Drop A Dime | Bitches on a Budget

Drop A Dime

Being a “bitch” means having fun, knowing what you want, not settling for second best. It means being savvy. Smart. In control. In other words it’s a way of living—NOT a way of treating others. Be a bitch without being bitchy. Be generous and share your money-saving tips with the rest of us. Pretty please? We’re in it together, after all. (If that’s not enough to convince you, there’ll be prizes…)

We have two contest winners to announce:

Congratulations to the winner of Grasshoppers for Earth Day and Cocktail Recipe Contest #2 , Quineka Pembrook for her healthy and sober entry! :

“My Earth Day Green Drink Recipe…

* 2 apples, cored
* 2 big handfuls of spinach
* 1/2 cup of chopped parsley
* 1 celery stick, chopped
* 1 thumbnail length of ginger root, peeled
* 1 lemon – juice only (use peel slice for zest)
* 1 medium cucumber
Place ingredients in a blender, add 4 oz. spring water or a handful of ice cubes, then puree quickly for one minute. Makes two glasses of Dr. Oz’s green drink.

The green drink has a strong taste and if you are used to drinking soda or sweet tea, the taste will take some getting used to.I suggest adding other items at first to sweeten the green drink to your taste. * 2nd cucumber
* raw carrot
* unsweetened fruit juice
* banana”

Congratulations to the winner of our Mother’s Day contest, Gwen Miller, who shared about her Aunt Sandie.

“My Aunt Sandie was the best, she died on March 12 this year and everyday I have to remind myself that she is not physically here to talk to for advice and support. My aunt was an active supporter of breast cancer and ovarian cancer research, she was a 18 year survivor of breast cancer and 7 years of ovarian cancer. Along the way she served on the Denton County Child Welfare Board, she was a volunteer at the SPCA, and the Susan G. Komen for the cure races. She inspired me and supported me in many ways such as, never telling me I made a mistake in adopting my boys from foster-care, and supporting me when I returned to school last year. She was more of a grandmother or me-maw to my children than their own grandparents. The way she did not let cancer rule her life was incredible, she never let it get her down. Even though she is gone I vow to remember her zest for life and keep her as a part of me always.”


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Honoree Courage says:

January 12, 2010 at 1:02 pm

When I clean out my closet once a year, I donate. I don’t forget the receipt though!
Marije says:

January 12, 2010 at 9:30 am

kids budget friendly and healthy birthday party.
pick a theme of the kids favourite thing at the moment. pirates/cars/etc.
if the kids come to your house, let them sit at a table and give them soda/lemonade/juice which you can pimp with a flag or make it look like a cocktail, whatever fits the theme. then you let them decorate their own cupcake, you can make easy stick with some water and powder sugar and you can decorate with m&m’s and other candy.
when the decoration, drinking eating thing is over, you can start the handicraft item of the party. if there is a pirates theme you can make pirates had, or for a tropical theme you can make grass skirts and flowers for in their hair.
next there will be a treasure hunt. if your surroundings are suitable you can even make it outside along the neighbourhood. let them do little assignments and divided them in groups the winning groups get the price.
meanwhile you have time to clean up and start dinner. be creative and stick with the theme.
after dinner a short movie and themed party favours at the end.
guaranteed a succes!
Jeanette Hooper says:

January 12, 2010 at 9:12 am

Birthday party idea -
it was my sons 8th birthday party. He wanted to have a big “dance” party with all his classmates. Here is how we did it on a budget.
We rented part of a local community center (very reasonable). We handed out invitations at school, save on postage. we made them ourselves on the computer and put Dance pictures, music notes, etc… all over them.
the Center was decorated in Christmas lights, black table clothe covers, and home made decorations from cardboard, shaped like music notes and cd’s. We sprinkled glitter on the tables and decorations as well, so they would glow off the Christmas lights. We have a friend that has a sound system that he let us borrow, and we made a bunch of mixes cd’s to play. I talked to a local pizza shop who gave us a deal on the pizzas because we ordered so many, and bought “store brand” soda for the kids as well. The cake was made of cupcakes that i did myself and then shapped them to look like a music note on a large peice of cardboard. Every child took home a party favor, which was a CD composed of the birthday boys favorite songs. the kids had a ball, and it was very economical. I heard from many parents that the kids loved it, and played their cd’s over and over again.
for games, we did the usual “music games”, the hokey pokey, the chicken dance, YMCA, and musical chairs! and unforgettable birthday on a budget.
Tzeitel Watson says:

