Prairie Eco-Thrifter

SEPTEMBER 13, 2012

You can defray some of your clothing costs by shopping for deals at used clothing stores or thrift stores. Even if you do not have any growing children, buying clothing at thrift stores is a great way to cut costs. Even small thrift stores can be overwhelming, and it is best to have a plan before you go.

Clothes 188

Clothes Clothing Thrift Stores Thrifting 188

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

NOVEMBER 27, 2013

You also know that picking a location to store something isn’t always logical and that things can get out of place over time, even after you have spent time and effort to optimally organize them! Store like things together. Store laundry supplies together – starch, detergent, spot remover, irons, fabric softener and etc.

Organic 177

Organic Organization Home Painting 177

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

MAY 14, 2019

Every couponer’s dream is to have a stockpile of food, household essentials, and non-perishables stored safely in their home. If you look around carefully, it is likely that you can find some extra space to store your stockpile. However, not all places you can find extra space may be suitable for storing things on a permanent basis.

Expiration Date 113

Expiration Date Growing Building Canning 113

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

AUGUST 14, 2012

At the grocery store where I shop, organic celery only costs about 40 cents more than the non-organic celery when it’s in season. Buy Store-Brand Organics Many grocery store chains are beginning to stock store-brand organic products. There are also lots of wholesale food stores that sell organic food.

Organic 270

Organic Organization Budgeting Budget 270

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

NOVEMBER 22, 2012

Buy Store Brands. Believe it or not, those name brand foods, household goods, clothing, and accessories you buy can be found in the same aisles with the name of the store stamped on them. Most of the time, the store brand is a $.20 One of the fastest growing types of business is the consignment store.

Saving Money 221

Saving Money Money Budgeting Budget 221

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

AUGUST 21, 2012

For example, you can try shopping at thrift stores. Thrift Stores Some people think thrift stores are inherently dirty, but this is often not the case. Clothes are brought to the store by people who no longer want or need them, and they are inspected (often laundered) and displayed in the store.

Saving Money 187

Saving Money Thrift Stores Money Thrifting 187

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

DECEMBER 30, 2012

I think I have become pretty darn good at it, and I will even haggle successfully at big chain stores like Macy’s, Home Depot, and Best Buy. Whenever I go into a furniture store I will immediately ask the sales associate what is the best price he/she could give me on whatever item I’m interested in. Look For Imperfect Items.

Haggle 211

Haggle Haggling Bargain Home Depot 211

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JUNE 17, 2012

Some folks have added freezers or second refrigerators to store the excess. A traditional root cellar is an underground pit or room, typically covered or surrounded by earth used to store food. Using your own space to store food has several benefits: It is a greener alternative to storage than using an extra refrigerator or freezer.

Advantage 210

Advantage Home and Garden Canning Gardening 210

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

DECEMBER 22, 2013

Spending our precious and all too limited time searching online and in stores. Sure I knew about the ‘White sales’ – the ones stores used to have in January on sheets and towels and such, but I really hadn’t a clue that there is a best time to buy many other things! I know I do. In fact, I did today!

Buy 223

Buy Buying Consignment Shops TVs 223

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

NOVEMBER 27, 2012

Every year, I saw people in the malls on December 23, rushing around and cursing under their breath because they didn’t have any ideas of what to get their husbands/wives/kids/parents, and the stores were sold out of every feasible idea. Avoid the grocery store on weekends, because they are sure to be busy, sold out, and crowded.

Holiday 202

Holiday Kids and Family Christmas Saving Money 202

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JULY 17, 2012

These days most grocery stores no longer offer paper sacks, and if you have forgotten your reusable bags, you are probably going to go home with anywhere from one to two dozen little plastic sacks. You can often find these bags at your local grocery store for 99 cents or a dollar or two. Buy a bunch—really you can never have too many.

Reuse 272

Reuse Groceries Grocery Recycle 272

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

In addition, the at home versions are often healthier than the store bought counterparts. For years, I thought the only way to get broth for recipes was to buy it at the store. I’ll never use store bought broth again. After having the homemade version, store bought tastes devoid of flavor, like water. And the taste?

