Cloth Diapers, a Win, Win, Win Situation For All!

Everyone knows that using cloth diapers is a win-win solution, both for the environment and for your wallet. So why do most people use disposable diapers?

Is it that we think of the old-style diapers, complete with safety pins and restrictive folding requirements to avoid leaking? Do you remember poking yourself while diapering a baby accidentally?

(http://www.motherinc.org/kids-inc/going-the-way-of-cloth/)

Or, is it that we dread that stinky diaper pail?

(http://www.cheerfulcheeks.com/files/diaper-pail.jpg)

It's time to throw aside your old notions of cloth diapers! Twenty-four cloth diapers can replace almost 4,000 disposable one, and hundreds of dollars back in your pocket. And... the planet will love you.

( https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Giggling-Green-Bean/112918898728374?ref=ts&fref=ts)

For today's parents, there are so many cloth diaper options, ranging from new designs available from retailers to tutorials that teach you how to make your own, such as this YouTube tutorial that shows how easy it really is:

A great new cloth diaper design comes by way of the Canadian company AppleCheeks. They have kindly sent along one of their cloth diapers for a giveaway to help you, or someone you know, on their journey of a better diaper.

To enter our contest, head over to our Facebook page, "like" us, share the post, and leave a comment under our AppleCheeks contest regarding any product that you like to use that saves money and the environment! 

One entry per person. 

Contest is open worldwide. 

Contest closes on February 7th, 2013, with the drawing on February 8th, 2013. Good luck!

Here's a tutorial to show just how easy and carefree using AppleCheeks reusable diapers are.

Enjoy! 

Got Milk? How About 1/2 Price?

(http://www.momtrends.com/2011/08/got-milk/)

Even though this clipping from the Globe and Mail from a few weekends ago says that milk prices are actually 8% lower in the past year, our milk costs seem to continue to rise here. We currently pay between $6.63 and $7.05 for 4 litres of milk. It depends on where you purchase it at.

Not many have our own source of milk in our own backyard, so we have to pay the pied piper whatever he decides to charge it. Right?

Wrong!

There are several ways of having cheaper milk.

A friend of mine barters for her milk. She has a lot of laying hens, too many to use the eggs from, so she takes her extra eggs to a neighbour that has too much milk from their cow. They trade the goods to each other. This is one thing I would love to do. However, I don't have laying hens and I don't have a neighbour with extra milk that they would like to trade something for.

Another way to lower the cost of milk a bit is by using powdered skim milk. My whole face just grimaced at the thought of this. The memory from growing up drinking it and seeing the rim of blue around my bowl of cereal is all too fresh. I totally get why my parents did it, I'm just glad that it doesn't really save any money on it now. The cost of this product has jumped substantially over the x amount of years.

A discussion that started over at our Facebook page, had one contributor that buys whole milk, as it's the same price as 1% or 2%, and then waters it down to 1/2 milk and 1/2 water. She states it tastes similar to 1%. I had never heard of anyone doing something like this before and was completely amazed. Since then, I heard it on Anderson Cooper's show when they talked about frugal lifestyle the other day and somewhere else. I guess my eyes were blinded about this.

One other way to reduce your milk price is by supplementing. This is what we've started to do. We were going through 8-9 four litre jugs of milk a month. That's $53.04 on the low end a month. We were introduced to Thrive Instant Milk (I don't sell this, nor am I getting paid to say this. I buy it here).

Alone, it's ok.  It's not my cup of tea. The price is $21.69 (plus $4 shipping) for a #10 size can, that's the biggest we can get in our country, for 97 servings of milk! That equates out to, if I've done my math correctly, $4.24 with shipping for 4 litres of milk! $33.89 for my entire month of milk!

(http://www.shelfreliance.com/milk-powder.html)

However, I don't use instant milk on it's own. I use just around 1/4 gallon (1 litre) of whole milk, 1.5 litre of Thrive Instant Milk and 2.5 litre of water. My $6.63 gallon of milk is now down to $3.24. Down by 1/2! And the best thing is, my children are none the wiser!

