Frugal In Florida

Remember here, this picture, I was so bummed that I even mentioned the purple nailpolish not holding up as well as I'd hoped? Well, since then, I've done a bright coral, and this week, it's back to the purple. I keep having to add another coat like every other night, (heck, the cheaper stuff constantly wears off the ends from typing, and being used as tools). The polish is thin and then it just doesn't set right and I end up getting dings and smudges ... which I HATE. So. I sprayed them with Pam. 89 cent polish at Walgreens a few weeks back ... Yes, I did. I sprayed Pam all over my nails. It works, not a smudge and super shiny!! Excuse the ugly swollen hands, arthritis and lupus are NOT kind to hands (I used to have long lovely fingers back in the day ::sign::) Here's how I did it: Apply polish (in this case it was just another coat, otherwise, do the base, color and then top coat). Shake can of Pam. Remove lid. Walk over to sink. Place han...

I hate plastic wrap. It's a pain in the neck, you know? I was using Stretch Tight which is the BEST one I've used ever, but still, annoying to deal with and never even 80% cooperative. Then you can buy them little bowl covers at the dollar store, and others too. But those need to be cleaned, and really, do you know what they remind me of? Glorified shower caps. Yeah. Shower Caps. And THAT, my friends, is exactly WHAT I use to cover my large bowls and any other containers, plates, pans, trays, you name it. Hubby travels frequently and I always have him bring home the shower caps (and lotion, those get tossed in my purse and desk at work) ... Did you know that only about 60% of the hotels he's stayed at have shower caps? You can buy an 8 pack of cheap plastic shower caps at the dollar store for, oh, ONE DOLLAR. I've had a hard time finding them so I think maybe, just maybe, I'm not the only one who uses them for this purpose... On a side note: I've tri...

You know that I'm doing a Year of Zero , right? And it has NOT been going as well as hoped, nor anywhere near as planned. But I keep plugging away, and every morning is the start of a new day, so I keep chugging along. Because I've been feeling slightly deprived (which really, I don't understand WHY, it's not like I shop just to shop) .... I've been CLEANING ... yikes. You know, decluttering sort of. But not quite. Just seeing what I have that I've forgotten about. Is that cryptic or what? I came across 2 silver flatware sets this morning, under the guest bed. Ummm, isn't that where YOU keep spare dishes and stuff? I opened them up and admired them yet again. These were Hubby's grandmothers and we opted to keep them after she passed, thinking we will give a set to each kid when THEY get married. I still have those intentions, I think. :) So I pulled the cases out and washed every last piece. Ummm, they are 8 and 16 piece settings. That's al...

I love me some fresh herbs. As in, cut them right off the plant and start munching. Ok, not quite like that ... but you get the picture. I've got a few tips today: Green Onions - Slice off the rooty part and stick in a glass of water. You will be supplied with at least a month long supply ... just cut off the green shoots as needed (or to keep control of them, they will get carried away without attention to trimming). Make sure to change the water out every few days. Cilantro/Parsley/Basil - I buy these rather large size pots at Publix every 3 months or so. They cost $3.99 each. IF I'm smart, I will use them for the filler to get me to $50 when I have that $5 off $50 coupon and nothing I want or need. These last me for about 3 months if not longer too. My only problem is remembering to water them and keep them out of the direct sunlight during the summer months. No, I do NOT plant them in the garden. I've got a dirt phobia when it comes to herbs, and don't like...

I went through the phase there where I'd buy 4 papers on Sunday, print coupons from 5 to 6 different computers (heh, working at an office with reduced staff is good for that) ... AND constantly stalk the coupon notification sites like a hawk. I also would constantly check in on my favorite website for the local grocery chain, Publix. Michelle does a bang up job on the site and IF you have a Publix in your area, you should check it out (I still do but only get what I need, not what's a good deal) ... I never did get an organization program together that worked for ME although I did try the binder system, the shoe box and the bag. Just had to rely on my memory and lord knows, that leaves a lot of open areas! Yes. I did save a ton of money. Yes. I did stockpile a LOT of stuff. Yes. I did try a lot of new stuff that I'd never have bought before. However, I do not coupon like  that anymore. Why? Well, several reasons. Buying stuff just because it's a good deal is n...

