Sweet Pennies from Heaven

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Google
  • Home
  • Contact
    • About Me
  • Family
    • Health & Wellness
    • Entertainment
    • Kid Friendly
    • Product Reviews
  • Crafts
    • DIY
  • Holidays
    • Valentine’s Day
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
  • Recipe Box
  • For the Home
    • Organizing
    • Thrifty Tips
  • Giveaways
  • Moms Check In

Our Best Money Saving Tips for 2015 #MomsCheckIn

January 9, 2015 by Jenni 684 Comments

best money saving tips

Our Best Money Saving Tips for 2015

Saving money is always on my mind. Now that the New Year is here, it’s something I want to work harder at too! Even if that money saved is to go towards our vacation fund. Put towards groceries. Date nights. You get the drift…..it’s money that can be spent somewhere else or saved for a college fund even!

Our “Moms Check In” crew and I have some really awesome ideas and we’re sharing our best money saving tips that we use all the time. Hopefully it’ll help make your 2015 a little better!

 

 

Amanda-626x1024“We try to keep our electric bill in check. We do lots of different things like using power strips, using energy efficient appliances, and using smarter lights. You can find lots of energy saving tips here! I also do the $5 method. Every time I get a $5 bill it goes into savings. When I am out at the store, I try to spend just $5 less. It makes it easy and at the end of the year, all of those $5 bills really adds up! “

– Amanda is the mom to Joshua and owns It’s a Fabulous Life. If you are looking for a one stop place for all things mom, It’s a Fabulous Life is it! Full of recipes, fashion, DIY projects, recipes and parenting articles it’s the place for all of Mom’s favorites to come together! Follow her on Twitter here!

 

 

Jenni-Eaves1-213x300

“My biggest tip is to turn down the thermostat a few degrees in the winter and turn it up a few degrees in the summer. Our heating/cooling bill is the biggest chunk of money spent and just by turning it up or down a few degrees can REALLY make a big difference. I’m a big believer in wearing layers in the winter. If you’re cold, put on a sweater…haha! Actually though…keeping it a little cooler in the house during the winter is better for you too. Doctors will tell you to keep your home between 65-70 degrees. The cooler the better, because heat dries up your sinuses, making infections easier to breed. Yuck!“

– Jenni is the mom of one and the author of Sweet Pennies From Heaven. A hearth and home website, Sweet Pennies From Heaven focuses on recipes, crafts and creating a comfortable home. Follow her on Twitter here!

 

 

LindsayHeadShot3Border-300x300“The thing we spend the most money on is food. If I slack in the menu planning department we are at the store a few times a week and it adds up fast. Really fast. This year I’m planning to be more strict with myself about planning a menu, doing one shopping trip a week, and shopping from the flyer so I can buy what’s on sale and plan my menu around that, stocking up while I can save. It makes a huge difference and just requires a little bit of planning each week!”

– Lindsay is the mom of 2 and author of See Mom Click. She shares great deals, Disney happenings and recipes. You can follow her on Twitter here!

 

 

stephanie“I’m not much of a couponer or a flyer watcher. But I do watch our spending tightly so that we can focus on the priorities for our family — like retiring early and giving Sam an excellent education. When I am going shopping, I take out the amount of cash I want to spend for the day and keep to that budget. That way, I’m not tempted to use my credit card or overspend because I see something that’s too good of a deal to refuse. It’s worked well for our family and helped us keep on budget — which I’m really proud of!”

– Stephanie is the mom to Sam and the author of Spaceships and Laser Beams. If you ever need party ideas her site is the place to visit! Specializing in all things boy, it’s full of inspiration! Follow her on Twitter here!

 

 

moms-check-in-1 What is Moms Check In?

Who are the moms of Moms Check In? We’re 4 moms who are also professional bloggers. We chat about a new topic each week. We talk about things from dirty diapers to date night, and everything in between. Moms love to talk to other moms and let’s face it…MOMS know everything!! If you happen to be a blogger also, and want to be a guest host one week, please fill out this form. We’d love to have you join us!

Check out our Money Saving Tips board on Pinterest to get some more ideas!

Follow Sweet Pennies from Heaven’s board Money Saving Ideas on Pinterest.

Before you leave, let us know…

Do you have any helpful money saving tips?

 

Filed Under: Moms Check In, Money Saving Tips, Thrifty Household Tips Tagged With: frugal, Moms Check In, money saving tips, saving, thrifty tips

21 Ways to Reuse Plastic Grocery Bags – Plastic Recycling

February 18, 2013 by Jenni 1,561 Comments

plastic recycling

Plastic Recycling – Reuse your plastic grocery bags!!

