Money Saving Mom®

Guest post from Kyle of The Penny Hoarder

When every penny counts, you want to make the most of your household budget. To stretch your hard-earned dollars even further, why not try some unorthodox ways to save money in the kitchen?

1. Wash and Reuse Aluminum Foil and Zip-Closure Bags

I can’t be the only one whose parents ran a thrifty kitchen. This was one of my mom’s favorite strategies.

Wash out your tinfoil and zip-closure bags, let them air dry and use them again. Some people advise against reusing plastic bags that have had raw meat or moldy food in them, but most plastic bags can be used many times before they start to degrade.

2. Use Rags Instead of Paper Towels

You’ve probably seen those commercials where people show off the strength of their paper towel by wringing out the towel like it was a rag.

Well, why not just use a rag? You’ll save money on paper towels and never have to worry about an empty roll! Simply cut up an old T-shirt or some old socks to create your own cleaning rags.

3. Turn Leftover Veggies and Bones into Stock

This tip helps keep food waste to a minimum — even food you wouldn’t normally think of eating.

Get a few more meals out of your veggie peels, ends, bones, and meat scraps before throwing them away. Find a good stock recipe, toss in your leftovers and simmer. Try this vegetable stock recipe, or follow these guidelines to make beef, turkey or chicken stock.

4. Freeze Seasonal Produce

Don’t pay for out-of-season produce. Buy fruits and veggies at their cheapest, then freeze them to last all year.

Some items are more appetizing frozen whole, while others are better in pieces or pureed.

5. Learn How to Can Food

Here’s another one you might have seen your grandma doing: canning food. Home canning is a staple of money-saving kitchens, although it’s becoming more of a trend as people realize it’s a great way to enjoy their favorite fruits and veggies all winter long.

You’ll want to be careful, because improperly canned food can carry botulism. For meat, seafood or vegetables, you should use a pressure canner and follow guidelines like the USDA’s Complete Guide to Home Canning. Canning fruit using a water-bath canner? Make sure to boil your canning for as long as the recipe says, adding an additional minute for every 1,000 ft above sea level to account for the effects of altitude on boiling temperature.

For delicious (and safe) canning recipes, check out the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving or Food in Jars.

6. Get Deals on Bruised Produce

Many bruised fruits and vegetables are totally safe to eat, as long as you avoid anything with mold or where the bruise has broken the skin.

Go to a farmer’s market and ask if the vendors have any “seconds,” or fruits and vegetables that might be too bruised to display. Bruised bananas make the best banana bread!

7. Bake in Ceramic or Glass Dishes

Ceramic and glass containers conduct heat better than metal containers, according to Adria Vasil, author of Ecoholic.

The next time you bake that cake or casserole, use a ceramic or glass dish. You’ll be able to reduce your oven temperature by about 25 degrees Fahrenheit, which saves both energy and money!

8. Turn the Heat Off When Cooking Pasta

When you cook pasta, let it boil for about two or three minutes, then turn off the heat and keep the lid closed. Your pasta will cook perfectly in about 15-20 minutes, though the first time you try this, you may want to test it sooner than that to find the perfect amount of time for your brand of noodles.

9. Make Your Own Cleaning Products

Don’t forget about saving money when you clean up!

You may already be familiar with vinegar and baking soda cleaners, but take a look at this list of 52 DIY Natural Cleaners and learn how to make even more cleaning products to help you scrub and disinfect.

Do you do all of these things? Why or why not? What ideas would you add to this list?

Kyle Taylor is the founder of The Penny Hoarder, a popular blog about weird ways to earn and save money. His blog is read by more than 5 million readers a month and has been featured on Oprah.com, ABC News, Men’s Health and Woman’s World magazine

Guest post from Kim of Thrifty Little Mom

Do you love kid’s consignment sales as much as I do? They give me a bigger shopping adrenaline rush than I get on Black Friday.

In the last 5 years I’ve learned a thing or two about scoring amazing deals at kid’s consignment sales and today I want to pass that wisdom on to you:

1. Get Into the Pre-sale

A pre-sale is when the sale organizers open the doors for a select few before they open them to the general public. The crowd is smaller, the environment is more relaxed and you get a choice of the best priced items in the best condition.

Typically, to get into a pre-sale you have to: be a seller, donate money, or volunteer for a shift.

2. Shop Prepared

Build your shopping list throughout the year. I keep a handy electronic list going at all times, and when I see or think of an item I’d really like my kid to have, I add it to the list on my phone. That way when the next sale comes around I know that I’m looking for.

Whatever the item, I can usually track it down between one or two of these sales and get an incredible deal on it. It’s kind of fun — like a scavenger hunt!

3. Compare Prices

Don’t just buy the first toy you see. More than likely there will be about 10 duplicates of the same toy all marked at different prices. When you find several of one item, compare the prices and condition and take the one marked at the best price.

4. Bring Cash

Often these sales are small businesses or non-profits who get hit with heavy fees for processing credit or debit cards. I always bring cash to avoid having a $1-$2 charge added to my bill.

This also keeps me from overspending. I give myself a cash only budget in order to make sure that I don’t spend more than that at the sale. It’s easy to get carried away!

5. Shop the Half Price Day

At most consignment sales, the last day is also ½ price day. You just look at the tag and if it’s marked “Yes” under “½ price” you know that it will be 50% at check-out. This is typically when I rack up on clothing, yet it often includes toys, shoes and other items at the sale.

Not all sellers participate in the half-price sale but there are enough who do that makes it worth it to head to the event on the last day.

As you begin your bargain hunting this Kid’s Consignment sale season I hope you will find these tips helpful and that you save yourself some big bucks!

Kim Anderson is a house spouse, mom, and blogger at Thrifty Little Mom. Her blog focuses on inspiring others to pursue financial freedom while finding joy in frugal living.  She lives in Atlanta, GA with her electrical engineer husband, 3-year-old son and a Beagle named Bit.

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