I'm fortunate in that it's mostly just the three of us that live here and produce dirty clothes. Well, Sonny Boy was here recently too ... but he leaves in 2 more days (sob). We do go through a LOT of clothing though ... and that generates quite a bit of laundry for just three. Hubby has his work clothes and then his gym clothes ... and trust me, those need washed after each wearing. I have my work clothes and then my after work clothes, gym clothes, depending on what I do after work. And those get washed after each wearing ... Princess has HER work clothes (and as a cook, they MUST be washed after each wearing) and then her numerous items that are worn throughout the following 2 or 3 hours she's out of work. What is it with girls, grown mini adults that they STILL wear 3 to 4 outfits a day? There, now you have a visual of the amount of clothing. Dare we go to the towels? Kitchen, baths, cats, etc. O. M. G. Before you know it, there could be a laundry monster in t...

Being Frugal can sometimes cramp my style ... you know, the Beauty Queen within =D But, I do have a few things that I feel are extremely important, and though they may cost a little upfront, in the end, I can do without all the other things that most beauty queens call a necessity in life ... Baking Soda ... Yeah, the most awesome cleaner for EVERYTHING that I've taken to using 3 times a week on my face with the leftovers being used on my feet ... Eyelash curler... At the ripe age of 46, my hairdresser introduced me to this little gadget. A little intimidating the first few times but man oh man, what an EYE OPENER! Seriously! (tip: warm the rubber between your palms a few seconds before using AND do it after eyeliner is applied but before mascara is). This is the one I use, it was $19 but has a lifetime refill on the grippy things. BIG Velcro Pink Rollers .... Got these from Target for $8 a while ago. After washing my hair in the morning, while it's still ...

I gave myself 15 minutes (instead of the usual 10) to see just what I had in the pantry. Only the top part which is where the majority of the 'staples' are kept. Ummm. I probably should have done the bottom as I'm baking cookies this week and I've no real clue how much flour, sugar, etc. I have in there. Anyways. There were lots of gaps and little dug out holes from all the homemade stuff we've been cooking =D. I see that I'm quite set on beef broth, but the chicken broth is getting low. Beef Broth x 11 Chicken Broth x 3 Veggie Broth x 3 Hmmm... Then I have the powdered/cube stuff ... dare I count? 2 veggies 2 beef and 1 better than bouillon jar of chicken (organic). I think I need to get crackin on some french onion soup which will be MY old standby recipe after the last one I made. 3 large cans of crushed tomatoes (time to make the red sauce !) Lots of cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soups ... I've come across a lot of GOOD...

I'm fortunate in that one of the attorney's in my office has asked if I'd like to do a little side work for him at home. Sure! It's the Holidays approaching, Sonny Boy is in school, extra rent being paid for him, plus his ordinary living expenses (trust me, he's NOT living high on the hog by any means!), real estate taxes coming due and so on. So I am getting about $400.00 extra a month at the moment doing searches and reports for him. Of course, it's a LOT of printing so I'm thinking I should look into a new printer.  He's offered to buy me a new printer, which I just sort of looked at him like, "Huh? Why would you do that??" Really, that's too generous and I will not allow that. Sorry, my friend. Then I started to notice these "XL" ink cartridges first. You know, the ones that say "Up to 3 X More Pages"? I've priced them and they are a little over twice the regular price. So really, besides the fact that ...

I work in a law firm. Granted, it's small, we are very laid back and I can get away with casual attire. No, not shorts and tank tops, but I can wear jeans, nice tshirts and clean sneakers (notice the key words on those last two items? Very fine line here folks). However, there are also times where I need to be a wee bit more professional, which is generally when I grab one of my thrift store finds ... because heck, if it's not something I'm wearing weekly, I'm not about to pay full price (I'd prefer that be the way of everything, honestly!). With the thrift store stuff, and the nicer, more professional clothing, a lot of times, it's says "dry clean only". I'll be perfectly honest. I've WASHED these things in the washer and then line dried. Ummm....not always with great success, and sometimes, EPIC failure. But regardless, I at least tried. So when I saw  Fake It Frugal  do a post on the at home stuff you can buy, I figured, what the heck....

