Prairie Eco-Thrifter

DECEMBER 16, 2013

She also scarfed up any other gift wrap that looked usable, and she stored it carefully away for use the next year. Use paper drop cloth to wrap. I bought a roll in 2011 and have been using it for everything from Christmas wrap to kid crafts to posters to mailing packages every since. Use paper from other sources.

Thrifty 174

Thrifty Christmas Gifts Thrift Stores 174

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

APRIL 14, 2013

Check for the extra expenses that you do not need like extra cable service, membership to a gym or spa that you do not use, or a subscription to magazine that you rarely read. Using much more than what you need results in overspending. Remove all these extras that you do not need. Avoid Wastage. Save For The Future.

Money 273

Money Cable Service Budgeting Budget 273

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

AUGUST 3, 2011

Here are five ways to stretch your decorating dollars: 1) Buy used furniture. You can visit garage sales, local flea markets and scratch and dent stores to locate used furniture that needs to be refurbished. 2) Create extra seating , and save on furniture costs, by using colorful floor pillows.

Budgeting 255

Budgeting Budget Friends And Family Sale Furniture 255

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

MARCH 1, 2011

Keep our bedroom temperature at 17 degrees Celsius in the winter and use an extra blanket on the bed. Limited the use of our oven in the summer. Use a heat bag instead of turning up the heat when we are cold. Use reusable fabric bags for shopping. Use compostable garbage bags. Use internet and telephone banking.

Money 124

Money Green Compost Composting 124

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

AUGUST 28, 2014

The gel cost less than $5, and in a year, I’ve only used 1/3 of the bottle. If you have a couch that is still in serviceable condition but is no longer stylish, consider getting it reupholstered or even using a well fitting cover. Many of us want a home that looks like it came from a magazine or a brand new shiny car.

Saving Money 198

Saving Money Work Money Cars 198

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

DECEMBER 29, 2011

My kids used to love helping me make play dough. I used a recipe similar to this one on Playdoughrecipe.com [link] Make sure they use the play dough on a surface that won’t absorb the food coloring! Take an old magazine picture or calender picture and glue it to a piece of cardboard. Play Dough.

Entertainment 201

Entertainment Budgeting Budget At Home 201

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

MAY 14, 2012

You’ve seen the ads on television, in magazines, an at the mall. “ The greenwashing of our retail world knows no bounds, as major corporations jump on the green bandwagon and market products that most of us aren’t interested in, nevermind even need. Or, if you have gotten free stuff, how much of it have you actually used?

Green 254

Green Buy Buying Recycle 254

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

APRIL 18, 2011

Use these four steps to make your transition to green living as smooth as possible. Explain to your spouse and kids about how many of the items that you use are harming the environment and destroying the earth. Tell the family to dump old magazines, books, papers, and plastics in the recycling bin. Set up recyclable bins.

Green 157

Green Family Kids and Family Recycle 157

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

NOVEMBER 27, 2013

If you are looking for a can of spray paint you used last summer, you are more likely to look somewhere that you have other cans of paint stored. Store things where you use them. Unless you have a very small house, you can save yourself time and effort by storing stuff where you use it.

Organic 177

Organic Organization Home Painting 177

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

FEBRUARY 16, 2011

Use fabric bags. Use bags that are made of cotton and are durable and washable. Use reusable water bottles. Magazines and catalogs are some of the biggest offenders. Use natural detergents and cleaners. We make our own using a few simple ingredients of washing soda , soap flakes, and borax. Use cold water.

Making 196

Making Reuse Recycle Recycled 196

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

I remember going through magazines and catalogs picking out the things I would have when we had money. I used to worry about what would happen to my kids if my spouse decided to move on. Will they squander it or use it wisely? Be a millionaire by midlife. Having enough money can remove stress from your life. Money Tips'

Money 247

Money Grandchildren Thrifty Job Loss 247

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

AUGUST 9, 2012

Most Kindle models feature Wi-Fi or 3G that allows you to easily go online nearly anywhere to search for books and magazines. While Kindles are very useful and fun tools, they can tempt you to spend more money than you should. Tell us how you use your Kindle. However, the Kindle can be a temptation for impulse buyers.

