Prairie Eco-Thrifter

FEBRUARY 6, 2013

Many of us are struggling to make ends meet (as in what’s at the end of the receipt meeting what’s at the end of your checkbook), and sometimes we discover that money for enough groceries to feed a family just isn’t in the budget. While eating less is certainly an option, it shouldn’t have to be, not when there is plenty of food to go around.

Groceries 252

Groceries Grocery Bills Used 252

Family Balance Sheet

DECEMBER 4, 2020

While I like to shop at thrift stores, I have a hard time finding TALL length jeans for my 5’10 frame and I was in need of new jeans. Luckily, I found two pairs at Old Navy that were 50% off sale making them $17.50 We decided to donate the turkey to the food bank. I won’t need to buy jeans for a few years. $20

November 130

November 2020 Frugal Old Navy 130

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JULY 17, 2012

Lunch Bags Plastic grocery bags also make great lunch bags for your kids or for you. Clothing Bags If you donate clothing to your local thrift stores , then these bags can help you out. They are the perfect size, and this way you don’t have to dump loose litter into your trash can.

Reuse 272

Reuse Groceries Grocery Recycle 272

Family Balance Sheet

DECEMBER 11, 2015

To make clean up fairly easy so that you can enjoy your guests, I have found really cute and inexpensive party supplies, paper plates, cups, and napkins at the dollar store. Whether you are hosting a big gathering or a few close friends this season, make the party festive and sassy with these theme ideas. Gifts must be handmade.

Christmas 100

Christmas Budgeting Budget Swap 100

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JULY 23, 2013

Fleas are wingless, with hard bodies that make them difficult to kill, and they have mouths adapted for piercing the skin of their “victims” and sucking out their blood. They are nasty little critters that can make life pretty annoying for your favorite furry pet. Cut your grass. This can help keep the flea population down. Go Green'

Bath and Body Works 207

Bath and Body Works Pets Vacuums Thrift Stores 207

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

OCTOBER 5, 2015

Camping gear , food, gas, park fees and everything else always adds up and at the end of the trip, you might wish you didn’t go in the first place! Make multiple lists and plan everything out in detail. Make multiple lists and plan everything out in detail. Bring Food that’ll last the whole trip. Always Stay Safe.

Budgeting 100

Budgeting Budget Family Kids and Family 100

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

SEPTEMBER 27, 2017

We do put up decorations (ones I buy at garage sales or thrift stores and reuse each year). Don’t buy, make. Mom’s black cape, some makeup and a piece of cardboard cut and painted black to make bats ears can make someone into Dracula. Make your own decorations out of household items.

Halloween 138

Halloween Green Reuse Garage 138

Couponing 101

JUNE 11, 2019

Plus, some recalled car seats might slip through into thrift stores. Meeting up with someone you don’t know to make a purchase can be dangerous, so be very cautious when buying items on Facebook. Because of the safety component, it’s usually best to buy safety items like car seats new from a reliable retailer.

Saving Money 67

Saving Money Car Seats Money Mom 67

Family Balance Sheet

APRIL 1, 2021

Make it a game and be creative when looking for money within your budget and finding new ways to earn extra money. It sounds dreadful, but it is possible to reduce your grocery bill without making everyone in your family miserable. For ideas, read: 5 Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas. Related Reading: Make meal planning a priority.

Emergency Fund 130

Emergency Fund Money Finds Friends And Family Sale 130

Family Balance Sheet

DECEMBER 11, 2017

Family budgets can get strained this time of year, and this pressure to make other family members happy ends up making some people really stressed. Thrift store finds. Gifts of food/baked goods. Of course, you can also make up your own crazy rules too. And nobody wants to feel like the Grinch.

Games 100

Games Christmas Gifts Family 100

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

MARCH 19, 2014

In my children’s first few years of life, food was the biggest expense. Then, my friends pay for baby and me exercise classes so they can get out of the house, make friends, and get some exercises. Why Does Not Spending on Your Children Make Others Angry? All those items got plenty of use as all three of my kids used them.

Friends And Family Sale 176

Friends And Family Sale Clothing and Accessories Kids and Family Clothes 176

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

AUGUST 26, 2012

Go hiking and camping and show them the beauty of the outdoors (and teach them to leave trails and campsites better than when you arrived) Plant a garden with your children to give them a tangible example of how much fun growing your own food and eating healthy can be!

Thrifty 189

Thrifty Recycle Recycled Recycling 189

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

NOVEMBER 27, 2013

We have accumulated a lot of stuff – lose screws, highly prized collectibles, everyday essentials, clothes that ‘might fit again someday’, tools, children’s artwork, food stuffs and more. Store laundry supplies together – starch, detergent, spot remover, irons, fabric softener and etc. Store things where you use them.

Organic 177

Organic Organization Home Painting 177

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

DECEMBER 13, 2012

These make nice gifts too. Thrift stores are also a great place to shop. If you are providing all of the food, plan your menu to take advantage of less expensive and seasonal foods – and don’t over serve. Heaven knows, not many of us lack for food or sustenance!

Holiday 202

Holiday Friends And Family Sale Kids and Family Christmas 202

For the Mommas

JULY 24, 2016

Shop around at garage sales, thrift stores and online classifieds for furniture and other household items. And as an added bonus, leftovers make a great lunch the next day. Make a rule that you can’t buy it for at least 30 days after you put it on the list. Look for ways to do it cheaply, by making a gift.

