Sweet Pennies from Heaven

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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

7 Tips on How to Save Money on Thanksgiving Dinner

November 15, 2014 by Jenni 27 Comments

This is a sponsored post in partner with IFOF. All opinions are my own.

 

how to save money on Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I know making that shopping list can be daunting! You don’t ever cook THAT much any other time through the year and it can end up costing a fortune. There are 7 ways that I’ve learned how to save money on Thanksgiving Dinner and I wanted to share them with you.

7  Tips on How to Save Money on Thanksgiving Dinner

1. Make a list and then find coupons to use on as many of the items as you can.

2. Shop at stores that you can combine store coupons with manufacturer coupons.

3. Price match. Walmart price matches, so take ads in and price match as many of the items on your list as you can.

4. Volunteer other family members or friends to help cook. This will take some of the burden off of you.

5. Shop around for prices on turkey or ham. Usually though, the week or 2 before Thanksgiving is the best time to buy. They’re on sale everywhere.

6. Scale back! Most times we end up having WAY too much food and there are usually 3 or 4 dishes that no one would even miss. Drop $15/$20 just by scaling back!

7. Buy frozen over fresh turkey. These are cheaper, however, you have to allow plenty of time to thaw. Here’s a post that gives turkey thawing instructions.

 

I have a few fantastic recipes that are thrifty and perfect for Thanksgiving dinner or as snacks. Just click on any of the links below to visit that recipe, and enjoy!! Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving Day with family and friends!

 

baked mac and cheeseEasy Baked Mac and Cheese

 

mashed potatoesEasy, Rich and Creamy Mashed Potatoes (The Pioneer Woman’s recipe!)

 

Pumpkin PieLight Pumpkin Pie

 

pumpkin pie puppy chowPumpkin Pie Puppy Chow

 

 

Affordable Food Tips (1)

I am an IFOF (Indiana Family of Farmers) Ambassador for the Affordable Food Tips For Your Family, From Our Family Series. I have written a few other posts in this series. You can find them below.

Week’s Meal Plan Under $50 Plus One Pan Pasta with Chicken Recipe

 Everything in Moderation | What I Learned at the Grocery Store

13 Guaranteed Ways to Stick to Your Grocery Budget

 

Filed Under: Miscellaneous, Money Saving Tips, Prepare for Thanksgiving 5 Week Series Tagged With: how to save money, save money, Thanksgiving, thrifty tips

20 Uses for Peppermint Oil – Natural Remedy to Keep Mice Away and So Much More!

December 23, 2013 by Jenni 1,657 Comments

We live in the country and now that winter is here, the field mice are starting to visit more frequently than we like. Ew. They are cute and all…on TV. But not in my house! I found out that peppermint oil is a natural remedy to keep mice away! There are also several other really great uses for peppermint oil! Thanks to FamilyFrugalFun for sharing these with us!

20 uses for peppermint oil

Not only does the peppermint oil keep certain critters away, but there are also some nice health benefits to using it. Ahhhh….thanks peppermint for being more than just something to freshen my breath! AND thank you for being such a cheap and awesome product! You can find Peppermint Oil here on Amazon!