 

No. I’m not a master at plastic recycling or any other kind of recycling but I do try to find ways to make the earth a wee bit greener and cleaner. At our house, we do this by doing some plastic recycling and reusing our plastic grocery bags. When you have drawers and cabinets throwing up plastic bags you kind of tend to find ways to reuse them. Like I said, I’m not an expert recycler but I do try and I think that counts for something!

When I come home from trips to the grocery store, I keep all of my plastic bags. Well, at least the ones that didn’t have a leaky package of meat – yuck! I roll them all up and shove them into a drawer (which is slap full at the moment) and reuse them for many different things. If you find yourself overflowing with plastic bags, you might find these tips useful too. Plus you can maybe start your own journey to recycle with these plastic recycling tips!

21 Ways to Reuse Plastic Grocery Bags – Plastic Recycling

1. Makeshift plastic gloves – easier way to handle raw chicken or other meats. I have a serious issue with touching raw meat, especially chicken. I tend to use a fork to flip meat or move from package to skillet or pot. I use the plastic bags to pick up the meat, flip the bag inside out and pitch in the trash or the “scrap” bowl to be thrown outside. We live in the country so the wild critters appreciate the leftovers!

2. Produce peelings – While in the kitchen I also re use plastic bags to put produce peelings in. I just lay the bag flat on the counter and peel into the bag. Then I can either throw the bag into the trash or you can take to your compost pile outside.

3. Unmatched socks – In my utility room, I keep a plastic bag hanging from a shelf to keep unmatched socks in. When it gets full, I empty the bag and match any and leave the unmatched ones in the bag. Hopefully those will find their mates soon!

4. Quick pickup – Use a plastic bag to pick up trash through the house daily. Just make a quick sweep through the house and pick up trash and throw in the bag to pitch. Works great for toys too. Throw toys in the bag as you’re making a quick walk through the house and dump in the kids’ room! This is a super useful plastic recycling tip! I do this EVERY single night!

5. Plastic bag crafts – Did you know that you can make all sorts of fun things with plastic bags? Check out this book called Bags to Beads: Recycle plastic grocery bags into gorgeous beads. You can also knit plastic bags into AWESOME things!! Here’s a book called Eco-Friendly Knits: Using Recycled Plastic Bags (Twenty to Make). I also found this tutorial on how to make a reusable shopping bag from plastic bags!!

6. Fill flower pots – If you fill up flower pots halfway with plastic bags you’ll use much less dirt. I do recommend also using gravel, rocks, broken up bricks or blocks to partially fill them too. Water would have a harder time escaping if you use only plastic and could cause mold and/or water log your plant roots.

7. Knee pads – Wrap a couple or 3 plastic bags around each knee. It’s perfect padding for those DIY projects and garden work outside.

 

Reuse plastic grocery bags - plastic recycling

8. Wrap your paintbrushes – If you’re in the middle of a paint project, wrap your wet paintbrushes up in a plastic bag to keep them from drying out. I just open the plastic bag, stick the paintbrush into it and then twist the bag tightly around the handle It’ll stay moist for 2-3 days or longer depending on the humidity level outside.

9. Make a doggy bed – Fill a pillowcase with plastic bags to make your pooch a nice pet bed! You can put velcro on the end so that you can empty the bags out when the pillowcase needs a washing.

More plastic recycling tips…

10. PooPoo scooper – Keep plastic bags handy to pick up your pets doo doo from the yard. Stick a plastic bag in your pocket if you’re taking your dog for a walk in the neighborhood to clean up their mess along the way. You can also reuse plastic grocery bags to clean out your kitty litter pans to dump!

11. For dirty diapers – I know this is probably an obvious plastic recycling tip, but I’m sure there are some people who still use those diaper disposable bags from the baby section at the store. Plastic grocery bags and even bread bags work just as well and you don’t have to pay for those!

12. Car sickness and car cleanup – Keep some plastic grocery bags handy in the car. They’re great to keep hanging around your gear shift to throw fast food bags, trash, and bottles in vs. just throwing them in the floor board – like most kids do! Also, you never know when you or one of the kids might unexpectedly get car sick!

13. Packing materials – If you ship stuff out regularly or even once a year, reuse plastic grocery bags as packing materials vs. buying bubble wrap or packing peanuts. It works just as well!

14. Makeshift Umbrella or rain hat – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done this! Use a plastic bag to cover your head if you can’t find your umbrella. If you can find your umbrella, you can use a plastic bag to keep your wet umbrella in the car!