What is one item you substitute to lower your grocery bill?

Enjoy your day!

Yard Sale!!

(http://www.the-red-kitchen.com/2011/03/how-to-host-successful-yard-sale-and.html)

Did that title bring excitement to you?

This Victoria Day weekend is the quasi start to the yard sale season. Now we all love getting a deal so a lot of us are yard/garage sale shoppers already. However, I just wanted to share a few thoughts/suggestions on yard saleing for this year.

How many times have you returned home with a bargain, but it wasn't something you needed/wanted? That's just throwing money away and being far from frugal.

Before you even hit one yard sale this summer, take a look around your home, over your potential Christmas list (yes, I said it) and see if there's anything you need first, want second. After you have your list, keep those items in mind as you shop this season.

Secondly, set a budget for yardsaleing and keep small bills with you and not all together in one pocket. This makes it easier for number 3!

Third, remember the price listed is the asking price. They are expecting you to dicker; to either lower the price or to have something else thrown in to sweeten the deal. They don't want to take this stuff home so go ahead and ask for a better deal. Just don't pull out a $20 bill for an item you bartered down to $5. You won't make friends.

And last but not least, have your own yard sale! A great weekend to have one is when one has already been advertised to happen in your neighborhood. The traffic will be coming by anyway so why not capitalize on it.

Good luck, and please feel free to share your deal finds with the rest of us. After all, we all know that bragging about it is totally acceptable and the crescendo to yardsaleing.

Enjoy!

Smaller Can Be Better - Especially For Your Home!

In our society, bigger seems to be better. Bigger cars, bigger meals, bigger purchases, bigger televisions and bigger houses.

According to home organization website Apartment Therapy, average home sizes around the world differ dramatically, with the US and Australia in the lead:

US: 2,300sf

Australia: 2,217sf
Denmark: 1,475sf
France: 1,216sf
Spain: 1,044sf
Ireland: 947sf
UK: 818sf

(http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/average-home-sizes-around-the-151738)

How does your house measure up? 

If you are currently concerned about your housing costs, here's some food for thought: our artificially low interest rates aren't going to be around forever. Many Canadians can remember the days of rates in 15-20% range (or higher) from the late 1970s and early 1980s, although a return to rates that high is unlikely. 

However, can you afford the home you live in if your interest rate doubles or triples? Do you need as much space as you currently have? Is your money better spent elsewhere instead of on a big house, one that you may be unable to enjoy? Think about how many waking hours you spend in your home, considering employment, errands, activities, social engagements and sleep. Could a smaller home be the answer?

How much space does one person really need? The answer is different from person to person, family to family. 

There is a movement towards smaller, more efficient living spaces. 

(http://www.designboom.com/contemporary/tiny_houses.html)

Of course, there are those who go to an extreme, like these ten homes that are incredibly small. Take Jay, for example. He lives in a home that's under 100 square feet! Is that something you could see yourself doing?

Are there benefits for living in a small home? Yes, without doubt!

Smaller homes:

1) are more affordable to purchase

2) are easier to clean

3) enjoy lower property taxes

4) require less heat

5) need less furniture

6) have a better environmental footprint 

7) force you to think about each new purchase, as it will use up precious space

8) are easier to sell

9) free up more yard space

10)  have less maintenance costs and repairs 

11) afford more time spent with those that you live with, because there is limited space to be in (this could be a benefit or a draw back.) 

There are many benefits, as well as drawbacks. However, in a time when average family sizes are shrinking, this is one way to look at using your money more wisely by not living in a home that is bigger than you need.

Enjoy!

Reasons to be Frugal When You Don't Need to be Frugal Any Longer

I recently read an article about continuing to be frugal even when no longer required. Two stated reasons were retirement and improvements in the economy.

The unstable economy has been rather evident recently throughout the United States and Europe, with Greece acting as the canary in the coal mine. However, this morning I was reading in the news that with baby boomers actively preparing to retire, the standard of living in Canada will actually diminish. Why? One in four adults will be retired. Here, both causes go hand in hand.