  1. Enteric coated pepperment oil capsules break down slowly, and are very good for numerous GI illnesses such as irritable bowel syndrome, heartburn, and indigestion.
  2. When taken orally, peppermint oil is also great for morning sickness….wish I had known that when I was expecting!
  3. Rub peppermint oil on your temples to relieve tension.
  4. Peppermint oil on the temples is also an excellent natural remedy for migraine headaches.
  5. Treat motion sickness by rubbing peppermint oil on your abdomen and wrist for a few minutes.
  6. Looking for a natural way to get rid of mice? Soak cottonballs in peppermint oil, then lay them where you see “evidence” of mice. In a matter of days, your mouse problem will be solved because they can’t stand the strong smell.
  7. It is also an effective natural defense against mosquitos.
  8. Ants won’t cross a line of peppermint oil; for an interesting experiment, lay down a line of peppermint oil where you have seen ants and watch what happens…no ants!
  9. Peppermint oil can be combined with almond oil for a great muscle-friendly massage oil.
  10. Diffuse peppermint oil in the air; this provides both nausea and headache relief. Great for migraines!
  11. Add a drop to your favorite food or beverage for a minty twist (try it in hot cocoa this holiday season, YUM)
  12. Capsules of peppermint oil provide menstrual pain relief as quickly as most name-brand medicines.
  13. Mix a potion of half lavender oil and half peppermint oil to stop bug bite itch.
  14. The same lavender and peppermint mixture will also keep you from getting those nasty bug bites in the first place ;)
  15. Allergic rash? Help ease symptoms and make it go away faster by applying peppermint oil.
  16. 2-3 drops of peppermint oil added to hot tea or ice cold water after meals will make a big difference in your digestion.
  17. The next time you have trouble focusing put a drop on each index finger and massage your temples and below your nose.  The smell will perk you up.
  18. Applied to the back of your neck a few times during the day, peppermint oil works like magic to boost your energy level naturally.
  19. If you are fighting cough and cold symptoms, use a little peppermint oil in a vaporizer or in a pan of water steaming on the stove. Take a few deep breaths and you will notice an immediate clearing of your sinuses.
  20. Oral consumption of small quantities of peppermint oil helps with gas and bloating.

See…I told you peppermint oil was awesome!! I love when I can find a single item that does so many things. You can save a fortune by trying the peppermint oil vs. buying all of the products to remedy the problems mentioned above! Mouse traps, migraine medicine, PMS medicine, mosquito repellant…and on and on! Let us know how the peppermint oil works for you!!!

I posted an article the other day here (click here) –> 20 uses for Almond Oil. You wouldn’t believe how much money you could save by using almond oil in place of beauty and hair products! I love to share great ways to save money. Be sure to check out my other money saving ideas and thrifty household tips!

What thrifty tips do you use regularly? Don’t by shy….tell us about them! Leave us a comment below and share your awesome tips with everyone!

Filed Under: Amazon Deals, Health & Wellness, Money Saving Tips, Thrifty Household Tips Tagged With: Peppermint Oil, thrifty tips, uses for peppermint oil

20+ Ways to Reuse Diaper Wipe Containers #Recycle

August 8, 2013 by Jenni 1,499 Comments


reuse diaper wipe containers

Over 20 Ways to Reuse Diaper Wipe Containers

Looking for ways to reuse diaper wipe containers? You’ve come to the right place! I still have tons of baby wipes containers. I never could “let go” of them because I knew that they would be so handy for so many things. How many times have  you thrown one away — and then the next day think, “Shoot! I wish I hadn’t thrown that container away!!” because you found the perfect use for it!

The size is great for holding different things and then of course there’s that glorious lid, right?! It makes some things handy to grab quickly. I just hate throwing containers away. So much so, that I even found a way to remove ink print from plastic containers so that I could reuse them. I love nice, clean and white containers!

There are so many things I reuse diaper wipe containers for, so I thought I’d share a bunch with you! Depending on what you’re using them for, you can always decorate them with Washi Tape!! I love that stuff!

1. Store baby items – Keep lotion, diaper rash cream, etc. at your diaper changing table just to keep things in reach and organized.

2. Roundup those crayons and markers – Let the kids reuse diaper wipe containers and make a DIY Art Box.

3. Kids tackle box – Kids love to fish…let them create their own tackle box. It’s a fun way to reuse diaper wipe containers!

4. Corral loose blocks or puzzle pieces – It never fails. I’m always finding loose puzzle pieces or lego blocks that go with a set.

5. Make a change bank – Keep loose change and store the container in the utility room! Mom keeps the pocket change. #1 Rule!!