January 12, 2010 at 8:59 am

We through my son a great 13th Birthday party! It was a fear factor party and we had used everything we already had at home. We used a baby pool we already had for a nasty dunking contest (apple sauce and sourkraut purchased at Sams), we bought a new kitty litter pan and made a kitty litter cake, a kitty litter in a couple of buckets that we already owned with tootsie rolls melted to look like kitty cruchies with keys buried inside that went to a lock and chain the partner had on, and for the eating contest, we had hot-dogs and jelly blended together, chocolate covered green beans, and pickled pigs feet and eggs. The boys all had a GREAT time and many years later, my son still tells me that it was his best birthday ever! Not bad for spending less than $100 for over 20 kids!
Georgia Young says:

January 12, 2010 at 8:31 am

My oldest daughters last birthday was a serious blast!! Its in July, and I always try to have a theme, so I know what I’m to take advantage of instances such as last year. The month before Corrins birthday, I stopped in at walmart to pick up a few things, nothing to do with birthdays! I strolled down the paper plate isle looking for trash bag when I saw IT. Luau accesories on SALE!! for mere dollars, down from twenty and thirty dollars! It was such a steal I had what surely would have cost me 350 dollars worth of decor and misc including favors and treat bags, for under 30 bucks. Needless to say, I was able to throw one “heck of a shindig” without breaking the bank or compromising my party.
Renee says:

January 12, 2010 at 8:25 am

Best Birthday Party Ever On A Budget:

I threw my daughter’s 6th Birthday Party at a indoor horse stable. Since her birthday is in February, it is impossible to plan anything outdoors. The stable offered a party for $275.00 with UNLIMITED GUESTS! They had it set up with different “areas” for grooming and saddling, riding the horses, feeding the horses peppermint, playing barn games, 2 different crafts, etc. Each child could roam around to each station. EVERY CHILD got to do everything. We invited over 40 kids and almost all of them showed up because it was something most kids have never had a chance to do. After the barn festivities, we went into a room for cake and drinks (I supplied). I got a great deal on the cake by going to Costco for their $15.99 sheet cake. Instead of their standard ways to decorate, the cake decorator told me she could put green rolling hills and a white split rail fence to make it look like a horse farm. I added a few store bought horses and it was beautiful. I ordered some small figurines, pencils, stickers, and candy to stuff our goody bags. The stable also gave each child a free pass to come back for a free 1/2 hour lesson (which we added to the goody bag). All in all, I think we spent a total of $300.00 for 40 kids (and parents) to have a great horse party! It was a blast and apparently it was the talk of the class for weeks after!
ellen richards says:

January 11, 2010 at 7:15 pm

for next Halloween and christmas…do you like sev. pumpkins around for Halloween and Thnxgiving? Don’t know what to do after? If you have not carved them, spray paint silver, red, and green(already had the paint), put them in yard under a tree, look like big ornaments.
ellen richards says:

January 11, 2010 at 7:07 pm

how may of you throw away a baggy after just one use? There is usually nothing wrong with it. I wash them out w/ warm soapy water and air dry over a bottle.
Looking for great cheap wrapping paper? Use the Sunday funnies. They are usually in color, and often made with recycled newsprint. Left over wall paper makes great wrapping paper too
hthaiwon says:

January 11, 2010 at 11:39 am

Birthday party tip
Theme: American Girl/favorite doll/Stuffed Animal Pajama Party
Ages: 7-12
Everyone shows up in pj’s with their favorite doll/animal/etc. Serve French toast sticks, sausage links ( or veggie alternative) and fruit. play musical sleeping bags and have a crazy bed head contest ( tease hair, add rollers & hairclips), watch cartoons!
Misty says:

