!  Good luck and happy shopping!!

Santa Sacks- No Sew Option

If you want to make the Santa Sacks, but you don't sew, here's a couple of different options.

Step 1:

Purchase pillowcases. You can get them at a thrift store, grab old ones from your linen closet, buy them at the store, whatever works for you. I would recommend using a darker colored pillowcase if that is an option for you, simply because the gifts may show through a white or light-colored fabric.

Step 2:

Purchase some cute fabric ribbon (again, not wired).  There are some fabulous patterned Christmas ribbons available. You could also cut a strip of fabric and pink the edges (like explained in the Santa Sack Instructions post).  I would recommend about a 2"-3" wide ribbon for a nice big bow, but it's up to you. You will want it at least 45" long. Use it to tie your bags closed. Voila! You're done!

If you can, I would recommend at least stitching the ribbon to the back of the bag like shown in the Santa Sack Instructions, but you don't have to do that step. It just keeps the ribbon from getting lost.

Step 3 -Optional Way to Decorate Your Bags:

If you purchased plain pillowcases and you think they are too "boring", then you can get some cute Christmas fabric that has reindeer or Santa or wreaths or whatever on it.  You won't need very much fabric at all. Also purchase some "Wonder Under" at the fabric store. You won't need very much.  Follow the instructions on the Wonder Under. 

Basically, it works like this: First, you will use your iron to adhere one side of the Wonder Under to the wrong side of the fabric.  Then you cut out the shape that you want from the front of the fabric, such as the reindeer or the Santa that is printed on the fabric.  Then, place the cut out fabric wrong side down onto the right side of the Santa Sack that you have.  Place a damp cloth over both pieces and using a dry iron, press for 15 seconds. Ta da!! You now have a cute embellishment on your Santa Sack.  That's it. That's all there is to it.

You could even cut out the letters of your child's name in a fun Christmas fabric and then iron them onto the sack.  They could be as small or as large as you want. :)

Note: If you want these to last forever, and you DO sew (even a tiny bit), you may want to run a tight zig-zag or a satin-stitch around the edge of each iron-on piece. It will just make them last longer, as after a while the edges will begin to separate from the bag.

I don't have a "Christmas themed" picture to demonstrate this, but I do have one with butterflies (sorry! lol).  My daughter broke her arm 2 weeks ago, and we used this technique to make her sling a lot more fun.  The butterflies are simply cut from a fun patterned material and all I did was iron them in place.  The hearts were simply cut from a plain material using the same idea.  Hopefully you can get the general idea of how this works, if you've never used Wonder Under before. 

I will try to patch some pants using this method and show you how it works, but right now, I have to get some Christmas things done! Happy Holidays everyone!

Santa Sack Instructions

Here's the basic instructions for the Santa Sacks. Yes, this is definitely a beginner's sewing project.  If you can use an iron and sew in a straight line, you can do this. Sorry that I didn't make one of these specifically for the tutorial and so I don't have photos of every step. Hopefully it will make sense. If not, then be sure to comment and I will try to clear up any confusion. I will also post a "no-sew" option for these sacks separately.

Step 1 - Select Your Fabric:

Select your fabric. This may be the hardest part. :)  There are so many fun patterns to choose from. If you find a piece that you love but there isn't very much of it, you can use it for the trim at the top, so go ahead and buy it. 

Step 2 - Determine Size of Your Bag:

Measure your fabric.  Most fabric (in the United States) comes in 44"-45" widths.  We will just fold that width in half, so the bag will end up being about 21" wide when sewn.  You want to determine the length of your bag.  Most of mine vary from about 30" long to 36", but it really doesn't matter, as long as it is a rectangle shape and the length is longer than your width of 21" (when sewn).  

For the purpose of this tutorial & simplicity in reading, I will use the dimentions of a 32" length & a piece of 44" wide fabric.

Step 3 - Cut:

After you have determined your length, cut your fabric so that you now have a piece of fabric that measures 44" x 32". 

Step 4 - Adding a Different Fabric Trim Along the Top of the Bag: (optional)

If you want to add a different trim along the top of the bag, then cut a strip that is 16" wide x 44" wide (the width of the fabric.  These two photos (below) show that the top strip is a different pattern than the rest of the bag.  With right sides together, line up the raw edge (of the 44" width) and stitch a 1/2" seam to sew the two pieces together.  Press the strip away from the bag, pressing the seam towards the body of the bag. If you have a serger, you get to skip this step (and I will be envious.)

Optional: If you want to, you can reinforce the seams by stitching again either over the first stitching or a 1/4" from the first stitching.

Step 5 - Sewing the Main Body of the Bag:

With right sides together, fold the fabric in half & line up the raw edges so that you now have a piece of fabric that is 22" x 32".  (Be sure to match the seams at the edge of the top lining if you added that step). Pin one short edge and the long raw edge together. Start at the corner of the folded edge and sew along the short end and then the long side, leaving the top edge open.  You should now have the basic shape of a pillowcase. Press.

Step 6 - Stitching the Top of the Bag:

Press the top edge of the bag under 1/4" inch.  Fold the top edge under (wrong sides together) about 7-8" and press. 

If you added the optional contrasting trim at the top (step 4), then fold the trim so that it just slightly overlaps the raw edge of the seam.  If this part seems a bit confusing, go look at the top inside portion of one of your pillowcases. You will see how the top 8" or so is lined towards the inside with the raw edge neatly turned under.

Press the folded piece down, and pin so that the raw edge is covered (if you did that step) or simply pin it 7-8" from the top.  Topstitch 1/4" from edge. Turn the bag right-side out. You should now have a pillowcase. You're almost done!

Step 7 - Adding the Tie Closure- Several Options:

There's a couple of options here.