6. Odds & Ends – Keep the hubby’s odds and ends like nuts, bolts, and super small tools. Label it DADS Stuff!

7. House batteries – We use a lot of rechargeable batteries around here. I keep them in a container and cycle them out!

8. Keep Condiments – Keep a container in the kitchen cabinet with packets of ketchup, sauces, and even plastic cutlery.

9. Sewing Box – Store your needles, thread, etc. in a diaper wipes container for a makeshift “emergency” sewing kit!

10. Yarn Dispenser – Keep your Yarn or thread work from getting pulled out or knotted up.

11. Car Organizer – Reuse diaper wipes containers to hold change for the car wash, restaurant coupons, etc.

12. Coupon Organizer – These are the perfect size for organizing your coupons!

13. Recipe Box – Again…the perfect size for a recipe box!

14. Hair Accessories – Keep hair bows, ponytail holders, bobby pins, barrettes, etc. in.

15. Family Suggestion Box – This is a FUN one! Let the fam makes dinner, dessert, movie suggestions!

16. Mani/Pedi Box – Reuse Diaper wipe containers to store files, buffers, polish, cotton pads and polish in!

17. Desk/Office Organizer – Organize your ink pens, paper clips, staples, post it notes and more.

18. Store Plastic Bags – I reuse plastic bags for lots of things! Read this post – 21 Ways to Reuse Plastic Bags for some great ideas.

19. Travel – Keep liquids/makeup in a container in bags when traveling! Keeps your clothes from getting destroyed if bottles bust.

20. Hold extra chargers/cords – Keep extras in a diaper wipes box. Just label what they go to before you put them in the box!

21. Cash Box – Having a yard sale? Keep your cash/change in a diaper wipes container…it’s the perfect size!

Do you have other things you reuse diaper wipe containers for? Let us know…we’d love to hear about it! Just leave a comment below.

 

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like some of these other thrifty posts.

Homemade Eye Makeup Remover with Only 2 Ingredients – Costs Just $0.32 Per Ounce

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

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

17 Useful and Creative Ways to Reuse Coffee Cans Now

13 Perfectly Useful Ways To Reuse Coffee Creamer Bottles

Filed Under: Money Saving Tips, Organizing, Thrifty Household Tips, Thrifty Thursday Tagged With: Baby Wipes, Diaper Wipes, DIY, Reduce Reuse Recycle, Reuse Diaper Wipe Containers, thrifty tips

August Savings Guide – What to Buy, What’s on Clearance, What’s in Season

August 6, 2013 by Jenni 321 Comments

August-Savings-Guide


Here is your August Savings Guide! This guide will show you what to buy, what’s on clearance and what’s in season for the month of August. This guide is intended to help you understand how the monthly grocery and other promotional sales cycle. Always planning ahead is one of the best tips to use when trying to save!! I hope you find this helpful. Thanks to Family Frugal Fun for sharing this awesome guide!

 

Clearance-sale-sign (1)

Items you’ll find on clearance in August:

  • Gardening  supplies
  • Seeds for planting (they’ll last about 2 yrs)
  •  Summer apparel and summer toys & outdoor furnishing start to go on sale towards months end

 

Time-to-buy-sign

  • A good time to buy in August:
    • School supplies ( on sale)
    • Office supplies (on sale)
    • Juice boxes & pouches, lunch items like sandwich meats, lunch snacks, cereals bars, pudding cups, granola bars, fruit snacks, canned fruit, sandwich cheese slices
    • Breakfast foods like cereals, oatmeal etc
    • Tissues, disinfectants, hand sanitizers, sanitizing wipes
    • Ice cream, popsicles

Whats-in-season

  • Here’s a list of what’s in season in August:
    • watermelon, plums
    • strawberries, kiwi, plum
    • blueberries,  apricots
    • raspberries, radish
    • cantaloupe, apples
    • asparagus, avocados
    • basil, beets, cabbage
    • carrots, peppers, okra
    • lemons,   grapefruits
    • oranges, collards, pears
    • grapes, kale, onion
    • nectarines, passion fruit
    • peaches, potatoes
    • cucumbers, tomatoes squash
    • corn, beans eggplant, lettuce, figs

    Consider “pick your own” farms to stock up on inexpensive fruit and vegetables for summer canning & freezing

 

To-do-list-image-300x191

    • Sign up for newsletters & emails from your favorite restaurants and businesses using a separate new email address you create just for deals & savings
    • Keep coupons for dining out in your purse or wallet.
    • Build up a 6 month stockpile;
    • Buy enough  food & toiletries when on sale at their rock bottom sale price for each person in your family  so you don’t run out (when you “need” a product you’ll be wiling to pay full price – don’t let that happen)
    • •Many states offer a tax free holiday for back to school shopping  – check with your local Dept of taxation for your state
    • •Close blinds during direct sun hours to conserve on cooling costs
    • •Shop  with a specific grocery list based on sales & start meal planning for a busy back to school schedule (quick meals for busy nights, easy breakfast foods etc)