At Home 199

At Home Making Home Food 199

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 6, 2013

Anything you now longer want that is still wearable and in reasonable condition can be donated to thrift stores. Garments that are in good condition, especially well-known or high-end labels, could be donated or sold to secondhand clothing stores or through eBay or other online sites.

Saving Money 249

Saving Money Green Money Clothing and Accessories 249

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

DECEMBER 8, 2011

If you’re not already using coupons at the grocery store or finding discount codes for shopping online, you’re missing out on great ways to save more. If you can combine coupons from store circulars with other coupons, you can reap the benefits of coupons. You may also be able to find up-to-date coupons to use in-store.

Saving Money 183

Saving Money Discount Money Codes 183

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

APRIL 4, 2013

In many localities, it’s possible to find stores that allow you to bring your own packaging. You won’t need to make as many trips to the store if you make it a point to maintain what you already have. Turn old towels into bags that can be taken to the grocery store. Pay attention to that when you buy.

Re-use 278

Re-use Home and Garden Bulk Electronics 278

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

AUGUST 26, 2014

We learned what grocery stores to shop at to get the best deals. For instance, we regularly do the following frugal activities: Hang clothes to dry indoors on a wooden drying rack, Buy food in bulk when it is cheap and freeze the excess or store it, Buy used (for clothing and furniture), Cut my son and husband’s hair.

Frugal 165

Frugal Chicago Curves Tucson 165

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. Some retail stores do still give out gift boxes for free, always check if you are buying in a brick and mortar store. Shop garage sales and thrift stores and estate sales. This You Tube video shows you how.

Thrifty 174

Thrifty Christmas Gifts Thrift Stores 174

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

NOVEMBER 26, 2013

No need to worry about store hours or the rush of people you have to push through! With more and more online stores offering free shipping (and often lower prices than those you can find in brick and mortar stores), shopping online is often the easiest, quickest way to knock out your holiday shopping. Ask others for suggestions.

Christmas 203

Christmas Shopping Gift Cards Credit Cards 203

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JULY 23, 2013

As we know, the local pet store sells plenty of toxic products designed to kill those fleas dead in no time. The next time you see your cat or dog scratching furiously because of fleas, consider trying a nontoxic alternative to those chemical bombs normally sold in pet stores. Go Green'

Bath and Body Works 207

Bath and Body Works Pets Vacuums Thrift Stores 207

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

MARCH 11, 2014

It seemed like such a waste of time and money to me – just more stuff to store and dust. Store collections properly. Research your object to find the best way to store it so it stays in great condition. Boxes help you store the object and add value if you sell it. When I was a kid, I shook my head at my Aunt.

Collectibles 170

Collectibles Repairs Aunt Garage 170

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JULY 23, 2014

Most food at the grocery store came from the USA. The only discount store was the 5 and dime aka ‘the dime store’ It did not sell food (except 1 penny candies). You physically went from store to store (or called on the phone) to compare prices and products. Most people were thin. Go Frugal'

Growing 180

Growing Home and Garden Radios Kids and Family 180

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

FEBRUARY 26, 2014

CSAs cut out the middle man (the grocery store) between your family and the farms in your area. Sometimes, a CSA will require the fee to be paid up front for the year, but you’ll find that it’s much less expensive than buying the produce that you would get in your bin from the CSA at the grocery store.

Organic 186

Organic Organization Saving Money Money 186

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JUNE 25, 2014

For example, every time I go to the grocery store I buy pretty much the same thing. Even the route I take within the store has become routine. Now when I walk into a store, I have a very different mindset. I used to struggle in traditional retail environments like Target and Pier 1.

Goals 176

Goals Health and Beauty Personal Finance Instruments 176

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

MAY 8, 2014

Take your smartphone with you on your next shopping venture so you can google discounts and search price comparisons in the store. If you have an uneasiness when it comes to “used” clothing, know that there are many different tiers of second hand stores. Between coupons, sales, and clearance, there’s no reason to pay full retail.

Clothing and Accessories 220

Clothing and Accessories Swap Thrifting Consignment Shops 220

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

MARCH 25, 2014

Likewise, thrift stores are always full of people. Rather than spending money buying clothes in a new size every few months, I bought at garage sales and thrift stores. Save Money: Buy These 7 Items Used How to Shop for Furniture at Thrift Stores Do You Know a Millionaire Garage Sale-er? I saved hundreds of dollars this way.