15. Trashcan liners – Here’s one more obvious plastic recycling tip but I just had to include it. Reuse plastic grocery bags to line your small bathroom or office area trash cans. This is a pet peeve of mine. I can not stand to see a bathroom trashcan without some kind of bag in it. Just grosses me out!

16. Winter shoe covers – If you’re going out in the show and don’t want to get your feet wet, cover them with plastic bags. It keeps your feet nice and dry. I usually pull the bags up to just under my knee especially if the snow is very deep. Obviously, if you have rain boots that would work too but for those who don’t…this is a great idea in a pinch!

17. Keep mud and wet grass out – This is one of my favorite plastic recycling tips!! Keep some plastic bags outside on your patio or porch. In the summer months, mud and wet grass tends to get tracked inside if you’re doing gardening or mowing the yard. If you have to run inside for a split second, throw some bags over your shoes to keep from tracking it all in. My husband HATES taking his shoes off and on in the summer when he’s going in and out. This trick works great for him!

18. Yard or Garage Sales – Keep some bags handy to put items people have bought into for them to easily carry. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen a yard sale customer pay for something and walk off with an armload of stuff. Much easier for them if they have a bag to carry it all in. PLUS…as the day gets later you can pass bags out to customers and say, “Fill a bag for $3” just to get rid of what’s left!

19. Separate dirty clothes when traveling – If you’re traveling, pack a couple of plastic grocery bags to keep your dirty clothes separated from your clean ones. They’re also great to pack shoes in so you don’t get any dirt from your shoes onto your packed clothes.

20. Use to insulate old window frames – We live in a very old farmhouse. The windows are not the original farmhouse windows BUT they’re still OLD windows. We use plastic bags to fill the gaps to keep cold air from creeping in. Just use a butter knife to shove the plastic bags into the gaps. Works like a charm!!

 

reuse plastic grocery bags - plastic recycling

 

reuse plastic grocery bags - plastic recycling
Hold plastic bag length wise and use a butter knife to shove bag into the gap. You want it tight so no air can squeeze through.

reuse plastic grocery bags - plastic recyclingPush the plastic bags in as far as you can so they’re not so visible. I used a brown plastic bag so any extra wouldn’t be so noticeable. You can barely see it now and when I push my curtain back in place, it’s not visible at all. It’s February now and I can feel cold air coming in where I haven’t added the plastic bags. Where the plastic is, I feel nothing!! My dining room is the draftiest room in the house so I’m happy that this works!

21. Thrifty party balloons????? – Okay ya’ll. This was my husband’s idea. I know better than to ask him for ideas but I did anyway and this was the one he came up with. He also suggested adding cheap LED lights to them to make them fun for night time. I have to give it to him….that’s pretty original. He also mentioned using them as parachutes for  G.I. Joe action figures. What can I say? Boys will be boys and men will be boys – most of the time!

If you have any other ways to reuse plastic grocery bags or other plastic recycling tips, please leave a comment! We’d love to hear them!!! If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out my other useful and thrifty household tips! Some reader favorites are:

How to Remove Ink from Plastic Containers – Reuse Your Containers

Homemade Laundry Soap | Only 3 Ingredients (Just 2 Cents per Load!!!)

Into Green Cleaning? Try the New Heinz Cleaning Vinegar!

How to Get Rid of Fleas Using Apple Cider Vinegar – All Natural & Thrifty

Topic: Reuse plastic grocery bags – plastic recycling

Filed Under: Money Saving Tips, Thrifty Household Tips Tagged With: 21 ways to reuse plastic bags, frugal, green living, Household tips, plastic recycling, recyle, thrifty tips

10 CELEBRITIES who live Thrifty & Frugal Lives

April 14, 2010 by Jenni 916 Comments

Have you ever wondered if big Hollywood celebrities use coupons?  Or did you just assume that most of them just spent their money on things they wanted regardless of the cost?  I got nosey myself and done some searching and found some interesting things!!  Here are 10 celebrities that live “somewhat” frugal lives.  I think you’ll be shocked to know some of this info.  I know I was!!

1.  In 2009 Reese Witherspoon was found shopping with her mother, Betty at a local bookstore.  From there they were seen going into the Hidden Treasures thrift store in Los Angeles.  How cute is that??  I just think that is awesome!  What would you do if you were to find a celebrity in your local thrift store…hahaha.  Way to go Reese!!

 

2.  Angelina Jolie wore this $26 thrift store find at the premier of her movie “A Mighty Heart” in 2008.  It’s a vintage crushed velvet dress that she made look fabulous!!  Apparently the Hollywood and Fashion Industries loved it!!

3.  The Queen of England opted to re-use 20 year old material to make a new dress instead of buying a new one for a special event!!  She is well known for recycling clothes! 