Frugal Lives 49

Frugal Lives Frugal Living Frugal Magazine and Newspaper Subscriptions 49

Family Balance Sheet

MARCH 23, 2011

Instead of using aluminum foil or plastic wrap to cover casseroles and leftovers, store the food in re-usable containers. There is an initial investment, but I have seen similiar containers at yard sales or thrift stores and at Bed Bath and Beyond where they regularly offer 20% coupons. I have 4 different sizes.

Economical 185

Economical Kitchen Paper Groceries 185

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

FEBRUARY 13, 2017

All my life, others have tried to make me feel guilty about stuff – guilty about not having enough stuff, guilty about not having the right stuff, guilty about having too much stuff, guilty about spending too much money on stuff or not spending enough on stuff, and guilty about throwing stuff away. Humans need stuff.

Cycle 113

Cycle Kids and Family Friends And Family Sale Garage Sale 113

Prairie Eco-Thrifter

JUNE 1, 2015

Plus, the styles that fit are usually made by the high end manufacturers and carried in exclusive (expensive) clothing stores. There is a lovely thrift store not far from my neighborhood that receives donations from the folks in the local golfing gated community. Endanger my heath with sub standard food, drugs or doctors.

Frugal 100

Frugal Cheap Clothes Clothing 100

The Frugal Girl

FEBRUARY 14, 2024

It’s not hard for me (anymore) to avoid expensive stores or fast fashion sites such as Shein and Temu, and instead shop at thrift stores or use my local BuyNothing group. Hardest: I find it hard to balance saving money with making memories. The book Die with Zero has really affected my mindset on this.

Friends And Family Sale 190

Friends And Family Sale Library College Cars 190

Work With What You've Got

FEBRUARY 18, 2009

I had a wonderful night with my church community, eating homemade Indian food and talking. I love vintage, and of course I’d rather buy it myself from the thrift store, but if I must buy from a middle man, Loves Me Not is a great one. Sorry about the small selection as well as the indoor pics today.

Thrift Stores 40

Thrift Stores Thrifting Student Homemade 40

Saving Everyday

DECEMBER 13, 2016

Most new parents are shocked by how much diapers, wipes, food, and baby necessities add up to be. But our consumer driven society makes new and naive parents think they need these high-tech, expensive gadgets. Having a baby is expensive. Like, real expensive. I know I was, and that was over 20 years ago! You just don’t.

Baby 40

Baby Kroger 2016 Saving 40

Work With What You've Got

DECEMBER 18, 2009

You must use oil based food coloring in almond bark, or really weird things happen. You can make a passable milk chocolate by adding semi sweet chips to almond bark though!) Cake Balls are more fun to make with someone else. Nathan got me some tees at the thrift store, and I was taking the staples out and…you get the picture.

Thrifting 40

Thrifting Fridays Thrift Stores Band-Aid 40

The Frugal Girl

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

My mother was loving and worked so hard to provide for us, but it was frequently a struggle to get food, keep heat on, and other necessities. I became an immediate saver and always looked for ways to make due. Also, social media makes it feel like everyone is eating five-star meals all the time. I try to get (and give!)

Virginia 183

Virginia Kids and Family Library Frugal 183

Penny Pinchin' Mom

MARCH 11, 2024

“It’s not how much money you make, but how much money you keep, how hard it works for you, and how many generations you keep it for.” Make Cleaning Products at Home Did you know that you could make cleaning products right at home? Hiking, camping, picnicking—these are all things I do with my kids on a regular basis.

Saving Money 52

Saving Money Money Mom Used 52

Family Balance Sheet

FEBRUARY 28, 2019

We made one big financial goal for 2019 and are striving and working hard to make progress. Assign a budget category to each transaction, so you can add up what you spend on food, fuel, clothing, self-care, etc. Did you make some progress with your financial goals? It’s March 1, and I declare it Mindful March.

March 100

March Financial Goals Budgeting Budget 100

Family Balance Sheet

JULY 9, 2015

The idea of becoming debt free makes me downright giddy. How did they make it happen? When you have tracked, analyzed, and cut your budget to bare bones, there is only one other way to find extra money to put towards debt and that is to make more money. ACTION STEP: How can you make some extra cash? How hard was it?

Debt Free 100

Debt Free Debt Budgeting Budget 100

Saving Everyday

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Purina Beneful Dog Food 3.5 1/2 Arnold’s Sliced Bread Loaves, Any (DND; Not redeemable at Bimbo outlet/thrift stores) exp. Barber Foods Stuffed Chicken Breasts 10 oz., 1/2 Barber Foods Stuffed Chicken Breast Entrees Coupon. 1 Barber Foods Product, exp. Barber Foods Chicken Tenders 24 oz.,

Publix 40

Publix Betty Crocker Pillsbury Campbells 40

Saving Everyday

APRIL 24, 2013

Earths Best Organic Fruit & Yogurt Baby Food 4-4.2 1/3 Earth’s Best Organic Infant Jar or Pouch Foods Coupon 04/22/2013. $1/3 2 Knorr sides Target Store Coupon. 1 Pepperidge Farm Bread or Rolls (in the fresh bread aisle) (Not valid in Pepperidge Farm Thrift Stores) SS 3/24/13 (exp 6/2/2013).

Publix 45

Publix 2013 Quaker Ore-Ida 45