Saving Money 188

Saving Money Money Library Saving 188

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

AUGUST 25, 2014

We have bikes, so we like to get out and use those on the cooler, drier days. Grab a chalkboard, a poster board, or even a pin board and a few magazines. Eating out is also something you can do when you are unplugged but it doesn’t foster the same connection, nor does it come at a low price. Play a Sport or Get Active.

Financial Goals 213

Financial Goals Goals Budgeting Budget 213

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

I used to be a huge trash TV junkie. Along with the mindless TV, I would read tabloid magazines. Along with the mindless TV, I would read tabloid magazines. There are a few of my favorites that I still catch here and there, but it’s not nearly as big of a habit as it used to be. Documentaries.

Entertainment 165

Entertainment Documentary Podcasts Education 165

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

MARCH 3, 2014

Are you a ‘buy it new’ snob – one of those people who shudder at the thought of using someone else’s cast off stuff? I swore I’d never buy used junk again… but now I’ve changed my mind. This set is at least $20 new and around $15 used on Amazon. I was for awhile.

Buy 178

Buy Buying Garage Sale Garage 178

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

NOVEMBER 12, 2014

Consider all the things that used to be scarce (or expensive), but no longer are. Food production in the United States has steadily increased as farmers used more and better equipment and materials to coax better yields from their fields. Hot and cold running water are fairly ubiquitous for most of us.

Psychology 170

Psychology Economical Cookies United States 170

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

MARCH 2, 2011

And with spring time comes spring cleaning, the chance to de-clutter your house, get rid of the belongings you no longer have use for and freshen up the old place. But the cost of cleaning products and the chemicals used in many of them means that spring cleaning can come at a cost to both you and the environment.

Frugal 145

Frugal Flowers and Plants Recycle Recycled 145

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

MAY 26, 2013

First, it’s been proven to improve your overall health; using running as exercise reduces your risk of high blood pressure, breast cancer, stroke and diabetes. Tracking your progress is easier than many other exercises; all you need to do is count distance or use a stopwatch to see how far you can push yourself each time.

Shoes 201

Shoes Newtons Nike Adidas 201

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JUNE 20, 2013

Those of you who live near a beach have probably grown used to the sights and sounds of the ocean, but people living inland like myself are counting down the days until they can leave work or school behind and head for the sand. Read your Favorite Book or Magazine.

Entertainment 198

Entertainment Cheap Hobby Building 198

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 15, 2015

For example, if you want to buy slightly used home furnishings, find an upscale neighborhood where the kids are mostly grown. In these kinds of neighborhoods I’ve found limited edition artwork, custom made flower arrangements, housewares received as wedding gifts years ago but never used and older, well kept silver plate sets.

Garage Sale 100

Garage Sale Garage Finds Sale 100

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 25, 2012

I was at work and my spouse took our broken child to the medical clinic we usually use. An urgent care center is typically privately owned, utilizes extended hours and is there to treat non-life-threatening medical situations, perform basic X-rays and lab work, and dispense prescriptions per Health Magazine. Do you use urgent care?

Insurance 213

Insurance 2006 At&T Work 213

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

MAY 12, 2013

But I had no idea where to start or how to go about simplifying my life until I read a magazine article about the psychological benefits of de-cluttering your workspace. What about the old refrigerator in the garage you only use when you have a party? Aren’t you important enough to warrant using the ‘good’ stuff?

Making 238

Making Work Occasions Pace 238

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

Men use shavers, razors, hair cremes, hair removal (for the face, back, nose, etc) as well as the soaps, deodorants, shampoos and conditioners, mouth rinses and tooth cleaning products. I also thought it wise to whiten my teeth once a year – using the over the counter whitening strips – at a cost of $45 – $35 dollars a year.

2007 207

2007 North Carolina Economical Repairs 207

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

MAY 3, 2012

I don’t know about you but in every magazine, newspaper, and store these days, I can’ t help but see an advertisement or article on a dietary supplement of some kind. A study done in the UK in 2002 examined the supplement use of supplements in cancer survivors. Good sources of vitamin B3 include meat, fish, eggs and milk.

Irons 187

Irons Breakfast Milk Cereal 187

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 26, 2011

To help you plan your list, it’s useful to plan your meals in advance so that you know exactly what you need and won’t be wasting food. The other big temptations are the sweets and magazines by the tills, so keep away from these when you’re queuing. Go prepared, and you’ll spend less time in the store. Switch to a cheaper brand.