It seems to be hard to catch up. At least harder than I remember it. Money wise, that is. Yeah, chore wise too. I'm not sure how THAT happened. Back to the subject at hand. It's Friday, two days after Wednesday, which means I've missed the WFMW linkup and it's time to link up with Frugal Friday ... I've missed a few of them lately just because TIME seems to be getting out of hand lately too ... Wow, no wonder I've felt slightly off ... Money, chores, time, work, kids, animals, and oh, the Hubby. What about me?? Ahem. You probably already know about my love of lists . For everything. From chores, to bill paying, to errands, to suggest MEALS! As I was waiting for Sonny Boy's bus to arrive (yes, he took a Greyhound on a Thursday for $37 from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale, said it was way better than the student bus program), I grabbed my handy dandy little book and pen and started to write out a list of meal ideas based on what I have in house ...

Have I ever mentioned how HUBBY is a freaky neat freak? I mean, as in, NO clutter, NO piles, etc. Everything is in it's place. Sometimes, lately, he's been a little absent minded and 'forgets' where he put something. It's comical except that he gets REAL irritated with that as everything has it's place. (I know it's the medication he recently started, and I'm sure I need to say something to him about it, but for now, faintly amusing)... Back to the story ... I, however, can be a total and complete slob. Make piles. Make lists. Put the list on the piles. When the pile gets too tall, that's when I would prefer to deal with it. Which is stupid because it's more work at that point. So when I went to pick up my purse one morning, I must have just had a moment because I stopped, scolded myself and asked, OUT LOUD: Just when did THIS become acceptable? There, on the floor, under the beautiful table, was my purse, the exercise mat, the ...

I have a spice cabinet. In the corner and it has 2 shelves that rotate around. Oh wait, is that a Lazy Susan? Ahhhh... Anyways. It's a big corner cabinet and we are constantly moving stuff around in there trying to find the celery salt, or that BIG container of chili powder I bought not that long ago. And sometimes, we come across things ... which is what prompts me to do today's Take 10 ... seasoning salt that has a use by date of ... are you ready? 02/01/1999. Yes, 1999 ... just like that song. Uggg. So here we go. This is just the bottom shelf that is suppose to be for all the TALL containers. Notice some little guys back there? Those are the ones we lose. I was getting a little ruthless ... And I can't believe I'm throwing out ginger and curry ... ack! But alas, those were from 2005 and as they say, old spices loose their potency so let's see if I have to adjust my seasoning at all (yeah, I was using some of those!) And then a mere 10 (ok, maybe...

It’s Wednesday, and you know that means!? Works For Me Wednesday !! I love some of the stuff I can glean from those that link up! If you haven’t been over there, you really should check it out … Of course, that’s not what MY WFMW is … I can only wish that I could find something that will relax and soothe my brain and blood pressure. Been an extremely rough week so far at work. Way busier the past two days than the whole month of September. Ugg. But never fear, I will pull through and still manage to laugh and have a mini party! What I wouldn't do for a full day at the spa to get me some pampering done … but alas, real life interferes, not to mention financials! So, on with What’s Working For ME! A frugal, super easy microdermabrasion facial cleaner. Got it through Pinterest of course! Tried it Saturday night while showering and will do it again this evening. 3 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon water Mix the two well in small dish to make a paste. I actua...

Well, ok, not really magic, but something that totally Works for Me ! See, we like to pretend that we are sous chefs in the house ...ok, again. Not really. However, you all know that I LOVE to shop Costco, and it's where I buy my olive oil and canola oil. Well who in the heck wants to lug around a gallon plus size of oil for a measly teaspoon? Not ME! So here's what we do ... Get yourself a food grade squirt bottle (I got mine from the dollar store) Add your oil and put the cap on. Find one of them big fat rubber bands that you saved off the broccoli heads (pink or purple are preferred) Get a piece of paper towel and fold it in half and then continue folding longways. Wrap the paper towel around the bottle and secure it with the fat rubber band. Ok. Raise your hand if you want to know WHY I did this?? That sticky icky residue that oil leaves behind overtime? You know, the kind that won't wipe off? Not to mention that evil little ring from the small dr...