Option 1) You can purchase fabric ribbon and just tie the bag closed. Make sure you don't buy "wired" ribbon. I didn't want my ties to get lost, so I stitched them to the back of the bag in an "x" pattern. Hopefully you can see that in my photo.  If you do this, find the middle of your ribbon and the middle of the back of your bag and stitch just a small x to keep the ribbon from getting lost.  This is optional though. You could just tie the bags shut with ribbon and call it good.

Option 2) Ribbon can get costly, so I cut strips of leftover fabric in a contrasting material that were 4" x 44".  Then with right sides together, I folded the strip in half lengthwise and used a 1/4" seam to sew one short end and the long side together. Then I turned the strip right-side out.  Then I pressed the strip and folded the raw edge to the inside and top stitched all the way around the strip.  Then I found the middle of the strip and stitched it in the "x" to the middle of the outside of the back of the bag.

(Note: if you don't have a sewing tool to turn strips right-side out easily, this may not be the best option for you. It's a pain in the neck if you don't have the tool.) 

Option 3) If you don't have the turning tool and you don't want to invest in ribbon, you could cut a 3-4" wide strip of fabric and then use pinking shears along the edges so that it wouldn't fray.  Or you could even just stitch 1/4" from the sides and if it frays, it would just fray slightly, which may be a look that you prefer. Then you could still stitch it to the bag in the "x" pattern so that it stays with the bag.

That's it! You're all finished.  These bags can be made in any dimensions you'd like.  Hopefully they will relieve some stress for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve!!

Santa Sacks - Reusable Fabric Gift Wrap

I was growing up, Santa Claus did not wrap the gifts he left. They were laid out on the couch in a pile for each child. Gifts from family members were wrapped, but gifts from Santa were not. We simply went into the living room and we were faced with everything all at once, which means my mom & dad didn't necessarily get to see our reactions to our gifts, because all the kids got to see their things all at once. I have always liked wrapped gifts from Santa, simply because it seems to make Christmas morning last a bit longer, but the mess and expense add up, and poor Santa and his elves certainly spend a great deal of time wrapping those gifts!!  And sometimes, Santa realizes he forgot to wrap a certain gift. This way he can quickly toss it into the sack along with more than one other gift, if necessary.

So, last year I decided to purchase several yards of fabric for each person in my family and make "Santa Sacks." The idea behind the Santa Sacks is that Santa Claus is a very busy man, and this way he doesn't have to take the time to wrap our gifts. We are helping him to save the environment, and also save him some time. Each person in my family has a specific pattern/material for their bags. For example, my daughter has a green bag with reindeer on it, and my son has candy canes on his bags. That way we didn't have to put tags on them, though you could embroider names onto the sack. We set the bags out on the couch on Christmas Eve and then Santa can just slip our gifts into the sack during the night.  My kids had fun setting out their sacks and putting a note with it so Santa would know which sack belonged to whom.

Now, toys in boxes are easier to wrap, no question. But another neat thing we discovered about the Santa Sacks is that Santa's gifts can come completely assembled, with all the packing removed.  You know, the boxes that dolls or toys come in, and they have all the little twist ties and tape and as a parent you spend a lot of time just trying to get the toys removed from the box? This way you can relax because Santa's elves have removed the packing. Since the items just get tossed into the sack, the shape of the gift doesn't matter.  And then, mom and dad can sit on the couch, sip hot cocoa, and enjoy watching their kids play with their presents, rather than spending time trying to wrestle the Polly Pockets and Star Wars Action Figures from their boxes.

I made 3 large sacks for each person in my family (various sizes). You can make them any size you'd like. Just do some math considering how much fabric you purchase. I added a strip of fabric in a contrasting pattern (leftover from another family member's sack material) as a tie closure for the sacks. I lined the top portion only of the sack. You could line the entire bag, but that does get more expensive. It's not really necessary, though. Since they're only used once a year and they're not carrying anything, the sacks are just not going to get that much use that they will wear out. I just lined the top about 8 inches or so, and then sewed the tie closure just below the lined portion on the back of the sack (so the tie wouldn't get lost).  Then when the sack is tied shut, the top portion that sticks out is still cute and you don't see the seam.

They are sewn in a basic pillowcase pattern, very simply and they turned out really fun. I was a bit hesitant last year that my idea would go down in flames, but the mess it eliminated on Christmas morning was very worth it! I was also hestitant that my kids could untie the sacks and sneak a peek in the night, but I decided that their choices have consequences, and if they want to ruin the surprise, that's their choice. (And besides, it's no different than a gift in a paper gift bag with tissue paper. They can easily peek into those, too.)

You might try purchasing your fabric at an after Christmas sale when you can get 75% off or even better, or use a coupon to cut down the cost. Just consider the quality of the fabric so your bags will last year after year. A quilter's cotton will be a better quailty than some other choices, though it is a bit more expensive initially (but not too much).

According to Gift Bags Gone Green, wrapping paper and other paper gift wrap adds up to more than $5 billion dollars annually.  This is one way you can cut down on your own personal carbon footprint.  Just think, not wrapping gifts from Santa ever again times the number of people in your family, year after year? That will definitely reduce the amount your family spends on wrapping.  The initial cost will pay for itself very quickly, likely within a few years, depending on how much your family typically spends on paper gift wrap and how much you spend on your fabric and thread to make the sacks.

If anyone is interested, I am willing to create a tutorial on how I did this.  Let me know if you'd like to see one in an upcoming post.

Download Free Christmas/Holiday MP3s

Every day throughout December, Amazon.com is unveiling a new holiday song that you can download for free from their website. Each song is available for a limited time.