 

National-Holidays-image-300x118

Family Fun Month

    • National Catfish Month
    • National Eye Exam Month
    • National Golf Month
    • Peach Month
    • Romance Awareness Month
    • Water Quality Month
    • National Picnic Month

    Weekly Events in the month of August:

    • Week 1 National Simplify your Life Week
    • Week 2 National Smile Week
    • Week 3 Friendship Week
    • Week 4 Be Kind to Humankind Week

    Special Day in August

    • August 4 Friendship Day – First Sunday in August
    • August 10 National S’mores Day
    • August 14 National Creamsicle Day
    • August 18th – Maggie’s Birthday! Lol
    • August 30 Toasted Marshmallow Day
    • August 31 National Trail Mix Day

 

FREE-Picture

    • Museums on Us Bank of America
    • Saturdays at  Lakeshore FREE workshop for kids
    • Pottery Barn Tuesday Story Times
    • Saturdays Michaels FREE workshops (Scrap In small fee)
    • Saturdays  Lowes Build and Grow workshop for kids
    • Wednesday Sept 18th (plan ahead there is no free night in August)  FREE Entrance into the Philadelphia Franklin Institute (Science center)
    • Weekends in August FREE workshops with Home Depots
    • National Night Out (August 6th)
    • The Kennedy Center (Washington, DC)  FREE shows every day at 6pm
    • Kids Skate FREE

Filed Under: Money Saving Tips, Thrifty Household Tips, Thrifty Thursday Tagged With: August Savings Guide, money saving tips, Save in the month of August, thrifty tips, what's in season

Oatmeal Recipe – Make Your Own Homemade Instant Oatmeal

May 28, 2013 by Jenni 1,155 Comments

Homemade Instant Oatmeal Recipe


Ever considered making your own Homemade Instant Oatmeal Recipe? You should…it kind of makes you feel like Wonder Woman! I know that those boxes of single serve instant oatmeal packets are really convenient but they’re also really pricey if you break down what they cost per packet. Buying the ingredients and making your own is SO much cheaper! Thanks to the awesome Maggie at Family Frugal Fun for sharing her instant oatmeal recipe with us!

Homemade Instant Oatmeal Recipe

  • 1/4 Cup Quaker Quick Oats
  • 1  tblsp Domino brown sugar
  • 1 tblsp Carnation instant dry milk

Add approximately 3 – 4 tablespoons hot water or microwave as you would your instant oatmeal packs. I like to make my instant oatmeal ahead of time and pack in a hefty baggie so everything is all measured out. For a diet version of my instant oatmeal just omit the milk and switch to Domino light sugar. You likely won’t notice the difference.

If you’re helping a child start making their own breakfast in the mornings then you would just measure out the ingredients and place them in a bowl or children’s mug the night before with the tablespoon next to it for adding water.

*You can also add different things to make fun variations if you get bored easily. Add raisins, cinnamon, apples or whatever you like. I like a little maple syrup in mine with brown sugar. 🙂

*Be SURE to purchase quick oats and not a 3 minute cooking time oatmeal for this recipe.

I love to make things homemade as much or as often as I can! I never really considered doing that before but the older I get, the more frugal I get…and I also get some satisfaction out of it! Knowing that I made something vs. just buying it makes me feel all “Pioneer Woman-ish”.

 

Homemade laundry soap

My favorite homemade product that I make is my laundry soap detergent (<– click that link to check it out!). The detergent recipe only calls for 3 ingredients AND it comes in at around $0.02-$0.04 per load!!! My husband is a welder and it gets HIS stinky yucky work clothes clean – so I know the stuff works!

What kinds of things do you prefer to make homemade vs. buying? We’re always up for new ideas. Leave us a comment, we’d love to hear!!