We've also been told again and again that current interest rates won't hold. Eventually, they will rise. Hopefully not as high as the early 80s, when mortgage interest rates skyrocketed to the +20% range! My heart races just thinking it.

How will this affect you? How will you begin planning for stormy financial weather?

This is just one of the avenues where being frugal helps for the future. It's not just about saving a little money on groceries, but having a lifestyle that you can sustain and love on less than the income you earn.

Recent data is showing that housing purchases are levelling off. People are holding off on making the purchase. Why may that be? Could it be that the average Canadian has a debt to income ratio of 1.5:1?

It is time for us to begin living frugally, to reduce debt and save money. Then IF/WHEN the economy dives, we will be ready.

What are some ways you are reducing your spending or debt to live within your means?

Come on over to our Facebook page to discuss these questions and hopefully get ideas from others that are of a frugal mind.

If we learn how to do this now, we will be much better off then, regardless of our economic future.

Enjoy!

Printers and Ink

Recently there was an article in MacWorld regarding usage of ink in printers and if we are paying through the nose for it. Here is the opening:

Printer ink: Tired of feeding the cash cow?

Inkjet refills typically cost significantly more than the printer itself.

By Lamont Wood

March 28, 2012 06:00 AM ET

Computerworld - Human blood costs about $17.27 an ounce, silver about $34 an ounce. But both are bargains compared to the ink sold to the owners of inkjet printers, which can exceed $80 an ounce. Meanwhile, the ink used to print newspapers costs about 16 cents an ounce.

Today, color inkjet technology offers essentially photo-realistic output from consumer or home-office printers that cost less than $100. But even those who print out as few as 20 pages a week will probably have to buy several ink refills a year, at minimum, costing way more than the original price of the printer. Those who understand the issues can avoid the worst shocks. (See "Shopping advice," below.)

"Everyone complains about the price of ink, but consumers do not do a net-present-value analysis when shopping -- we only do it with higher-ticket items," explains Federico De Silva, an analyst at Gartner, a market research firm. "They are going for a $49 printer, but when they have to refill it they realize they are spending $50 to $60 just on ink."

See the rest of the article here.

We use a laser printer (black and white) here, ever since my husband's professor mentioned that it would stop the ink spots on his papers and would cut down costs. That was 8 years ago and since then we have only gone through 3 toner cartridges since then (with LOTS of colouring pages, church printouts, school papers and newsletters being printed) and saved a substantial amount. There are times that I do miss having a colour printer -don't get me wrong- but the savings are fantastic.

How do you save money with your printer?

Enjoy!

Spring Cleaning the Environmentally, Frugal Way!

Ah March, the end of winter and the beginning of spring. At least that’s what the calendar tells us. It may not feel completely spring like, but the sun is stronger, warmer and out longer each day. With spring comes the itch to do spring cleaning, so this month I thought I would share some frugal ways to clean our homes.

Homemade cleaners are healthier for us, our family, our wallet and the environment. They usually take a bit more elbow grease than commercial cleaners, but we all need a little more exercise –especially after winter.

When the sun hits our windows we sure can see the effects that winter has had on our ability to view out, so let’s start there. Here we use 1 part vinegar, 3 parts water and a couple of drops of the essential oil of lemon or tea tree to give it a great scent. Spray on windows on an overcast day and rub clean with newspapers. Remember, horizontal wipes on one side, vertical wipes on the other.

Laundry is another thing that needs to be done. In the spring there are curtains, coats, sheets etc that are extra items to be washed and hopefully hung out to dry. (This alone is a great way to reduce your energy bill and usually smells fantastic!) Here is a homemade recipe we use, but I don’t recommend it with your white clothes. I’m not sure why, but they seem to get dingy here with this recipe.