If you click on the song, you can preview a sample of it to see if you'd like it. But, hey, they're free, so even if you decide you don't like it, you can just delete it from your computer later. So, get yourself some fun new music, and start wrapping! Happy holidays!

Neighbor Christmas Gifts

Each year we give our neighbors something little for Christmas. Sometimes it's just a plate of goodies, but other years we've gotten more creative. These ideas are relatively inexpensive and can also be used for co-workers. My husband did the wrapping paper and the extension cords at work and they were very well received. After all, they don't add to the waistline, and there tends to be plenty of food that will do that each holiday season.

1. Gift idea: A roll of Christmas wrapping paper and a roll of Scotch tape. (The tape is optional. You could just give the wrapping paper.) Shop for good sales. We actually bought ours at an after Christmas sale and then stored the paper until the following year. Here is the poem that goes with this gift:

Since November you’ve been shopping
Barely sleeping, hardly stopping.
Now it’s late – you’re in a scrape.
Out of paper, out of tape.
Hope this wrap helps save the day!
Have a happy holiday!

2. A hot baggie (or 2): See HERE for how to make one. We gave one red hot baggie and one blue one, but you can adjust the poem however you'd like. If you don't want to do 2 hot baggies, then just omit the part about the blue sack (the 3rd stanza). The poem I wrote for this gift went with these went like this:

‘Tis the season of hustle and bustle
Which gives a good reason to ease a sore muscle.
The miracle contents of this red sack
Will please and soothe your aching back.

Just heat by microwave three minutes on high
Then for one hour kiss sore muscles good-bye!
Or take it along when you go see the lights
To keep out the chill of Jack Frost’s cold bite.

Store the blue sack in your freezer where it’s out of your way
And when your head is throbbing at the end of the day
You’ll be amazed at how it can relieve your stress
When you have a splitting headache and just aren’t your best.

Your family is great and we want to express
How much we appreciate your love and kindness.
We treasure your friendship at this Christmastime
And send warmest of wishes to your house from mine!

3. An extension cord. Let's face it. Everyone can use an extra extension cord, especially at Christmas. We shopped for a good sale and even found some for 2 for a $1 once. I also found the large orange exterior kind (that are normally about $5 each) on some rebates and I was able to get them for free, so shop around. Here's the saying that I put with this idea:

Here's an "extension" of holiday cheer.
We hope you have a wonderful Christmas this year!

4. Click here for 103 Gift Ideas that are creative and inexpensive.

5. Homemade holiday breads. Click here for some great recipes. I have made the Candy Cane Bread before and it was really yummy. My neighbors liked having hot sweet bread dropped off at their door. Not a lot of people go to that much trouble anymore, and this is certainly a very inexpensive way to give something.

*
Ok, well, that's all I can think of at the moment. I may remember other things sometime when I am not so tired. If you have more ideas, please comment. We'd love to hear from you. Merry Christmas!!

Free Exercise Workouts and Nutrition & More

If you are looking to get fit but can't afford the gym, (or maybe your lifestyle is such that you can), you might want to check out http://www.sparkpeople.com/. It's a totally free website that demonstrates fitness exercises (both printable and video), gives nutritional information from dieticians, and includes an exercise tracking system and a calorie counter.

Again, it's completely free. Check it out and find some new information that can help you on your way to a healthier body -- because a fit, healthy body not only makes you feel great and relieve stress, it also can help keep your medical costs down --and that's being frugal! :)

I'm Dreaming of a Tight Christmas

This is an excerpt of ideas taken from the book The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn, pages 493-496.

If you give in to the pressure to buy expensive gifts despite your wishes, understand why you are doing this; and why you lack the courage to say =no. You may believe people perceive inexpensive gifts as signs that you are "poor," "cheap", and/or "thoughtless." Self-esteem becomes entangled with gift giving.

In addressing the perception of being "poor," consider that inexpensive gifts are often a sign of different values and priorities. You can afford the expensive gifts, but you prefer to spend your money on things that have a higher priority for you. Or you prefer to work fewer hours so that you can have more quality time with your family.

If you fear people will think you are "cheap" or "thoughtless", ask yourself if you would be happy with the quality of the gift you are giving. If you buy yourself expensive goods from Bloomingdale's, people will justifiably feel that it's inconsistent for you to buy them bargains from the dollar store. In contrast, if you always seek out bargains for yourself, others will be far more likely to accept them as presents from you.

Having a clear vision of your financial goals and making sure that frugal gifts are consistent with your whole lifestyle provide the self-esteem that's essential in dealing with those who make expensive demands of you.

Once we gain the confidence to say no, we further desire that our coworkers, friends, and family will accept, and perhaps even adopt, frugal gift giving themselves. There are two ways I know of to achieve this:

THE UP-FRONT PLAN
Talk about it.

Your first inclination may be to hold the discussion on Christmas Day, since everyone is in one place, but that isn't the best time. People could easily interpret what you say as a rejection of what they just gave you. Bring it up at a graduation party, a summer reunion, or some gathering that's at least a couple of months before Christmas.

You may be surprised to find how receptive other people are to the idea. Many people feel that Christmas is too commercialized, but they believe other people like it that way.

If you all agree that gift-giving has gotten out of hand, the next step is to decide on an alternative.

Many of these may sound familiar to you, but you can use this list as a tool to guide the discussion.

1. For acquaintances and friends who have become distant geographically, you might simply decide to exchange cards rather than gifts.

2. Draw names within families or between extended families, rather than buying for and receiving from everyone. (NOTE -- this is not in her book ---: you may wish to agree on a $$ limit in advance so that those who have less to spend don't feel badly when someone else can afford to spend more. For example, in my husband's family we rotate names of his siblings and there is a $30 spending limit for the entire family.)