4-5.  Jessica Alba and Hillary Duff are both seen here wearing Jeggings that usually cost anywhere around $200.  Each of these gals opted for the ones that cost $83. 

6.  One of the American Idol winners, Carrie Underwood, says that she is frugal and always has been.  Apparently, she would argue with the wardrobe department at AI because they would want to dress her in high dollar clothing.  She said she would never pay $400 for a pair of Blue Jeans.  She loves to grocery shop and do her own laundry.  She said that she now does buy the more expensive brand products at the grocery even if it might cost $0.30 more than the store brand!  I wonder if she uses coupons??  Even so, I am a HUGE fan of Carrie Underwood!  Way to go Carrie!

7.  Tyra Banks says that she has always been frugal as well.  A couple little things to know about her is that she likes the Cheesecake factory and stocks up on Hotel Soap…haha.  One Frugal tip that she likes to share is using Vaseline as a beauty product.  She uses it everywhere such as her lips, on laugh lines, and under her eyes.  She swears by it!!  I wonder if I have a coupon for Vaseline!? 

8.  Sarah Jessica Parker used to suffer from buyers remorse.  She would buy things and then return them the next day!  She said that even though her and her husband are wealthy they still want their son to grow up living a normal life.  She doesn’t want him “riding the gravy train”!  I really admire that!!

9.  Sarah Michelle Gellar actually takes her re-usable bag with her when she shops at Whole Foods to receive her discount.  She also said that she shops at Bloomingdale’s, but only on the Double Rewards Days!!!  Here’s where the coupons come in…….she prints her dry cleaning coupons before heading out to pick up her clothes!  Way to Go Sarah!!!

10.  Even though Eva Longoria spent $1.5 million on her wedding, she snagged FREEBIES for all of her guests.  These freebies included items like expensive gold jewelry, L’oreal products, Cole Haan, and Bebe products!  When she was younger, she said that she would go camping with her dad and her siblings.  Her dad wouldn’t pack any food so they had to live off the land.  She actually knows how to skin a deer, a pig, and a snake!!!!  Can you imagine seeing her do that?? 

Well, now you know that there are some celebrities who live more frugal lives than others.  It’s fun knowing that some celebrities out there still like to save money.  I know they aren’t on the same couponing boat as you and I, but it’s cool to know that some out there still believe in the importance of pinching a penny!!! 

Thanks to the following sources:  thecheapbook.com, celebsource.org, radaronline.com, frugal-cafe.com, and walletpop.com. 

Blessings~

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: celebrities, frugal, thrifty

Never miss another post, subscribe now for all the latest projects & simple solutions sent straight to your inbox!

Featured

100% Natural Baby Products Alternatives + 5 Things to Leave OUT of Your Diaper Bag!

100% Natural Baby Products Alternatives + 5 Things to Leave OUT of Your Diaper Bag!

How to Decorate the Rim of a Glass with Sprinkles + $25 Visa/Entenmann’s® Prize Pack Giveaway

How to Decorate the Rim of a Glass with Sprinkles + $25 Visa/Entenmann’s® Prize Pack Giveaway

Tagalongs Peanut Butter S’Mores

Tagalongs Peanut Butter S’Mores

Thin Mint Ice Cream Sandwiches

Thin Mint Ice Cream Sandwiches

Toasted SMores Bars | Simple and Decadent with Layers of Ooey Gooeyness

Toasted SMores Bars | Simple and Decadent with Layers of Ooey Gooeyness



Follow Me!

Visit Sweet Pennies from Heaven's profile on Pinterest.
Jenni @ Sweet PenniesI'm posting away onHometalk.com
My Topics: , Crafts, Bathroom Ideas
 

Sweet Pennies Archives

Double Duty Divas Mom It Forward: Contributor

the chick behind this blog! I'm your ordinary, everyday wife and mom to an incredible pair of stinky guys! I am a self diagnosed coffee addict with a ginormous sweet tooth, preferably baked goods!! My hope is to help you, teach you, and entertain you on your way to a more thrifty and frugal lifestyle! Along the way, you'll find awesome recipes, great tips, and tons of randomness! We have loads of fun, so ya'll come back now, ya hear?!

Quick Links

  • Amazon Deals
  • Coupons
  • Couponing For Beginners
  • Coupon Database
  • Drugstore Deals
  • Grocery Store Deals
  • Earn Extra Money
  • Freebies Deals
  • Stockpiling Deals
  • Thrifty Household Tips
Copyright ©2021, Sweet Pennies from Heaven. All Rights Reserved.
Custom design by Pixel Me Designs