1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type of soap (sunlight)

1/2-cup washing soda (arm and hammer makes this and it's in the laundry detergent aisle)

1/2-cup borax

6 cups water

4 cups hot water

1 gallon and 6 cups more water

You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallons in size

Grate the soap and put it in a saucepan. Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket. Now add mixture and stir. Add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let the soap sit for 24 hours and it will gel. Use 1/2 cup per load.

To clean the bathtub and get it nice and shiny and rid of any soap scum build up, mix together 1 cup of baking soda with enough water to make a paste. Rub it all over the tub and scrub, then rinse and rub clean.

Toilet bowls are another thing that need lots of attention. I have found borax, vinegar and lemon juice cleans the best for toilet bowls. 2 parts borax, 1 part vinegar and one part lemon juice.

A good disinfectant is also a must. Try using 1 part vinegar to one part water with 10-15 drops of tea tree oil in it. It will clean all of your doorknobs, light switches, sinks and countertops and anything else you want to disinfect.

Finally, there are always walls to be scrubbed, light fixtures to be washed and baseboards and trim to be cleaned. Everyone needs a good all-purpose cleaner. This is a great recipe to get the dirt and grim out of your home.

Mix in a 16 oz spray bottle:

2 tbsp. of vinegar with 1 tsp. borax.

Fill 3/4 of the bottle with very hot water.

Shake until all the borax is dissolved in the water.

Then add 1/4 cup of liquid soap.

To scent, add 10 to 15 drops of an essential oil.

It’s best to use purified or distilled water for this. Make sure to dissolve the borax in hot water so that it doesn't clog the spray nozzle. Please follow the order of the recipe to make sure that it doesn’t clog together.

Do you have other recipes to share? Please drop me a line at fighting2bfrugal@yahoo.ca I would love to hear from you.

Happy Spring!

A Là Peanut Butter Sandwiches!

Does the line bring back memories to you of Mumford the Magician from Sesame Street?

Who doesn't have memories of taking a peanut butter sandwich to school? It may not be as popular today in schools due to allergies, however, everyone loves peanut butter. It's just not as frugal of an option as it once was.

(http://sirthinks.com/?p=1229)

In the fall there was news that peanut butter prices would be going up due to some natural disasters that limited the peanut crop. Yet, it never seemed to happen. The prices stayed hovering around $6.50/2kg of peanut butter, give or take, for several months. We were warned so that we would be able to stock up, however, by the prices not suddenly rising, we were lulled into a security that the prices never would. Kraft notified the public that there were expecting peanut butter prices to rise by 35% by January 2012. That would bring the price up to $8.76/2kg.

In the past several months, I have noticed that the prices climbed and not rather slowly either. The end of January the price rose to $7.50/2kg. By the beginning of March $10.99/2kg! Shocking! That's a raise in prices of 69.4%! Thank heavens the rest of the food prices don't rise that dramatically in 4 months. We would all starve!

Lawtons Drugs had 1kg on sale a couple of weeks ago for a one day sale $1.88! I am now grateful that I bought several containers!

However, today while I was at Walmart, I noticed that they haven't increased their price yet. It's still $6.37/2kg! There were only a couple left, not on sale either, so we purchased them. I asked around and they are getting more in within the next couple of days and there hasn't been a notice that their price is increasing.

So, if you use peanut butter for anything, stock up at Walmart over the next few days while the cost is still down. Or go to Sobeys next week (March 9-15) where Skippy peanut butter 2kg will be on sale for $7.99.

And I'm guessing that the prices aren't going to go back down when the peanut stock regulates again. Flour hasn't yet.

What have you stocked up on to make sure you beat the rising cost of food?

Enjoy!

Frugal Thing of the Day

It's January 25, and believe it or not, I have laundry hanging on the line! It feels like the end of March out there today; the ground is muddy, the air is warm and the sun is shining. I can't believe it's January! Last year this time we had so much snow you couldn't see road signs. This year, right now, it's green outside and there are reports of tulips popping up. And I live in Atlantic Canada.

Usually in January I hang clothes on the drying rack near the wood stove and the rest are in the dryer. Today they're on the drying rack and the line.