3. Shift to "household" gifts, rather than gifts to everyone in a household.

4. Try alternative gifts. Make a rule that only food can be exchanged. Suggest more swapping of services such as baby-sitting. Money that would be spent on a gift could be used to take a family trip or donated to charity.

(Again a note from me -- not in the book: One year I "gave" my brother a certificate for a year's worth of mending. His wife does not sew. She was thrilled. He bought several pairs of dress pants and I shortened them for him as his length is 29" and it is difficult for him to find pants that are 29's not, 30's. Another "service" I gift I do is taking my parents a "casserole" 2x a month for a year. My mother is quite ill and it helps my dad a lot to know that dinner will be there for him to just stick in the oven. It also helps me spread out the cost of my gift over time. I have been known to arrange/compose music for people or record my piano playing onto a CD. My parents were thrilled, and the cost to me was almost nothing. :)

So use your imagination and think about what talents you have that you could give as a gift.)

5. Set a spending limit, say $5, and then challenge yourselves to see how wonderful and creative you can be within that price range.

THE COVERT PLAN
If it's too late to discuss the problem with your family this year, or if you are sure the discussion would be fruitless, try showing them.

Although extravagance has seldom been a problem in my family, if it were, I would regard frugal gift giving as my mission to show others how much more fun inexpensive gifts can be....

...If you chose the covert plan, consider these points:

1. To successfully convert people, your gift must be excellent. Gifts that are inappropriate or poorly made will fail. Frugal gift giving usually requires more time and/or thought. Let your desire to prove your point drive your efforts. If those on your gift list think inexpensive equals inferior, make and extra effort to "bowl them over" with your cleverness.

2. Start slowly. In some families, where extravagant, commercial holidays are deeply entrenched, change can require several years....Each tiny success will slowly erode their prejudice.

3. Provide information. Although it's generally considered tacky to divulge the cost of a gift, it's essential if you want to educate the receiver. I always tell my children how much I paid and how much the equivalent would have cost. If my friend thinks my homemade fits is store bought, I "accidentally" let it out of the bag that I made it....I might also add share how easy the gift was to make, how much the materials cost, and offer a set of instructions. (Note -- me again-- Personally, I wouldn't take this approach, but to each their own. You have to carefully consider the recipient and how they will receive such information. )

4. Be confident. Never apologize for the "humbleness" of your gift. Don't even let the thought enter your mind. If you think giving your children gifts from yard sales is a sign that you are "poor", they will pick up on your feeling and believe the gift is inferior. This is also true when giving to adults. The way you feel about the gift will, to some degree, be reflected by the recipient.

In attempting either the upfront plan or the covert plan, it helps to explain why you want to save money. If you choose the upfront plan, this reason should be a part of your discussion. If you choose the covert plan, frequently mention your financial goals to those around you. If you let everyone know you are saving for a down payment on a house, what reasonable person could fault you?

But if others still see your frugal gift giving as "poor," "cheap", and/or "thoughtless," use....

THE BUZZ-OFF PLAN

It's unreasonable for others to expect you to spend in accordance with their values.

And it isn't written anywhere that the cost of your gift has to match the cost of theirs. In some cases, both parties can be comfortable with the "inequity".

But even if you do encounter hostility, consider this to be their problem, not yours. If everyone had the courage to ask for a change, Christmas could be transformed from a marketing opportunity into the holiday it was meant to be.

Me again: That's the end of that passage from the book. I will keep thinking of some frugal gifts I have given or seen others give, and I will try to post them very soon. If you have some suggestions, please comment! We can all benefit from new ideas. Thanks!

Things to Make: Free PDF Patterns

I found a website that has a lot of free patterns for burb cloths, doll clothing, hot pads, a chef's hat, crochet, window coverings, pillows, lacing cards, purses, applique, hats, scarves, etc. Lots of things to choose from, that could be made as gifts for Christmas.

The website is http://www.youcanmakethis.com/. Click HERE for the link for the free pdf patterns. Looks like some fun ideas!

The Napkin Skirt Tutorial

Years ago I was given 4 Christmas napkins (probably for my wedding?? Who knows). But four? Really? That's not really enough for entertaining, and I have 6 people in my own family, so they have sat in a drawer for 13+ years (yes, I know, many of you would tell me I should have gotten rid of them a long time ago. I'm working on it!! LOL) But what do you do with only 4 napkins? And the pattern is such that I would have to have a very plain tablecloth, so they just sat there.

Enter the napkin skirt. Stay with me here. I know that sounds a bit bizarre. I didn't have a pattern; I just kind of made this up as I went along, so if you have a better way, please let me know!

Because I like a bit longer skirts on little girls,I used two napkins to make mine for my 2 year old, but you could use one napkin and cut it in half if you'd like a knee-length version. My napkins are a bit thicker than regular napkins, but you can judge for yourself the quality of the material you have.

Measure your napkins. Mine were 17" x 18". If necessary, trim them so they are perfectly even on the edges. (Mine were not). Also, measure your little girl. You want to know her waist measurement (my daughter is 2 years old and her waist is 19" if that helps), her waist to knee measurement so you can know how long to make your skirt (she was 11"), and her waist to ankle measurement if you want something longer (again, my 2 year old was 22").

If you don't want to add the ruffle, then you can save one of the hemmed edges of the napkins for your skirt hem. Just be sure you don't cut it off. Pin right-sides together and sew the two side seams.

I used 5/8" seams because those are standard in garments while sewing, but you can adjust as necessary if you'd like. If you have a serger, that would certainly be easier (and I am jealous!)