Most of us blog because we like to write. And well, our lives are also just so very interesting that we INSIST on sharing it with all the unknown people out there! :) Ok, really. I love to write. I may not be a 'good' writer, but man, I sure can tell a great story. Everyone jokes that they can tell when I walk into an office because there will be loud laughter from others around. It's just that the party has arrived, that would be ME. That comes from a deep down comfort of WHO I am. I believe in myself and know that I am not perfect, but hey, it's ok with ME. :) So, why am I telling you all this today? Well, because I stumbled across something the other day, signed up with them yesterday, got my score, wrote 5 articles and already made $16. No, it's not going to make me rich, but it sure will help my writing skills. And it's not stressful (to me). And it's going in to my do not touch savings account. And, well, heck, it's kind of cool to do it ... ...

I've been doing something for the most part in September. I'm Moving It In September. Because I realize that IF I don't make a concentrated effort, I will never ever have time to work out. So I've been posting over here a daily (sometimes every other day for the 2 days) update of what I've done to make an effort to MOVE IT. Some is just ho-hum, such as 20 walking lunges. Others are more extreme, such as P90X Plyo (which I LOVE but man, it's hard), and the walk/jog/run/crawl  to A1A and Sunrise and back (3.4 miles). Just for the record, that youtube link? That's NOT my home, NOT my husband :) My point being, IF we tell ourselves daily, from the moment we get up to the second we fall asleep, that we will make AN EFFORT to do some sort of exercise, we can fit it in to our busy lifestyle. Even when we are sick. Tired. Just plain worn out. Make an Effort. Log it. And see results ... Works for Me . Yeah, I'm linking up ... aren't you?

I am a huge list person. Constantly, there is a sheet of paper nearby that I write things down on. Grocery list? Check. Bill paying list? Check. Errands list? Check. And just that general all around To Do list ... check. Unfortunately, too many list is not real effective ... especially when the grocery list is NOT with the errands list and such. So here's what I TRY to do (and remember, please, that I am far far FAR from perfect!) ... Take a scrap sheet of paper (I use the ones that are leftover after cutting off that one coupon on the top from the "bricks coupon printing". Fold it in half so it's longer. Now you have FOUR sections to write on. I generally keep the grocery list and the errands list together in one section, especially now that the grocery list has shrunk tremendously (amazing what the removal of an 18 year old boy does to the budget!) So in addition to the cat litter (with coupon), cat food (with coupon), tp and lettuce, I also ha...

It's busy around here lately. Getting a kid shipped off to school. Work. Sickness. Life in general. The life in general thing really takes over my time it seems...and before I know it, the weekend is OVER and it's Monday morning again! The number one thing I do is make sure I always, always, ALWAYS have something prepped for lunches (Hubby and I take our lunches 99% of the time to work) ... And we normally eat salads and leftovers if they are appealing for lunches (um, take my advice, skip the leftover broccoli, ok? Just not a good thing to reheat in an office building). And we take LARGE salads. So I make it a point to wash the lettuce, slice the cukes, the sweet peppers and a few tomatoes (I don't normally do a whole week of tomatoes as they will get icky rather quickly) ... And keep them in separate containers.  Every morning, I grab a handful of lettuce, a handful of spinach (I buy it in large containers, triple washed, don't tell me bad things please!...

I notice I go in cycles on cleaning tips. This week, yet again, has a tip utilizing those dryer sheets. Now I've found 2 useful things to do with them ... This time around, we will clean the plate of the iron. Have you ever ironed something that wasn't MEANT to have heat applied? You know, an applique. Or a stray piece of leather (why did they do that!) .. and then it just burns right on the iron plate. Uggg. Well, never fear, here's a tip that will clean that right up ... and it will also polish up the plate so it won't catch the fabric and crease it. Take a dryer sheet, and 2 pieces of paper towel. Turn iron on high (but don't turn on the steam option) Lay one piece of paper towel down on the board, and place dryer sheet on top. Lay other paper towel sheet down next to them. Iron the dryer sheet for oh, 30 seconds. Smells good, doesn't it? Then iron the paper towel for oh, 30 seconds. The point is to remove the fabric softener from the iron...