January 11, 2010 at 10:38 am

Kids bday parties-My daughter made all her decor like paper chains, pictures of balloons that she colored with ribbon, making her own pinata from newspaper then painting it, i did buy streamers for her to hang. While doing that I baked cupcakes and put frosting in frosting bags for the kids to decorate their own cupcakes. Get multiple table clothes from dollar store for easy clean up. For food we did hot dogs in the crockpot and kiddie snacks like teddy grahams, goldfish, sugar free candy, and for drinks i made baby shower punch which is 7up, pineapple juice and shebert. So yummy. For games we made a huge game board with chalk outside and put silly moves in some of the squares. i made dice out of cardboard and put black dots on it. we also made a pin the pot of gold under the rainbow for boys you could use pin the patch on the pirate or whatever your theme is. When she opened gifts we played spin the bottle. We used and old coke bottle decorated of course and whoever it would point to when she spun it, she would open that childs gift. You could use a want for a princess party or a sword for a pirate party. I hope some of these ideas can help. We saved alot by making everything and it was a little more personal too
deb kuroiwa says:

January 10, 2010 at 9:21 pm

Kids Birthday party:
I live in Japan and a friend of mine, for her son’s 7th birthday, had a Sushi Bar party. The birthday boy was the sushi master and made everyone’s sushi! She made signs for the “restaurant”, set the table up to look like a real sushi bar, gave the boy an apron and a “#1 Sushi” headband. She had all the raw fish cut and on a tray ready to go….he took the guests orders and put the sushi together. The cake was actually a few cakes on a tray…all looking like sushi. It was such a success, she did it again the next year!!!
Carol M says:

January 10, 2010 at 8:00 pm

Boys Birthday Party:
Our best and most memorable and thrifty birthday party was my son’s Cowboy/Western party. First all to decorate and dress for the occasion was easy, who doesn’t have stuff around the house that can give a house a south western feel. Throw the kids in jeans, flannel shirts, and my son had homemade chaps. We printed out wanted signs with all the guests pictures on it, and they took them home as favors ,after they served as the decorations. I do all my invites on the computer and find some cool sayings: Yippe Ka Yay!
It’s Sean Jrs. 5th birthday
October **
1:30 pm
So jump on your horse and mosey on over to
The _______ Ranch

When the kids got there they were each given a cowboy hat (1.00 each at the dollar store) and other cowboy accents, like bandanas, or sheriff badges. Then we did cow roping with an authentic lasso, had a pinata that served as their favor bags (yes, the kids worked for their party favors) served cowboy punch (juice) to drink and just veggies, pretzels and other food with silly cowboy names. I always make the birthday cake, which is much more economical, and we made a big cowboy boot.

We even had a fake life size cow that we borrowed from the neighbors that we used for photos. Then those photos were sent to the kids as a thank you card. I printed out the thank you saying on stickers, and put them on the back of the photo. So they each had a group photo and their photo on the cow, and it served a dual purpose. No wasteful paper thank you cards.

The best part is whatever the theme the kids use that outfit for halloween.
talya nicholson says:

January 10, 2010 at 7:40 pm

I through a rock star party for my daughter complete with stage and guitar shaped cake. We borrowed a Karaoke machine and made the stage out of milk crates and a folding table. White Christmas lights around the stage for drama. Glow in the dark necklaces from the dollar store and some rock in roll decorations. All girls were told to come as … See Moretheir fave rock star. We hung silver stars with each girls name and celebrity alias from the ceiling. We made the cake ourselves. Food was just chips and easy stuff. We hung a sign and plastic table clothes at the kitchen entrance and marked it backstage VIPs only. For a thank you I burned all the pictures from the party on a cd for everyone.
ellen richards says:

January 10, 2010 at 7:18 pm

about birthday parties…for girls…get some vintage hats and gloves, slips, play dress up. add your own touches..scarves,etc. e-bay, garage sales,craigs list, and thrift stores are great places to look. remember pin the tail on the donkey? Musical chairs? pinantas? you can fill them with healty snakcks. you could make a yogurt bar for snacks with healthy toppings.

on a dif. subject…we all have dealt with..yeast infections? well..years ago planned parenthood told me just douche with plain good yogurt, like nancys, and warm water. worked!!!! no Dr., no perscript.
Kelly Kelleher says:

January 10, 2010 at 6:59 pm

Birthday parties.