Filed Under: DIY Ideas, Money Saving Tips, Recipe Box, Tasteful Tuesday, Thrifty Household Tips, Thrifty Thursday Tagged With: DIY, Homemade Instant Oatmeal Recipe, Oatmeal Recipe, Recipes, thrifty tips

How to Get Rid of Bugs on Your Plants and Rose Bushes – Natural and Thrifty Alternatives

May 26, 2013 by Jenni 1,542 Comments

how to get rid of bugs on roses and plants


Spring has sprung and my rose bushes are in full bloom. The leaves are also full of holes and brown spots from early buggy visitors and disease. The pests are more than likely aphids and the disease could either be from the pests or some type of fungus. This happens each and every year with my roses and some other flowering plants that I have. It absolutely drives me batty!!! Almost as much as mole hills in the yard!

how to get rid of bugs on plants and rose bushesI haven’t mulched yet so my flower bed is sort of bare under the bush. My favorite is red mulch!

I wanted to share some natural and thrifty remedies with you if you’re finding the same thing with your roses or plants. I have used Sevin Dust in the past and it works but it’s also a poisonous chemical and you really should be careful when you use it! I recommend wearing a mask when you dust it on your lawn or plants because you don’t want to breathe it in. I tend to get a little shake happy with the canister so I know from experience :). A friend of mine on Facebook (thanks Lori!) also said that she uses lime on her garden and plants. She buys it locally from Ace Hardware.

I have several different rose bushes and I am going to be trying some of the following methods below and will update through spring/summer with what has worked best for me. These methods below have been recommended from friends/family or found through different garden forums.

 

roses

How to Get Rid of Bugs on your plants and roses:

1. Drown those suckers…with a blast of water from the garden hose. This remedy seems to work well for most to get aphids or other little buggars off your roses and plants. You want to use the jet stream setting on your water hose sprayer. A regular spray from the hose won’t have enough power to knock them off. Make sure that you’re not knocking off blooms or breaking stems…you just want to put a good blast of water on them and work underneath too. Aphids like to hide UNDER the leaves!

2. Soap ’em up and shove ’em out! Mixing gentle soap (Blue Dawn dish soap or Ivory Liquid are the most recommended) and/or oil with water in a spray bottle and giving your roses a squirt will help get rid of the aphids and other bugs.

Spray Mixture:

In a quart of water, mix in a few drops (5-8) of dish liquid or other liquid soap (something gentle, even Murphy’s Oil Soap works well) and 1 teaspoon of oil (vegetable, canola, etc.).

Combine well and spray on your plants or rose bushes. Don’t’ forget the underside of the leaves because that’s where they like to hide! After it rains, give them another spray.

3. The ole’ vampire method! Aphids hate garlic. I wonder if they’re related to vampires?! 😉 Combine about a tablespoon or 2 of minced garlic with a quart of water and spray that mixture on your plants or rose bush.

4. ACV – The Cure All Solution! Mix 1 ounce of apple cider vinegar to 3 oz. of water and spray onto your roses or plants. Keep in mind some plants are not tolerable of vinegar. P.S. If you didn’t already know, you can get rid of fleas with vinegar too!

 

how to get rid of bugs on your roses and plants

5. Natural store bought insecticides. If these other methods don’t work for you, you can go with a natural grade insecticide from your local nursery or garden store. Always read and follow the instructions. This Garden Safe Insecticidal Soap has great reviews on Amazon and it says it kills all bugs on contact.

If you have tips or tried and true methods, please leave us a comment! We’d love to hear them!!

Filed Under: Miscellaneous, Money Saving Tips, Thrifty Household Tips, Thrifty Thursday Tagged With: aphids, gardening, How To Get Rid of Bugs on Rose Bushes, natural garden tips, natural remedies, thrifty tips

Ways That We Reduce and Reuse Everyday Things – Our #EverydayEffect Challenge

April 21, 2013 by Jenni 891 Comments

Everyday Effect


I’ve always been on the “frugal” side of life for the most part. Part of being frugal, naturally, includes finding ways to reduce and reuse things. I won’t say that I’m an avid recycler – because if I did…I’d be lying. I do try to green things up a lot around here though. I’m the one who wears my tennis shoes until the sole comes off (literally, TRUE story). I’ve been known to walk plum out of my shoes.