That's my big frugal thing for the day.

What are you doing to be a little more frugal today?

Enjoy!

Heating costs

Today we got our power bill. I was a little frustrated because it was $12 more than I had budgeted.

Now as I sit and watch the local news (I never watch it, but am waiting for an interview done with my friend that runs extreme couponing PEI), they were talking about heating oil going up in price. The average monthly expense for oil is $500 a month! My jaw dropped!

I'm complaining about my bill being up $12. My monthly heating expenses are around $70. I don't know how we would ever have $500 a month. I'm so grateful for my woodstove and our electric convect air heaters for back up or on extra cold days.

How much do you spend on heat each month? How do you save money on heating?

Enjoy!

Happy New Year's Eve, Eve!

This time of the year we usually start doing a self inventory of our pluses and minuses. I'd like to hear from you about your best frugal tip you lived by in 2011 and the one you want to live by for 2012.

We can all help each other become the frugal people we want to be.

Enjoy!

Too Much Stuff

Now that Christmas has ended, are you feeling overwhelmed with "stuff"? Looking for a place to put it? Maybe that's why in January there are a tonne of sales on organizational items. With the new year coming, let's purge and simplify together. To get you more motivated, take a look at the show Hoarders, and read this article about Americans Have Too Much Stuff!

How are you going to simplify in 2012?

Enjoy!

Donair Sauce Recipe From a Reader

I love sharing reader comments and suggestions with you. Here is a recipe for donair sauce with evaporated milk:

Colin C said...

2/3 cup evaporated milk

2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Mix well, than add 2 or 3 tbsp of vinegar and it will thicken up, but don't stir it too much or it will thin out again. Refrigerate for a bit too.

Enjoy!

Keep it or Throw it Out?

Are you throwing out food too early, thinking the expiry date has come and gone? It appears we all may be. Read on to learn the food industry's best kept secret: the date on the product is not what it appears to be.

It may come as a surprise to know that most 'expired' food is still safe to eat. Apparently, my grandmother was right again. Recently, I learned this surprising fact when contacting a company about the date on their product. I wasn't sure if this date was the date of manufacture or the date of product expiry. As it turns out, it was their 'best before' date. However, the company representative assured me that it was still safe to eat, with only minor changes to the quality of the mineral content of their product.

This was further substantiated over the past few days after I read the attached article. 'Best Before' is a suggestion—with a few notable exceptions.

Read on, my fellow frugal friends. I'm confident you'll be as fascinated as I was, and I'm eager to hear your thoughts.

'Best Before' confusion leading to needless food waste | CTV News

Enjoy!

Some Easy Frugal Daily Tips

A friend of mine emailed these tips to me and she asked me to share them with you. Have you heard of any of these tips or have others you would like to share? Please pass them forward.

Easy Life Tips

Hull strawberries easily using a straw.

Rubbing a walnut over scratches in your furniture will disguise dings and scrapes.

Remove crayon masterpieces from your TV or computer screen with WD-40.

Stop cut apples browning in your child’s lunch box by securing with a rubber band.

Overhaul your linen cupboard - store bed linen sets inside one of their own pillowcases and there will be no more hunting through piles for a match.

Pump up the volume by placing your iPhone & iPod in a bowl. The concave shape amplifies the music.

Re-use a wet-wipes container to store plastic bags.

Add this item to your beach bag. Baby powder gets sand off your skin easily.

Attach a Velcro strip to the wall to store soft toys.

Use wire to make a space to store gift wrap rolls against the ceiling, rather than cluttering up the floor.

Find tiny lost items like earrings by putting a stocking over the vacuum hose. Also Cool!

Make an instant cupcake carrier by cutting crosses into a box lid.

Forever losing your bathroom essentials? Use magnetic strips to store bobby pins, tweezers and clippers.

Store shoes inside shower caps to stop dirty soles rubbing on your clothes. And you can find them in just about every hotel. LOVE THIS!