Saving Money 180

Saving Money Money Saving Shopping 180

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

FEBRUARY 15, 2011

Using part of the money that is already earned is one way to not take up a second job and make higher education a viable option. Use coupons, children eat free specials, and discounted restaurant gift certificates to save on meals. Rent books, books on tape, movies, and read magazines at the library. Eating Out. Daily Costs.

College 100

College Budgeting Budget Friends And Family Sale 100

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 14, 2013

Change your attitude and self talk about household chores – “I used to hate scrubbing the shower but now it’s not so bad.” Set little rewards for yourself when you’ve completed a certain job or number of jobs – “when I’ve changed all the sheets I get to sit down with a coffee and that new magazine I bought.”.

Motivation 183

Motivation Cleaning Home and Garden Home Improvement 183

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JULY 23, 2014

Most of us did not have air conditioned homes. People opened their windows and used attic fans or sat in metal lawn chairs outside to cool off. Most of us did not have clothes dryers, we dried the clothes on a line outside. Some of us did not have central heat. They used aprons over them when they cooked.

Growing 180

Growing Home and Garden Radios Kids and Family 180

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JUNE 5, 2012

Keep it businesslike and a bit formal and use this speech to prevent the conversation from becoming a high pressure appeal to your heartstrings. Say No the Right Way The Tower of Power site suggests that you will be more successful saying no if you use the right No. Use Alternate Solutions Look for non-monetary resolutions.

Money 264

Money Sister Giving Brother 264

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

AUGUST 9, 2011

Because of this, most of us are probably being taken by paying more for products than we could be paying. To keep up we need to learn that negotiation (aka haggling) is acceptable, expected and useful. Negotiation is business - as my boss used to say “Everyday, everything is a negotiation”. Our culture now seems to be changing.

Haggle 202

Haggle Haggling Price Discount 202

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

AUGUST 4, 2013

I found a brand new magazine rack for 50 cents, a 2 foot diameter artfully crafted wreath for $10 and a FREE WHEELBARROW. I don’t like mahogany furniture, and hubby hasn’t gotten around to spending time on those end tables, so I doubt these things will ever be of much use to us. The wheelbarrow. The antique lamp.

Garage 200

Garage Lamps Garage Sale Free 200

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JANUARY 6, 2011

Also cut out any unnecessary expenditure, such as subscriptions and memberships that may no longer be of much use to you. A while back I cancelled my magazine subscriptions. You can use a simple pen and notepad. You can use a spreadsheet on your computer. Instead pack a lunch and cook some simple meals at home for dinner.

Debt 113

Debt Finance Pay Off Debt Credit 113

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 24, 2012

Using WordPress, you can easily get themes that are built to be personal portfolios, and they’ll help make your work look great. Your portfolio and your resume are how you are going to show potential clients the work that you are capable of doing. No matter what kind of service you want to offer, I recommend that you set this up online.

Personal Finance 188

Personal Finance Finance Work Insurance 188

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

APRIL 12, 2012

Human remains do not normally represent a public health risk, nor do they degenerate rapidly within a few days of death, according to a Smithsonian magazine article, The Surprising Satisfactions of a Home Funeral. Burial preparation typically includes injecting the body with embalming fluid, which contains high levels of carcinogens.

Green And Frugal 188

Green And Frugal Green Frugal Transportation 188

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

DECEMBER 22, 2016

Relief Society Magazine, Oct. People living in cities won’t have much land to use to produce food. You use your time gardening or tending animals, canning, plowing or digging wells and you aren’t going to have time to go to the higher paying job. I used to garden. A bike to get around without using a car.

Canning 100

Canning At&T Gardening Garden 100

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JANUARY 26, 2011

This past year I cancelled my magazine subscriptions. This time can be used towards other projects and to do lists you have on the go. And don’t worry, lunches don’t need to be complicated. Leftovers from last night’s dinner and some fruit work just fine. Stop paying for subscriptions. Buy cheap groceries.

Bills 124

Bills Money Insurance Saving Money 124

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JULY 4, 2013

Everywhere you look, television, billboards, the Internet, magazines, newspapers and radios try to tell us what we need to buy and consume in order to be happy. The marketers are very good at their jobs, and every single one of us falls for it at some point or another no matter how hard we try to avoid it. Happiness sell!

Magazine and Newspaper Subscriptions 212

Magazine and Newspaper Subscriptions Kids and Family Camping Equipment Television 212