Press the seams open (unless you have a serger). Press a casing along the top edge of the skirt. Press the edge under 1/4" and then again 1 1/4" (this is what I used because I used 1" elastic. If you use 3/4" elastic, you can adjust your casing.) You could also create button holes and simply stitch the casing in place, then use a drawstring instead of an elastic. That would also be very cute, but since my skirt is for a potty-training 2 year old, I wanted something that was easy for her to do by herself.

Pin the casing in place. Mark with 2 pins where you plan to start and stop. You need to leave an opening to thread the elastic through.

Stitch casing in place, making sure to backstitch at each end and leave an opening.

For the ruffle, I used 1/4" yard of red polka dot fabric. This was just something I had lying around in my scraps. It measured 9 1/2" x 44", but one edge was jagged, so I squared that up and then cut the ruffle into 2 strips measuring 4.5" x 44" each. If you need more detailed instructions on adding a ruffle, click here.

Pin right sides together at the short end and stitch a 5/8" seam.

Press the seam open. Fold the bottom edge of the ruffle under 1/4" and press and then under 1/4" and press again. Pin in place and hem the bottom edge of the ruffle. It will be much easier to do at this step than after it is gathered and attached to the skirt.

Loosen the top tension & use a very long stitch length on your sewing machine and sew two rows of stitches. Sew one row 5/8" from the raw edge and one row 1/4" from that row of stitching (closer to the raw edge). Do NOT backstitch at the beginning of the row. Grasp the bobbin thread and pull gently to slowly gather the ruffle. Be careful so you don't break the thread. Adjust the gathers to fit the bottom of the skirt and pin into place (right-sides together).

Readjust the stitch length and tension to normal stitching. Stitch the raw edges of the skirt and ruffle together using a 5/8" seam. This will hide the gathered stitches.

Remove the pins and press the ruffle.

Thread the elastic through the casing. It is a good idea to measure it on your little girl before you sew the ends, but if not, you can always still adjust it before you stitch the opening closed. Once you are happy with the fit of the elastic, stitch the casing opening closed and you're done!

This napkin skirt is ankle length on my 2 year old, mid-calf on my 5 year old, and knee length on my 8 year old. Funny, they are all trying to get it to be "theirs." I do have 2 more napkins, but I wish I'd had 6 total, because then they would have all had matching skirts. If you wanted to make a longer skirt for an older girl, you could simply add more ruffles to the bottom or adjust the width of the ruffle by cutting a wider strip of fabric so you achieve your desired length.
Why is this frugal? Because for me this project's total cost was: $0.00. Yup. Seriously. I had everything in my house. It's all about recycling & repurposing what you already have. Look around and see what you have. Maybe you have a tablecloth with a tear in it. Even if you had to purchase the napkins and elastic and ruffle fabric, you'd still be under $5.00, especially if you shopped clearance sales or thrift stores. I also made a very cute one from some fat quarters (a quilting term for those of you who may not know), but I don't have any elastic right now. I will post some pictures of that one as soon as I get it done. Sorry about that.
If you decide to make this skirt, email us a photo of it. We'd love to hear from you. Happy sewing!

Reusable Snack Bags

Clearly I have a theme here in my posts today....haha. Here's a tutorial for an easy reusable snack bag you can place in those lunch sacks. If it gets dirty, just toss it in the laundry for easy cleaning. You can use up fabric scraps or old shirts with a hole in the sleeve to make this project nearly free.

Reusable "Brown Paper" Lunch Sack

The Pretty Penny includes a tutorial for how to make a resuable lunch sack so you don't have to keep purchasing brown paper bags.

You certainly could embroider it in any design you like, including perhaps your child's name or simply leave it plain. I think you could also line your favorite fun fabric with the canvas, or add some embellishments to the oustide of your canvas using fabric paint or applique techinques. You could also recycle some old Levi's to make a denim sack and trim them with some scraps of flannel. Maybe even add a pocket with a velcro closure to the front so you can add a few quarters for a snack from the vending machine if you want. Let your imagination run wild!

Obviously, the neat thing about this project is that you can design it to be whatever size you would like & decorate it to suit your personal taste. You can use a brown paper sack as your template and take it apart to use it as a pattern, or you could make a tote that was larger if you wish. Happy sewing!

Reusable Sandwich Baggies

I have been wracking my brain trying to come up with something to post, since it's been a while since I got creative and thrifty. My husband was out of work most of this year, but since he got a job in August, I've been a little more lax. Unfortunately, he is facing unemployment again in January, so I do have to start thinking of even more ways to cut my budget.



I ran acros this idea on the internet. It is a way to sew a resuable plastic sandwich baggie. Click here for the tutorial. When selecting your velcro for this project, chose the "sew-on" variety, not the sticky-back. When you use sticky-back and try to sew through it, the needle on your sewing machine will get all gunked up with sticky adhesive.


You may want to read through the comments below the original post. There are lots of people who have suggestions or feedback on what they did when they made their own sandwich bags. You might find the solution that is just right for you. Several of them suggest using oil cloth if you have an aversion to using plastic lined fabric on your food. Sewing templates are also provided on their site, but I have also included it here: templates link.
A bonus of this project is when you unwrap your sandwich, you have a clean placemat for your food while eating. That's always nice!

Welcome Mat Services

Hey all

   I found a great website that provides coupons and FREE admission to many attractions near your home.  My landlord gave me a few vouchers last month, I went to their website and ordered a packet.  It arrived yesterday.  Well, actually, TWO packets arrived.  One was filled with local restaurant gift cards ($10-$20 off, 20%, etc) and one was filled with free admission tickets to museums, the zoo, and discounted admission elsewhere.  Even if you've lived in your area for awhile it's worth filling out and seeing if they'll send it your way.  It doesn't cost you anything but your information!

Welcome Mat Services

Enjoy! 