A lot of my kid’s clothes are hand me down (not too proud to admit) and I love to find good deals at the local thrift shops. I’m just always finding ways to get good use out of what we have until it’s flat not any good to use anymore. If Eli gets a hole or a stain on his shirt, it goes in his play clothes pile. From there it will eventually over time make it’s way to the “cleaning rags” pile. Just another easy way to reduce and reuse!

eli's paint and play shirt

 

P&G (Procter & Gamble) has an awesome Every Day Effect Conserve it All challenge going right now that I’m proud to participate in. This challenge is just one way to let others know that doing just simple, ordinary things daily can and DOES make a difference. P&G believes the most effective changes don’t necessarily start with grand acts and can start much closer to home, by changing the way we think about things like waste. Ordinary actions like washing your laundry in lower temps and doing the dishes with a more concentrated product can help allowing us to reduce energy and waste!!

Save some Green Everyday Effects P&G Challenge

For the Every Day Effect challenge, I wanted to challenge my family to leaving the lights off during the day. Our house is surrounded by trees so we have alot of shade during the day. I knew that this would INDEED be a challenge. Surprisingly enough…I’ve been the one having the most difficulty with it. It’s not that I don’t want to do it…it’s just a force of habit to turn the lights on in any room I’m in even when there’s plenty of day light coming in through the windows. Goes to show how much we just take for granted, huh?! I’ve posted sticky notes on all the light switches saying “Save some GREEN!” and it has been a nice reminder. Making a concerted effort towards something can create a habit, so that’s what we’re shooting for.

I also wanted to share a few other simple things that we do every day (simple things that YOU can do too) that makes an impact in greener and all around healthier living. Really, if it’s something I can do it’s something that you can do too! Reduce and reuse!!

Ways we reduce and reuse around our house:

  • Use cold water for laundry (except for whites and/or towels)
  • Make my own laundry detergent (much cheaper, plus I don’t have to throw out all the plastic bottles)
  • Let dishes air dry vs. using heated dry in dishwasher
  • We don’t have a compost pile, but you can add cut grass and food scraps to the pile if you have one (This is something I am interested in doing…need to do some homework!)
  • Reuse my coffee creamer bottles
  • Reuse my coffee cans
  • Reuse plastic bags
  • Use vinegar as my MAIN cleaning product…it does it all (awesome cleaner and all natural)
  • Turning TV’s and lights off when not being used (we’re working on the light issue)

 

flower

Doing these everyday things like I said DOES make a difference! No, you might not be saving the whales by re-using your coffee can for some awesome reason – but you have to look at it as a chain reaction. You never know – the next coffee can you throw out could possibly end up in the ocean eventually! Honest….just think about it that way. Over time your small efforts pay off.

We’d love to hear your comments…let us know how YOU try to make a difference. Leaving comments always gives others ideas as well. We can all definitely learn from one another! While you’re still here, make sure to head over and enter yourself to WIN an awesome prize. P&G #EverydayEffects Pinterest Giveaway! Some lucky person is going to win a washing machine!!! You can connect with P&G on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date in all the latest news!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks and P&G.

Filed Under: Hot Topics, Miscellaneous, Money Saving Tips, Thrifty Household Tips, Thrifty Thursday Tagged With: #EverydayEffect, green living, money saving tips, P&G, recycle, Reduce and Reuse, thrifty tips

13 Perfectly Useful Ways To Reuse Coffee Creamer Bottles

February 22, 2013 by Jenni 2,102 Comments

Coffee Creamer BottlesCreative Ways to Reuse Coffee Creamer Bottles

 

I’ve been on a lightning streak lately with ways to reuse some perfectly good containers vs. throwing them in the trash. If you use creamer in your coffee then you probably go through a lot of coffee creamer bottles. Here are a few really cool ways to reuse them instead of throwing them out! Here are some awesome ways to reuse coffee cans too!

 

Coffee Creamer Bottle

Reuse Coffee Creamer Bottles In the Kitchen:

Makeshift sports bottle. This is another way I use mine. With the flip top lids, they’re easy to drink from and fit perfectly in my fridge!

Store dry cereal or the Baby Goldfish Crackers. These little bottles are great to throw in a diaper bag and the cereal or crackers don’t get crushed like they do if you just use a baggie!

Store sugar or cinnamon. Having the easy pour spout on the coffee creamer bottles makes it easy to add a little sugar to your coffee or cereal without having to drag the bag of sugar out. I keep mine by the coffee pot! Keep some cinnamon in another one. Great to pour out into a measure spoon when cooking.