Buying Second-Hand 177

Buying Second-Hand Saving Money Money Garage Sale 177

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

While there’s many reasons why house sizes have grown so much, I reckon we need more space to store all the ‘stuff’ we have these days. How long is it since you cleared out all those spaces where you store the things you don’t use very often, if ever? As families are reported to be smaller, why do we need all that extra space?

Saving Money 220

Saving Money Money Saving Storage 220

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

DECEMBER 8, 2014

With the rash of data breaches at some of the major retailers in the past years, consumers are becoming more wary of flashing their debit and credit cards at brick and mortar stores when they could be using cash. In 2008-2009 when we had the credit crunch and recession, there was at least one day when stores were not accepting credit.

Used 180

Used Credit Cards Gasoline Consumer 180

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JANUARY 29, 2013

Don’t get hung up on what the product looks like in the store; the marketing of some larger (and more expensive) stores are more sophisticated, so they can make an actual kitchen. Usually they sell the same products as other stores but at a huge markup. Classified Ads. Craigslist has a bad rap.

Renovation 203

Renovation Saving Money Money Craigslist 203

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

FEBRUARY 28, 2018

Most grocery store chains offer digital coupons through their apps. Moreover, restaurants use an exceptional amount of energy and resources in storing and packaging food. Upgrading your home to be energy efficient cuts down on utility bills drastically, if not eliminating those bills entirely, with solar panels. Go Digital.

Saving Money 171

Saving Money Money Family Washer and Dryer 171

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JULY 8, 2014

Most grocery stores are stocked with at least some organic products, but often they can be quite expensive. The nicer the store, the more likely it is that the organics are overpriced. While I try to buy as much organic produce and meat as I can, sometimes it’s just not feasible whether it be because of price or availability.

Food 170

Food Organic Organization Buy 170

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JULY 1, 2014

Most store-bought rain barrels are 55 gallons in size, but you can daisy chain them together to store even more water. Even if you don’t have the space (or don’t want to dig a huge hole in your backyard) for an underground cistern, you can still use rain barrels to collect some water.

Collectibles 187

Collectibles Rent Home and Garden College 187

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

AUGUST 15, 2012

These are areas where we store our food items. I know that, technically, we’re supposed to store wheat. Instead, we store things that we would actually eat if we had to. Be ready for emergencies, physical and financial, by having your own store of food. Then, make a list of what you want to include.

Storage 229

Storage Building Home Bank 229

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

FEBRUARY 10, 2014

I found it more efficient and just as frugal to buy store brands unless there were products we just couldn’t take in the store brand. Coupons are made to lure you into a store or to get you to try products you normally don’t, not to save you money! I tried coupon clipping when first married.

Coke 208

Coke Drinks Diet coke Frugal 208

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

MARCH 21, 2012

Clean with Vinegar – While grocery stores try to fill an entire row with different cleaning products , there is really only a need for one – and chances are you already have it in your home. A store brand or Heinz will do, and it costs just $2.50 or less at most stores. or less at most stores.

Green 201

Green Electronics 7-Up Office Supplies 201

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

MARCH 24, 2014

There are different uses for composted material, which I’ve outlined below, and store-bought alternatives can be quite expensive. Better than anything store bought, and, if you watch what you throw in that bin, is an organic alternative to any fertilizer or plant food you can buy at the store. Uses for Composted Material.

Compost 222

Compost Composting Home and Garden Plants 222

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JANUARY 30, 2014

You can have a custom piece for the cost of some sandpaper, new hardware and paint that you wouldn’t be able to find at stores. There are plenty of how-to videos when it comes to refinishing furniture, and it’s not difficult if you follow the tutorials. Go Frugal'

Furnishings 189

Furnishings Home Craigslist Furniture 189

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JULY 12, 2011

I have always thought that “Christmas in July was a catch phrase made up by department stores to sell things in the slow summer months. . Some families have developed ongoing gift exchange traditions allowing them to get together for the exchange AFTER the holidays, when the stores have DEEP DISCOUNTS on most merchandise.

July 162

July Christmas Friends And Family Sale Garage Sale 162