(Because I my landlord gave me one and I ordered one we have TWO free tickets to the Art Museum.  We're using our gc we got from restaurants.com and our date on Friday is looking like it's going to cost us about $10.  Sweet eh?)

Restaurant.com Follow Up

Van and I used our first gift certificate on Friday. Some things to be aware of.

1) Check the fine print. Some restaurants will require you to spend a certain amount in order to USE your gift certificate. The steakhouse we went to required us to order $35 worth of food in order to use our $25 gc. That was fine. We calculated it and kept the order straight to $35 so our dinner was $10 plus tip. $10 is MUCH cheaper than it would have cost us! (I guess $12, technically, if you're counting what we paid for the gc)

2) Gratuity. Some restaurants will charge you a "service charge" on your coupon. THIS is gratuity. We got our bill and it was $7 more than we planned (so $17, not $10) Van looked at it and there was a service charge. When we asked the server she hemmed and hawwed and finally said that yes, that was gratutity. More than 20%! We didn't pay any more on our "tip" line and left as is.

Other than those two things you should be good to go. We're really excited to try out different restaurants in Atlanta. Let me know how your experience goes with your coupons!

Restaurant.com

Right now, if you type in the code CHEF you get your order 80% off.

Ordinarily you pay $10 for a $25 gift card.

With this promo you can get 5 $25 gift cards for that same $10.

One guy in our neighborhood laid down $30 .... $375 worth of gift cards.

Great for presents, cheap dates, etc!

*It expires tonight at midnight 9-30-2009*

Free Online Budget Planner

Zion's Bank offers a free online service where you can track your budget for a specific project, for your monthly expenses, for an upcoming event, or for holiday gifts and budgeting. You do not have to be a member of Zion's Bank to participate (I am not a member). You only have to create an account using your email address as a username and set up a password.

You can track your monthly expenses, such as your mortgage, utilities, grocery, etc in the Monthly Planner. The Event Planner is set up as a wedding (sample) and the Project Planner is set up with a sample as a home remodel, but you can customize it to be whatever you want the project/event to be.

I used the Gift Planner last year to keep track of my Christmas purchases. I liked it because my kids can read now (and also read cursive, lol) so I can't hide my lists from them like I used to! Also, because it has a password, I can hide what I have purchased from my husband so he also gets surprised on Christmas day. I also liked it because it tallies up the total you have spent in a spreadsheet and you can easily see how much money you have spent so far, which can be eye-opening! You can also access it from your Blackberry or from your work computer, and not be stuck without your list when you have a minute to run out shopping. You could certainly create your own spreadsheet (if you are someone who simply has a love for those.... ahem, Lori.......) but this is already done for you, and it works well.

Just passing it along as we all start thinking about the upcoming holiday season. The website is http://www.zionsbankezbudget.com/.

Fun Lunches

http://www.funkylunch.com/gallery.htm

Sack Lunch Ideas

My kids are very excited about packing their lunches from home this year, for some reason. They have always enjoyed school lunch in the past, but each year is different, I suppose. I have been researching some ideas, and I am posting them below. Thanks to my super organized and thrifty friend, Jen, for some great ideas, too! I hope they will help you out.

An edit to this post: I think I have figured out how to upload a Word document to blogger and you can print it from your computer instead of having to scroll through all the suggestions below.  Hope it works. Click to view document for sack lunch ideas.  If it works, comment and let me know!  Thanks!

As for packing lunch for an adult, consider if there is access to a microwave. If not, purchase a good quality thermos food jar that can keep foods hot or cold. You might also want one for beverage. They come in kids' varieties (smaller and cuter) and adult & teen varieties. They even have some for babies. I personally really like the thermos brand. I have been extremely impressed with them. I got mine at Target. They also have them at Walmart, Amazon.com, and Shopko, etc. so look around. Initially, the cost of investing in these seems very expensive (that's because it is!). When you purchase a nice quality lunch sack, a beverage thermos and a food jar, it can be over $30-35. But the thermos, insulated bag and food jar I bought for my son when he was in Kindergarten are all still in great condition and he is now in 5th grade, so I figure it was a good investment. They have been extremely durable (and no, I am not getting paid for anything I am suggesting!!) You might also look into thrift shops for used thermoses if you can find them. (And my kids have been lectured on how much they cost and that they'd better keep track of their stuff!! lol)

NOTE: if you "preheat" the food jar by filling it with hot water for about 5 minutes before you fill it with food, it will stay hotter longer. You also want to use plastic silverware so you don't scratch the protective surface on the food jar.

The lunch sacks I bought for my kids have a small zippered pouch on the outside, where I have stashed a small Ziploc back filled with quarters. They can use this to purchase a milk box at school if they want to. Our school charges $0.25 for milk.

I also purchased some small plastic containers to put the food in. Wal-mart has some sandwich containers that are easy for little hands to open. I think they were about $1 a piece, and then you don't have to keep purchasing Ziploc bags. If you really want to be frugal, you can use cloth napkins, too. Also, pick up a small ice pack at Wal-mart or Target for around $1 and you can keep a sandwich or yogurt nice and cold until lunch time.

Food ideas:Bagel with cream cheese or peanut butter. If your child only will eat 1/2 a bagel, then cover the topping with a piece of plastic wrap.

Sandwiches (cold cuts or PB&J, tuna fish, chicken salad, egg salad, etc.)

Crackers and cheese

Crackers with peanut butter between them (cracker sandwiches)

Spaghettios, ravioli, spaghetti, soups, macaroni and cheese, ramen noodles, baked potato

Hard-boiled eggs

Meatballs

Tuna salad with crackers

Burrito roll ups

Any kind of leftovers

Muffins

Chips and salsa

Pita pockets or tortillas (rolled up "wrap" style) or English muffins used for sandwiches to provide variety

Chili (you can add chips like Tostitos scoops, Fritos, etc.)