A muffin pan becomes a craft caddy.
Magnets hold the plastic cups down to make them tip-resistant.

Bread tags make the perfect cord labels.

Bake cupcakes directly in ice-cream cones – so much more fun and easier for kids to eat.

Microwave your own popcorn in a plain brown paper bag. Much healthier and cheaper than the packet stuff.

Install a tension rod to hang your spray bottles.

Turn your muffin pan upside down, bake cookie-dough over the top and voila, you have cookie bowls for fruit or ice-cream. I'm going to try this!

Freeze Aloe Vera in ice-cube trays for soothing sunburn relief.

Create a window-box veggie patch using guttering.

Use egg cartons to separate and store your Christmas decorations.


Enjoy your day!

Gimme Gimme Gimme!

That's how I feel our society is. I know I've said this in the past several posts, but lately it's really getting to me more than normal. Last month I went to Costco with my inlaws. I hadn't been there in several years. I was overwhelmed with the volumes of items in massive quantities that people were buying of anything and nothing. Most of it just goes to waste.

As I watched people going in and out, the carts being collected and cars being filled, all I could think of was how people were being farmed in, filled up, and farmed out as quickly as possible so that the carts could be collected for the next round to come in and get filled up.

Far from frugal.

Far from helpful.

Then, today I saw this photo on facebook and it spoke loudly to me and what our society is like. I had to share it with you.

I know it's not a completely frugal stuff, but it is something to think about, especially during this season.

Why I don't NEED a Dishwasher

I have been hearing this phrase a lot said to me, "Wow, you have 5 children now?! You NEED to get a dishwasher!" It even started to get me thinking that I must need one now that I have "so many children," and although it would be nice to have, it's a want not a need. I used to have a dishwasher until we moved into this home 5 years ago and there wasn't one here. I went through a bit of withdrawal, but quickly adapted as I am quite capable of washing dishes. I have a sink, water, dish soap and capable hands. Therefore I don't need a dishwasher.

Today, as I was washing up the morning dishes (dishes only get washed twice a day here, once after lunch and once after supper), I got thinking more about a dishwasher. First of all, I would have to save up the money to buy a dishwasher because, as far as I know, they don't just hand them out. Then I would either need a plumber to come in to my home ($$) and put the plumbing in for a built in and thereby lose some cupboard space, or I would have to have a place for my dishwasher to sit throughout the day as it gets loaded and then move it over to the faucet to be used at night.

If I had a dishwasher I would need to have more dishes because there wouldn't be enough glasses, plates, bowls to go through everyone for the entire day. That would be an added expense. I would need to buy or make dishwasher detergent and jet dry. I would have to set money aside for the repair man to come at some point or to buy a new dishwasher when it doesn't work any more. There goes a lot of money that I can really use for other things that I truly need.

If I had a dishwasher I would have to get after everyone to put their dishes in the dishwasher, then I would have to rearrange it afterwards to ensure that everything was cleaned properly. Not to mention that I would still have to wash the pots and pans and the plastic lunch dishes (don't worry, they aren't leaching BPA, no microwaves are being used and no dishwashers). I would also have to rewash anything that the dishwasher didn't clean properly the first time. Not to mention the pre rinsing that everyone seems to have to do for their dishwasher so the food doesn't get stuck on. Where is the time being saved? Then there's the drying and putting the dishes away the next day because I would be saving money and not using the heated dry in the dishwasher. So far it sounds like it's costing me a lot more time and money than my current doing the dishes by hand bit.

Speaking of which, I can wash all the dishes for the entire day with my family of 7 and the dishes the after school children use in 30 minutes. Then I just let them drip dry when I wash them. My home economics teacher taught me that this is much more hygienic to let them air dry then drying them with a dish towel.

Also, I would miss out on the time I get to either have by myself if I am doing the dishes alone, because no one bugs me when I am washing dishes as I hand them a towel to help out, or I would miss out on those lovely conversations that I do have with my children when they are helping. It's amazing what things spill out of their mouths while they are drying dishes.