Homemade Creamer. If you make your own coffee creamer, reuse your creamer bottles to store it in.

Homemade Dressing. Same as above…if you make your own dressings, add a label to a bottle and store your dressing. Easy pouring onto a bed of pretty greens!

Keep chocolate chips in. If you bake a lot, then you probably always have chocolate chips on hand. I hate when the bags tear, so you use a creamer bottle and pour them out as needed.

 

In the Bath and Utility Room:

Keep homemade laundry detergent. If you make your own detergent, use one of these bottles to store it in. It’s perfect with the easy pour spout and the smaller bottles will fit nicer on the shelf than a big ole’ bottle. If you’re going on vacation, this is the perfect size to take too. Just enough if you have to do your own laundry while gone!

Epsom Salt. If you add some Epsom salt to your bath water, keep a small creamer bottle full next to the tub.

Shampoo or Body Wash. A lot of people make their own shampoo and/or body wash. You can store yours in these bottles. Also, if you buy the bulk size containers, it’s much easier to refill these bottles than man handle the giant bottles in the shower!

 

Kids and Crafts:

Make Bowling Pins. Fill 10 creamer bottles up with water, sand, or gravel. Set them up and let them go bowling in the yard!

Music Shakers. Add rice or beans to a bottle. Perfect music makers for your little ones!

Store Glitter. If you use a lot of glitter when crafting, store your glitter in the smaller creamer bottles. This way you can have better control over how much is being used.

Store Glue. If you’re a major crafter or teacher, you might buy glue in bulk containers. Pour some over into a smaller creamer bottle for fun projects. Just label accordingly.

 

I hope you’ve found these tips helpful. If you have any other fun ideas about how to reuse coffee creamer bottles we’d love to hear them. Just leave us a comment below! Here are some other tips that you might find useful. Some reader favorites are:

17 Useful and Creative Ways to Reuse Coffee Cans Now

21 Ways to Reuse Plastic Grocery Bags – Plastic Recycling

How to Remove Ink from Plastic Containers – Reuse Your Containers

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

Topic: Reuse Coffee Creamer Bottles

Filed Under: DIY Ideas, Money Saving Tips, Thrifty Household Tips, Thrifty Thursday Tagged With: coffee creamer bottles, Frugal Tips, Household tips, recycle, recycle coffee creamer bottles, thrifty tips, ways to reuse coffee creamer bottles

17 Useful and Creative Ways to Reuse Coffee Cans Now

February 22, 2013 by Jenni 2,249 Comments

coffee cans

17 Useful & Creative Ways to Reuse Coffee Cans

 

I don’t know about you, but we drink a lot of coffee at our house. I know we’re not the only folks that drink a ton of coffee so I can’t even begin to imagine how many coffee canisters are floating around out there! I’ve found a few creative ways to recycle containers – for instance – I learned how to remove ink from plastic containers so that we can reuse them! Coffee cans are a whole other beast!

Oh, and while I’m on the subject of coffee – my friend Alea wrote this post on how to use leftover coffee! Lots of great ideas and fun recipes! You know how sometimes you have that little bit left in the bottom of a pot? Instead of pouring it down the drain, use some of the ideas from her link above!

Ways to reuse coffee cans

Ways to reuse coffee cans in the kitchen:

1. Store table scraps and produce trash. Yes, it’s a less decorative use but still very useful. By keeping your table scraps and produce peelings in cans like this with a lid, it prevents the smell from lingering in the kitchen. It also keeps those pesky fruit flies away! One thing I tend to do is keep my canister with a lid in the fridge just so that the scraps don’t spoil so fast. When it’s full, you can dump it accordingly or add to your compost pile.

2. Make a set of Kitchen Canisters. Paint them and easily stencil or free-hand words like Flour, Sugar, Coffee, Tea, Cereal, Granola, Oats, or whatever you want. Or check out this idea…Organized Island shows how to use contact paper to decorate her coffee cans! The plastic lids keep everything airtight so whatever is inside will stay fresh! In order to be more “green” you can buy bags of coffee and simply refill your canisters. That’s what we need to do. I have to keep my eye out for some coupons though. It’s usually more expensive!!