Homemade lunchables (i.e, pepperoni & cheese & crackers; cut up bologna w/cheese & crackers, etc.) Look at the Lunchables varieties to spark your brain for some ideas.

Cold pizza (if your family member likes that.)

Cold cereal (send the milk in the thermos and pack the dry cereal in the food jar)

Side Dishes:Applesauce

Yogurt

Pudding

Jell-o

Canned or fresh fruit (grapes, peaches, Mandarin oranges, apples, bananas, nectarines, kiwi, oranges, plums, watermelon, cantaloupe, honey dew, strawberries, raspberries, etc.)

Veggies and dip (carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, celery, cherry or grape tomatoes, etc.)

Popcorn

Crackers

Chips

Cheese sticks (make your own by cutting up a block-- it's far cheaper)

Granola bars (you can make your own. There are lots of recipes out there.)

Cookie

Dried fruit (Craisins, raisins, blueberries, apricots, banana chips, apples, pineapple, prunes, etc.)

Fruit salad ("frog-eyed" salad or ancini de pepe, Waldorf salad, etc.)

Trail Mix

Beef Jerky

Nuts (if they are allowed at your school. Check because some kids have allergies)

Cottage cheese

Pretzels

Beverage ideas:
Freeze juice boxes and allow them to thaw until lunch time

Juice, milk, water or Kool-aid (sometimes) will stay cold in a thermos

Occasionally you can offer them strawberry or chocolate milk, (or even an instant breakfast shake for an adult).

Buy milk at school

Hot chocolate

Also, check out Kraftfoods.com for some great ideas and recipes for kids' lunches and budget adult lunches. Enjoy!!

I'm Back

There was quite a break! The cross country move killed my "frugal-ness" as I saw money flying out of our account at rapid speeds. But I'm back and I'm here ready to be frugal. Three topics I am going to explore the next week and hopefully report on:

-budget friendly daily packed lunches for my husband and daughter
-budget friendly date ideas
-"allowance" program for my 6 year old sans money

If you have any suggestions I'd love to hear. If not, I'll be back soon with my findings!

Great Website

I came across this website yesterday in the Sunday paper....http://blog.superhealthykids.com/. I've been checking it out today, and I am super happy with the meal ideas bar on the side. I'm always looking for new things to cook for dinner that are healthy and inexpensive. She has a lot of great recipes. Check it out. We're having black bean burgers tonight and lentil sloppy joes next week.

Kellogg's Cereal Rebate

Get a $10 rebate check when you buy 10 Kellogg's or Keebler products. Go here for a printable rebate form: www.fuelforschool.com. Click on the 'Fuel For School' icon on the right-hand side.

What Makes YOU Frugal?

Hey all you blog stalkers out there,

I promise I am trying to think of some more great frugal ideas. I have been busy lately and my mind is not thinking too creatively right now. So.....I ask for your comments. Leave an idea for us of what it is that YOU do to be frugal. We'd love to hear from you.

Website Deals

I'm reposting this.  All credit goes to Holly from SunnysideUpsideDown and her original post. Thanks Holly for all the leg work!

Since we are on a tight budget here in Chi Town I have been scouring the internet on ways to save money and find deals. I have found a couple things that are worth sharing.

Free Jewelry: This site gives jewelry away for FREE! The catch? You must pay for shipping, which is $6.99 and you can't combine purchases. BUT it is sterling silver and gemstones. My mom has ordered some from the site and says the jewelry is beautiful. They only offer four pieces at a time and they change every few minutes, so if you see something snag it quick!

Want free haircuts? I don't even remember where I got this tip, but I just scored an appointment for a free haircut so I thought I'd pass it on. On craigslist there is a section called 'Services' and sub-category for 'Beauty'. If you check it OFTEN new and upcoming stylists will post ads for free haircuts, facials, etc. They need to build up their portfolios and so they offer free services. You have to act quick, hence the checking OFTEN. I have responded to several and finally scored the free one just yesterday. I have my appointment on Monday so I'll let you know how it goes. 

Shopping High for great deals and freebies. She posts freebies, and items that are on super great deals. Most are online, but occasionally it is coupons for a free item that you have to take to the store. I have scored free antibacterial stuff at Bath & Body Works and free frozen lemonaid at Corner Bakery just to name a couple.

Fantabulously Frugal is similiar to Shopping High. They post coupons and freebies and such, but it seems that the majority of her posts are geared to when retailers are having great online and in-store sales. 

Betty Crocker - You can print coupons right from their website and the best part is that you select the coupons you want and only print them and not a bunch that you won't use. 

Pillsbury - Same as Betty Crocker. The coupons on this site change about once a week (I think) so keep an eye on them. 

Diamond Shark - This site has one deal every day. It is always jewelry, it might be a watch, a pair of earrings, a ring...but it is ALWAYS a steal. Name brands are a regular occurance and the shipping is always free.

So there are a few. I am also looking to increase my shopping saavy...any of you out there have some tips to share?

Free Arby's Sandwich!

Sorry it's so late in the day, but today at Arby's you get a free turkey club sandwich with the purchase of a drink. If you're up to dealing with the crowds, it's worth a free sandwich!

Free Bowling at Fat Cats - Utah only

My friend called me today and said that Fat Cats Bowling offers free bowling over the Summer to kids ages 5-15. The kids get 2 free games per day on M-F from 9AM-5PM and up to 5 kids per family.

You do have to pay for the shoe rental (not included) and the adults have to pay to play. But, you can sign up for a "Family Pass" that is $29.95 and then up to 4 adults (parents, grandparents, babysitters or whoever) can bowl on the family pass, also getting 2 free games per day.