Plus, we have 5 children, two of which are old enough and responsible enough to wash and dry the dishes on their own and have them clean enough to eat on. We started getting the two oldest to wash and dry the supper dishes most nights because they needed the time to work together. They were bickering and picking on each other too much that we realized that they needed to serve together. What progress has been made in their relationship, although, I won't tell them that. They have gone from fighting with one another and tattling that so and so isn't working hard/long/fast enough, to hearing giggles and laughter coming from the kitchen as they joke/commiserate/confide in one another. Having a dishwasher wouldn't have them together long enough to have this relationship develop. Not that I don't have a LONG list of other chores for them to work together on.

You may bring up that with a dishwasher at least the dirty dishes aren't seen throughout the day. Well, aside from glasses, they aren't. My father told me how his mother used to have a dish pan under the sink that the dirty dishes were stacked in throughout the day so that the counters were clear and clean. I am now doing the same thing. It drives my mother crazy.

Soon after our fourth child was born, my mother was over helping out and volunteered to do the dishes thinking it was just the ones from our current meal. As she looked in the cupboard under the sink for the dish soap, I heard her yell almost sounding like an expletive, "Minnie Pearl!" That was my grandmother's name. She said that my grandmother would always have a stack of dishes under the sink when mom went to wash too.

So you see, I don't need a dishwasher. I would lose out on all of this goodness, growth, money and time. What are your thoughts on dishwashing vs dishwashers?

Enjoy your day!

Gas Prices

Hello my PEI readers, this is very unofficial and pure speculation, but I believe gas prices are going up tomorrow. New Brunswick went up earlier this week by 5 cents a litre and this morning Nova Scotia went up 6 cents a litre to 130.6.

We are currently at 117.6 a litre, so it might be a great idea to fill your tank today before heading home

Just a thought.

Enjoy your day!

Making the most of crumbs

I am amazed that people buy bread crumbs and at a pretty high price also when you consider it's the leftovers from the bakery slicing the bread they bake. I, too, used to fall into this trap.

How many people like to eat the heels of the bread? I know my father does when it's freshly baked, and sometimes my husband, but other than that I am not sure if anyone else does. We also have a bunch that don't like to eat the crusts of their bread either. Then there's always that one piece of stale bread that gets forgotten about. That's a lot of waste that accumulates. My mind thinks of those in this world that face starvation and how they would love to have even the crust of our bread. Since I can't send that to them (we help other ways), I store all of the crusts I remember about before serving the bread, and all of the heels in a freezer bag and freeze them to make bread crumbs.

Once I have the amount of bread that I want to use for bread crumbs, I tear up the bread and place it in my food processor. I blend them until they are at the consistency I like for my crumbs. Then they are spread out on cookie sheets and placed in a low temperature oven (around 220 degrees) and toasted until they are dry. After that they are placed in an airtight container until I need them.

This is a great way to save money, food, and be in control of what goes in your meals.

Enjoy your day!

Avonlea Village PEI

(http://www.avonlea.ca/general_info.php)

Everyone who seems to come to PEI, comes to see Anne. I have lived here for 15 years and have never gone to anything Anne. It's so experience. It's around $65 for a family pass for the day to Avonlea Village. With a CAA card you save an extra 10%. That gave me a little hope to try to rationalize going for a day with our family. After searching around their site that  I found out that your day pass counts for a second day admission so that you are able to enjoy all of the events! 2 days for 1 price. That sounds a little more worth while to me.

However, it's still a little expensive for us. Well, from September 1-19, the rate gets substantially cheaper! It's $6 per adult and children under 12 are free. That means instead of $65 for my family it would be $10.80 for my family (remember, the CAA discount, even without it, it's still only $12 for a family).

Totally worth it to wait until September to be able to enjoy the wonderful village of Avonlea and live life with Anne and Diana for a day.

September is the most frugal time to visit PEI if you're looking to save money on your vacation.

What are your favourite attractions on PEI?

Enjoy your day!