4 Ways Portion Control Can Save You $$$

Portion control is usually associated with diets but applies to every aspect of your life. Let's face it a budget is a diet for your wallet, and a little self control goes a long way. Here are four places in your life that exercising portion control will greatly impact your budget!

1. Meat - Unless you are a vegetarian I can guarantee that meat is taking up a BIG portion of your budget. I am not suggesting to give it up but to limit your portion sizes (especially on expensive red meat).

Not only will this help your budget but it will help your overall health. It is recommended that the average adult eat between 5 to 6 ounces of protein foods in a day. That's not very much, so it doesn't take a lot to fulfill that need.

Feeling too extreme? Understandably you may not want go that extreme, but the key here is to start measuring your food. Does it have to be 5 ounces? No, but the way food packagers package meat it would be a good practice to begin measuring your food. Steaks and boneless chicken breasts are more than someone can eat many times. The excess could be cut off and used for future meals (fajitas or stew, etc). You will probably find that you can make 2 meals out of what you previously were making 1 meal out of.

2. Toiletries - It may seem weird but toiletries are a huge place to get savings by exercising portion control. There are many ways that toiletries are wasted. Instead of just mindlessly using the toiletries take a day to consciously think out how much you are wasting.

Going through body wash too fast? You are probably using too much. If you don't have a loofah, you should get one because it takes a very small amount of body wash to suds up a loofah as opposed to using your hands or a wash cloth.

It's the same with shampoo and conditioner. You are probably over using. You only need a dime sized amount, quarter sized if you have really long hair, and the same goes for conditioner. All that extra lather is money down the drain! Literally!

I am not saying to go out with dirty hair and uncleaned teeth, obviously you have to use your own judgement. It is time to critically think of how much you really need, and discipline yourself. This is a really painless way to save money. No one goes to bed thinking that they wished they'd used twice the amount of toothpaste. After the deed is done you rarely think about it.

3. Cleaning Products - Cleaning products are much similar to the personal hygene products. In addition to using some cheaper products (vinegar, baking soda, etc) you need to pay attention to how much you are using.

When you are using a cleaner (or laundry soap, or fabric softener or dish water) don't just arbitrarily throw in the soap. Use the recommended amount. In the case of not very dirty loads of laundry consider throwing in half the amount. The key that I'm trying to drive home is pay attention to how much you are using and adjust if you are over-using products. This is another pain free way to save some dough!

See my other article Spring Cleaning to find out how to use vinegar around the house!

4. Restaurants - Here's a fact: restaurants give you HUGE portions. Obviously we all like to get out now and then but costs are soaring. A good way to save money while dining out (and likely a few pounds) is to watch your portion size. Many restaurants offer half portions or lighter portions and they are plenty. If the restaurant you are patronizing doesn't offer half portions have no fear. A good tip to get in the habit of is to put half of your entree aside right at the beginning of the meal. That way you have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Another thing to keep in mind is when you go to fast food or ala carte places do not let your eyes get bigger than your stomach. If you are still hungry you can always go back and get something else, but ordering too much food is just a waste of money.

There are many other ways you can save money through portion control - many more than what I've mentioned. This will give you a good springboard to start critically thinking about what you are using. Living frugally isn't just about using a good coupon, and it isn't just living like a pauper. Usually it boils down to being responsible with the resources you already have.

FRUGAL LIVING: Spring Cleaning

A frugal person's best friend for Spring cleaning are: Vinegar and Baking Soda!

I am not a person who never uses any chemical cleaners but I try to only buy them on sale and with coupons. I like my Clorox Bleach, Windex, Lysol (my BFF), and others.

Homemade cleaners are very cheap, though!


Here's a site with 1001 Vinegar Tips. Some of my favorites:

• Clean counter tops and make them smell sweet again with a cloth soaked in undiluted white distilled vinegar.
• Deodorize and clean the garbage disposal with white distilled vinegar ice cubes.
• Remove dark stains on an aluminum pot by boiling a mixture of 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 1 cup hot water.
• Discourage ants by spraying undiluted white distilled vinegar outside doorways and windowsills, around appliances and wherever you find the pests coming in.
• To remove grime, mildew, and scum from the tub, tile, shower curtain or door, wipe with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rinse with water.
• Some carpet stains can be removed with a paste of 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and 1/4 cup salt or baking soda.

Photo credit to G & A Sattler

5 Best Tips to a Successful Garage Sale

Photo Credit to angusf

I've been working on my garage sale for next weekend, but I'm an avid yard sale shopper. I was thinking about what makes a good garage sale.