This is a limited time offer. You need to go to Fat Cats (click link or go to www.fatcatsfun.com) and then click the "Kids Bowl Free" icon in the upper right hand corner. Then you can register your kids online and they will email you your "Kids Bowl Free" pass within 24 hours.

So...technically if you do the math (and it is not likely you would go this often, but humor me)....then it would be $2.72 a week (11 weeks) for 4 adults to bowl. Remembering that you have to pay for the shoe rental, so it's not quite that cheap, but really, you are getting 2 games per adult, so it comes out to be 34 cents a game per adult (and that is if you only go ONCE a week). Not too shabby!!

Note-- as for the 11 weeks-- thatis just a guess on my part. I do not know officially when the summer bowling program ends. That's just when school starts again for my kids.

Cheap summer fun!! Can't beat that!

Yard Sale Question

Have any of you ever had a yard sale?  We're thinking of hold one to sell our furniture and household items preparatory to moving cross country.  What are reasonable prices to expect people to pay for items like books, childrens clothing, womens/mens clothing & shoes, furniture, and toys.  Is it worth it? What have your experiences been?  Any sage advice? 

Just like I-Hop

Do you love eating out at I-Hop (or a similar pancake house) and eating their delicious pancakes? Me too. Unfortunately, it's not in my family's budget to do something like that very often. I mean, maybe once a year we have done that. It's just not something we can afford to do -we rarely eat out AT ALL, let alone for pancakes on a Saturday morning with the kids. But I ran across a pancake recipe a couple years ago that is awesome and the pancakes turn out fluffy and perfect, very similar to those of a restaurant. (I honestly would give credit to where I found the recipe if I could remember, but I can't. So please forgive me for that one.)

I will say that once we discovered this recipe, we no longer have the desire to "eat out" for pancakes. They are really yummy and so much cheaper than taking the whole family out to eat! We have added chocolate chips to them on occasion, and that is really good too. I am sure you all can come up with many delicious variations! If you do, please share them with us.

Buttermilk Pancakes:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour onto the griddle to form pancakes. Flip pancakes when edges appear top harden. Cook pancakes on the other side until just slightly golden. Makes about 6-8 medium sized pancakes.

Buttermilk Waffles:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoong baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, separated
2 cups buttermilk
2/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Combine ingredients and mix well. Spray waffle iron with cooking spray and cook until lightly golden brown. (Now that I type this, I don't know why the eggs are separated. Hmmm....can you tell my husband always makes these? lol. I will ask him in the morning and come back and fix this part).

Slash Cell Phone Bills

For those who know me know I'm just slightly addicted to my Blackberry... and addicted might be a tad too loose of a term.  Pretty sure I keep better tabs on my phone than my children sometimes.  Well, we've been looking for ways to cut costs as we move our life into the living-on-student-loans-and-loving-it-mode.  One "extra" we pay for is the data plan on my BB.  Which means I get IM, Facebook, Internet, etc all from the nifty little thing in my hand.  However, it costs me an extra $20 a month which equals an extra $240 a year.  Blast.   What's a girl to do? 

Well, get excited.  For those of you who get the shakes just thinking of going without the data plan on your phone.... there is a new wonderful program called OPERA MINI that you can download (while you still have your data plan).  It somehow grabs low running network and allows you to continue to use BB messenger, all the other IM plans (yahoo, msn, aol, etc), facebook, and certain news webpages.  Yes friends.  That means you can have those plans WITHOUT paying for the data plan (or being charged for RIM access).   Plus, it forces you to be a leeeetle less connected to the internet. 

Wanna take it a step further?  Get all your friends who usually text you to download it and then you can all talk on the IM's on your phones.  You'll still be "texting" but won't be paying per text nor having to pay the extra $15 a month for the unlimited text.  Potentially, if I was able to cut out my unlimited text and data plan, I would be saving myself $35 a month = $420 a YEAR!  

I downloaded it tonight and am calling to cancel my data plan tomorrow.  I'll let you know how it all goes. 

**update** apparently I'm not super duper tech savvy. This plan will only work if your phone already has a Wifi chip. Most "smart phones" released in the last two years do, but of course mine doesn't. geeeeeez. good thing I'm getting a new phone next month eh? yay for a contract expiration!!***

Stretching Cold Cereal

I know that cold cereal is not a very frugal way to eat breakfast. However, I have a 10-year-old die hard cold cereal fan in my house, a kid who likes the expensive kinds! And personally? I like cold cereal too. I had to come up with a solution to stretch the cold cereal a little, and hopefully make it more filling and nutritious in the process.

Obviously, shop the sales AND use as many coupons as you can. You might be able to find the boxes for a $1 or less if you do this. You have to be on top of your game and a careful shopper, who might have to make trips to more than one store, or special trips to certain stores, just to hit the sales. But it can be really worth it. If you want more grocery tips, specific to your state (U.S. only), visit Pinching Your Pennies for some great money saving tips.

The other method I came up with was to buy the cereal in the bags, the "Malt-o-Meal" brand, where you are not paying for the packaging. You can get 32 oz for $4.99 (reg price) in the Malt-o-Meal (cheerios) or you can get about 12 oz for about $2.50 (on sale). So, it is much more cost effective to purchase the bagged cereals.

I took it one step further and mixed the sugary cereal that my son loves with the Cheerios. I bought a container and fill it up with cereal mix when needed. My kids haven't complained one bit. I am slowly planning to increase the Cheerios to sugar cereal ratio, gradually, so that they doesn't notice that they are eating more Cheerios than sugar. Yes, I am a bit devious that way. :)

For our readers: What methods do you use to save money on cereal and/or what recipes can you share that you use for inexpensive breakfast foods? Thanks! Hope to hear from you!