 

Reuse Coffee Cans

Ways to reuse coffee cans in the bathroom/utility room:

1. Get rich in your utility room. Clean out pockets when doing laundry and place items in the canister. Usually my husband has tons of little metal screws, bolts and things from work in his pockets. Occasionally I’ll find money too! When he’s looking for something in particular, he always checks the cans!

2. Spare bathroom tissue holder. Get rid of that old tired wooden toilet paper holder that sits by your toilet!! Dress your canisters up and set them on the toilet tanks for cute decor!

3. Hold mani/pedi supplies. Add your nail files, clippers, remover, cotton pads and polish to a canister and when you’re ready to do your nails everything is all in one place.

4. Store plastic bags. I recently shared 21 ways to reuse plastic grocery bags. If you keep your bags, just cut a hole in the lid and you can pull a plastic bag out anytime you need it. These are great to keep in your bathrooms to quickly replace a small trashcan bag!

5. Store homemade detergent. I make my own homemade laundry detergent, but I currently store mine in a Huggies Wipes container. The next time I make it I’m going to make a double or triple batch and will store it in some of my coffee containers! They’re more airtight than the wipes container I’m using so less chance of drying out.

 

Coffee Cans Recipes

Crafty and creative ways to reuse coffee cans:

1. Use for gifting homemade treats or soup. You can actually bake bread in a metal coffee can. Tie a pretty bow on it and send as a gift to a new neighbor or friend! If a loved one is sick, send them some homemade chicken soup in a canister with a get well gift tag attached!

2. Make a bird feeder. This would be a fun project to do with the kids or make for a parent/grandparent! We live in the country so we love our bird feeders here.

3. Create outdoor lighting. Punch a bunch of tiny holes in several cans and string party lights through them to make a fun strand of luminary lights on your patio or along your sidewalk! I’m thinking of making some for my backyard!! Here’s a great tutorial for outdoor coffee can lanterns! These look like so much fun to make!

4. Turn into flower planters. Poke some small holes in the bottom of a can, fill with a few gravels and dirt and plant some pretty flowers. This is such a fun idea!

5. Decorate and keep craft/art supplies. If you’re already an artsy craftsy person you can easily find ways to doll up a canister and keep your drawing pencils, paints, markers, and other craft items in.

6. Keep yarn in. If you’re working on a knitting project, keep your yarn in the canister and cut a hole in the lid to let your yarn slide through. This will help in keeping your yarn from getting tangled and possibly the kids or cats from tearing up your work!

 

Ways to reuse coffee cans

Kid Friendly Ways to Reuse Coffee Cans:

1. Make a drum. You know how the kiddos love to beat on pots and pans! Give them a few coffee cans with the lids on and let them beat those drums. Throw some rice or beans in them and let them shake them up!

2. Make a Money Bank. Cut a slit in the lid big enough for kids to slide change through and they’ve got their very own money bank. When it fills up, take them to town and let them buy something fun with their money. It’s a great way to teach them about saving money and spending smart at an early age!

3. Coffee Can stilts. This is super cool, creative and looks like loads of fun! PlayCreateExplore has a nice tutorial on how to make coffee can stilts here. I can’t wait to make some of these!

4. Make a Time Capsule. Decorate and fill up a coffee can with all sorts of things like pictures, popular toys of today’s time, etc. Seal the lid nice and tight with glue or tape and hide it somewhere where someone through the years might find it. If you’d rather keep it so that your kids can have it when they’re older…keep it in a closet or somewhere you’ll remember!

I hope you’ve enjoyed these tips. We’d love it if you left a comment below! Let us know any other tips you might have to add to the collection of ways to reuse coffee cans!

Ways to reuse coffee cans

If you enjoyed these tips, check out some other fan favorite posts below:

21 Ways to Reuse Plastic Grocery Bags – Plastic Recycling

How to Remove Ink from Plastic Containers – Reuse Your Containers

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

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

Topic: Reusing Coffee Cans

Filed Under: DIY Ideas, Money Saving Tips, Thrifty Household Tips, Thrifty Thursday Tagged With: coffee cans, DIY, recycle, recycle coffee cans, reuse coffee cans, thrifty tips

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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?!

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