There are tons and tons of tips to have a successful garage sale. It can be a lot of work, but if you plan it right you can make quite a bit of extra money. I think my BEST advice comes from seeing what others do wrong! Here are my 5 best tips! Good luck

1. Advertise. Definitely utilize every free site you can. There are tons of places where you can tell everyone about your upcoming garage/yard sale without costing you a dime. On top of that I would recommend that you invest in your local paper. It might cost, but it will be worth it!
2. Signs are important! This is one of the most important things because if people can't find your sale they won't come to it. Firstly, signs should be large, easy to read, and have all important information. Make sure you can write in wide stroke big block letters on preferably white background (with possibly a bright colored border ... I do like those fluorescent colors for accents). It sound have an arrow pointing the way to the sale (very helpful), say Yard/Garage Sale, Address, and Times. Make sure it is readable/noticeable while you are driving by (everyone else will be driving!). Put a sign (possibly consider ballons, flags, etc) in front of your house, at the end of your block, and on all corners to the next main road. Consider making more paths if you live in a sub division with multiple entrances. Remember to check your city for any rules concerning signs. Take them down when you are done!
3. Organize your items. Organize your items so that they make sense and are easy to see and clearly marked with price. Make items look attractive and clean them up as well as organize your tables, hang up your clothes if possible, etc. You can either make a big sign that says something like 'All Books .25 cents' or you can individually mark each item, but NOTHING makes a potential customer walk away faster than having to ask about a price! Big items need big price tags, and small items can have stickers (they even make pre-printed ones) that are visible without picking the item up.
   
4. Don't overprice it! Remember that even though you liked something that it is still old junk. You will sell a lot more stuff if you price your stuff reasonably. Remember that your stuff is not unique and a person can go down the street to the next garage sale to get some old sneakers for half the price of yours. You don't need to underprice, but the key here is quantity and to get rid of stuff while making some money. If it's something you still can't bear to part with...don't sell it!
5. Bigger is better! People are drawn in by big items, so the more you have the more you can attract people from the street. Put them up front so everyone can see them and beckon people like a beacon of trash. Also, the more people you can get involved the more it will draw in people. For instance, try to organize a block sale, or a sale with a few neighbors, or friends. You can share costs, and people love to stop at one place and get multiple household sales.

I hope these help. Here are some resources that may help you.

• Garage Sale Pricing Guide
• Garage Sales Tracker
• Craigslist
• Yard Sale AD
  

FRUGAL LIVING: Garage Sales

Garage sale season is here again for us Michiganders! For those of you who are blessed enough to be somewhere warm you get them all year round. I went out for my first group of yard sales yesterday before my library day. There were 5 total, and I didn't find much to be honest, but I'm still excited.

I found a just like new edition of the hardcover book The Regulators by Richard Bachman (Stephen King). I got it for $2, and it's a first edition, first printing which is the kind I want for my collection. I highly recommend looking for books at garage sales. You can get THE BEST deals...and it sure beats paying $18+ at a book store!

I picked up a couple of soft covers for 10 cents apiece and a really lovely metal tray, also for 10 cents. Those will all be going on eBay as part of my side business. There will be more on that later.

Swagbucks Challenge Update: 25/220 Swagbucks so far! Earned a $2 Swagbuck today!

Reluctantly Frugal...

Some people are frugal by nature. They naturally hoarded all of their money as a small child and by the time they were 12 had amassed a small fortune, learning more and more ways to save money. This is NOT me.

If I had it my way I would be on a luxury vacation every other week, spending too much time at restaurants, and going on spending spree for a new wardrobe. For reasons obvious (I am not a millionaire) I cannot do this.

I would call myself reluctantly frugal, but I will admit that it has its perks and there is a certain 'Savings High' you can get from getting a really good deal. I've become somewhat addicted to this feeling.

For these reasons I am not a hardcore couponer, I am sort of obsessed. I would never buy 20 of anything at one time...1 or 2 and I'm thrilled to death if I get something for free, but I don't 100% let money saving take over my life. Life is still what it is, and it is OK to spend it now and then.

For those of you who are really hardcore, good for you! I will probably never be there...for those of you who are like me...a bit wary of different ways to save...well...give it a try! What have you got to lose? You could be like me...reluctantly frugal, and use all that extra $$ to buy yourself something nice!

Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain.
--Mark Twain