Backwards party/sleepover. Sent thank you cards for the invitations. Kids came to the party in their PJ’s and got dressed to go to bed. Had dessert for dinner. Kids played backwards games. Birthday Cake was upside down cupcakes. Very easy and inexpensive.
Sherry Hansen says:

January 10, 2010 at 6:40 pm

For a super kids birthday bash: (summertime) Use a community park with a playground/baseball diamound-devised a skavanger hunt (everyday items which would be in or around a park-branch,big rock etc.) with prize bags made from items purchased at the doller store (this has actually been a BIG hit) you can purchase everything you need from a dollar store-from party favors,balloons to prizes. After the skavengar hunt we had cake and ice cream and then had a BIG game of kick ball!
Jodi Lomison says:

January 10, 2010 at 6:15 pm

Cheap Kids Party: This past summer I threw my daughter an outdoor water party. Every was set up in shifts and purchased at the dollar store. We had a slip n slide set up before we did food. Then after a kid & budget friendly feast of hot dogs, chips and watermelon…we played with water balloons…then had messy water balloons and played hot potato with those. We also had off brand super soakers filled up, the boys just loved playing with those! Decorations were all bought at the dollar store; all in all I spent less than $25 for everything and all the kids there had a blast. We even had goody bags filled with cheap candy and left over water balloons!
Jennifer Clevenger says:

January 10, 2010 at 6:02 pm

I did a Birthday Breakfast, we did Pajama’s and Pancakes and had a donut birthday cake and chocolate milk/orange juice. Kids are up early so worked well. Afterwards while waiting for parents the kids watched the morning cartoons! Everyone loved showing off their best pajama’s and best of all, I had the rest of the day to get stuff done.
Elisha Millan says:

January 10, 2010 at 6:01 pm

Children’s birthday party- pajama party (6. y.o. girls)
Invitations were homemade on computer- bed on front/details inside
Food was part of the activities- homemade waffles the girls got to decorate with all their favorite toppings. Bacon, eggs, coffee available for adults.
Cake was bakery made and was a bed with a little head sticking out of the covers for each of the girls attending. They loved eating “themselves!”
Party favors were small boxes that contained bedtime goodies, including $1 sleep masks found at the Target Dollar Spot.
Thank you note was a picture of all the kids in one bed “sleeping” with a caption of thankfulness.
My friend Kelley threw this party, and it was great. I wore my pajamas, too!
cheryl Godin says:

January 10, 2010 at 5:54 pm

check out Pineland Farms under Recreation, there are many activities here, including an “Orienteering course” with a group of kids and a few chaperones, you set out on a course with a compass, you get maps, get to take different routes, its like a scavenger hunt. you can enjoy cake n picnic after. they also have bowling lanes and pool rentals. Great place… check it out
Jackie says:

January 7, 2010 at 10:18 pm

sign up with your local restaurants to get text’d specials……HOULIHANS here in Kansas city sends me foody call’s…..I just show them my text and get a good deal….
TIERIA KEMP says:

January 7, 2010 at 7:23 pm

GREAT ALTERNATIVE FOR GROUND BEEF WHEN MAKING MY SPAGHETTI……….SUPRISE !!!!!! PEPPERONI !!!!! AT $3 A BAG IT’S CHEAPER THAN THE $9 3LB GROUND BEEF & MY FAMILY ENJOYED THE DISH !!!!!
B.G. Owen says:

January 5, 2010 at 10:12 am

Before redecorating a room or your home, try some rearranging and repurposing. I change furniture around and repaint or refinish. Old drapes can be sewn into great throws, pillows or comforters. A slipcover can spruce up that sofa with the juice stains…and is washable. Simply recovering the seats on dining chairs can change the look of a room. Instead of replacing a lamp, try a new lampshade. Doing this also helps to avoid establishing the decorator’s horror of a ‘theme’ and establishes your personality in your home with a more eclectic flavor!
If you find you just must purchase something….buy and add one thing at a time like an accent chair or chandelier.
Erin from Long Island says:

January 5, 2010 at 1:57 am

We all know after a hard week…ok, hard day or two…a bitch has got to get her drink on. Girly flavored spirits are always fun, but those can get quite pricey and have some weird artificial stuff that tries to taste like the real thing. Do your body and your wallet a favor, buy a moderately flavored vodka. Pop open the top (might need to remove the pour thingy on top) and drop in the peel of a grapefruit, a split vanilla bean, or anything else your heart desires. Within a week or two it will start to have the flavor. Shake it a bit everyday to help it hurry up!
Erin from Long Island says:

January 5, 2010 at 12:59 am

As a lover of nutritios foods and a hater of crazy prices and being unsure of the chemicals hiding in them, I decided to start sprouting my own stuff at home.

There are tons and tons of sources for detailed info on how to do it, but really all you need is a large bowl or flat container (even take out containers work!), water to cover what you are sprouting, papper towels, and time.

Cover the seeds/legumes with water and soak overnight. Use the water to water plants or drink it yourself (too nutritious to throw out!)
Then sprinkle the seeds with a bit of fresh water, cover with papper towels, and wait. Check them once or twice a day so they don’t dry out. Depending on what you are sprouting, you may need to remove the skin/shell from the bean/seed.

How much can you save? Well, I bought a bag of seeds specifically for srouting for $3 and it says it produces 15 (3.5 oz) servings, which is about the same amount in ONE $3 container from the store. So that means it is 1/15 the cost when I do it myself…which is awesome!
Maggie Bieritz says:

January 4, 2010 at 11:12 pm

I make my own cleaning solutions and use them to keep my home (almost) sparkling. Vinegar, baking soda, borax, rubbing alcohol and hot water – plus a favorite essential oil for that “new house” smell – are just about all you need to clean home sweat home!
rainin says:

January 4, 2010 at 10:14 pm

as a money saving measure i have decided to not pay for cable. i have a dtv box since i work alot and don’t get to watch t.v much anyway. so instead i use my computer as my cable. most cable websites show full episodes of their most popular shows and websites like hulu have them all in on place i save money, i get to watch what i want to when i want to and everyone knows bitches do it on their own time
rainin says:

January 4, 2010 at 10:08 pm

i love tapas bars it’s a thing that my sister and i do but with times being what they are i don’t get there as much as i’d like. So my solution cookbooks and wine shops less expensive and the exact same recipes in the resturants. big pillows on the floor spanish music in the backround tapas bar on my floor at my house and for less than a 4oz tasting glass of red and one order of carnes aho
Jacqueline Fluent Downs says:

January 4, 2010 at 3:40 pm

Paint is a girl’s best DIY friend! There is sooo much you can do with a can of spray paint, or left over paint from a previous project. Since I couldn’t afford a new dishwasher, I spray painted my old white dishwasher black to match the rest of my appliances. It looked so good, people thought I got a new dishwasher! All for the price of a can of spray paint. I also love the look of oil rubbed bronze. I have found a spray paint that will give me the look that I like without the added cost. Most recently, I painted my mudroom floor in a checker board pattern with paint I already had from a previous project and “mistake” paint that I had purchased in the wrong finish. The result was fantastic, and many of my friends thought it was tile! That project not only used paint I already had, but only cost me the price of a quart of polyurathane!!! I have found that paint gives me the chance to reuse and repurpose many things in my home while saving a ton of $$.
Connie Yount Adams says:

January 4, 2010 at 12:11 pm

I take clothing out of our closets that isn’t being worn — and find ways to piece it together into beautiful new pieces.. Lace off of one outfit becomes beautiful trim for a plain tank top. Buttons from a worn out jacket — make beautiful accents on a plain jacket. Pants too short? Take the trim off of another garment or a different color of fabric or denim and sew accent hemlines on that lengthen the pants. Some of the pieces turn out so nicely that people actually ask me to make some for them. Its quick, it’s easy and it costs only your time and a needle and thread (or a sewing machine!)
Cindy Hudson says:

January 4, 2010 at 12:07 pm

I started making my own sugar scrub. Plain sugar and a few packages your favorite tea. I use fruity smells or mint for a sudden “refresh” in the shower. Great for face, and all over body. Supposedly the tea is great for antioxident or something, but i like it for the smell.
Deanna Cook says:

January 4, 2010 at 12:06 pm

For christmas I made gifts for those people you just want to give a little sumthin’ sumthin’ to. I made candy filled reindeer using plastic crytal looking cups and craft foam.. You fill each cup with your favorite candy. On one cup you cover the bottom perfectly with craft foam and on the other you cut out antlers.Hot glue the cups together with the antlers facing up. Put on googly eyes, a fluffy red nose, and a scarf.. If you want to get really crafty (which I do) you can break out your craft paint and personalize the antlers for each person your giving them to.. I usually make 15-20 of these each year.. You can get alot of your supplies at the dollar store which helps cut cost.. Will try and find a picture of one I made to post.. You can also mix it up for each holiday and just do bunny ears, turkey feathers, etc… Kids love to help….
Keisha says:

January 4, 2010 at 8:31 am

I watch a lot of YouTube. I’ve learned how to do so much watching people on YouTube including making my own lip gloss, threading my own eyebrows, even doing my own acrylic nails! I’m learning how to do all my personal grooming and all myself to save myself TONS of money on fees to maintain my look!
Latoya Brown says:

January 4, 2010 at 1:12 am

I am a firm believer in shopping and eating locally grown foods. I participate in food swaps – I may grow items better than my neighbor and vice versa, so why not swap? Not only is this community oriented, but I save a ton by not having to buy tomatoes or onions from the store.
Tanya Foreman says:

January 4, 2010 at 1:05 am

I make calendars out of old cds (you know, the expired antivirus, AOL, homemade cds that are scratched) and scrapbook photo calendars with them. They make great gifts for godparents, aunts, uncles & grandparents. They look forward to them every year. By recycling cds, its keeping them out of the landfill and makes a cheap gift that is treasured after the calendar because the calendar can be removed.
Kayisha Thompson says:

January 3, 2010 at 9:02 pm

A true Bitch doesn’t need to spend hundreds of dollars sprucing up her Christmas tree. This Pink Bitch (pink favorite color) utilizes ribbons from Walmart, and plain bulbs from Garden Ridge, and decrates her bulbs utilizing materials from Michael’s Arts and Crafts stores. See for yourself:http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs172.snc3/19964_236874418933_618563933_3065096_8110981_n.jpg
Kayisha Thompson says:

January 3, 2010 at 8:58 pm

I am nominating my mother for the DIY contest. Hoffman is right. My mother designs window treatments, however due to the upcoming holiday she couldn’t find the time to make her own curtains. So, she paid another designer to create her bedroom window treatments. Total disaster! In the end, my mother had to DIY and recreate beauty from the designers mess. http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs172.snc3/19964_236874423933_618563933_3065097_1293678_a.jpg
Kayisha Thompson says:

January 3, 2010 at 8:55 pm

A true Bitch doesn’t need to spend hundreds of dollars sprucing up her Christmas tree. This Pink Bitch (pink favorite color) utilizes ribbons from Walmart, and plain bulbs from Garden Ridge, and decrates her bulbs utilizing materials from Michael’s Arts and Crafts stores. See for yourself: http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs172.snc3/19964_236874418933_618563933
Karen Shields says:

January 3, 2010 at 8:37 pm

Bitches? I was out of work for a year. Besides going online to find some amazing recipes with beans (heaps of folic acid and potassium) and cabbage (heaps of vitamin C), I was seriously scrimping and suffering in the food department. When an air miles update report came in from United Airlines I started scanning the list of participating partners and found Target to be one of them. I didn’t have a lot of miles and figured I couldn’t use what few I had before they expired so I turned them in for $250 worth of Target gift cards, I was able to but food and wine (hoo-rah!), terlet paper and gifts for a baby shower. I even bought the Flight of the Concords Season 1 DVD. Those Kiwis got me through a lot of penniless night.

Lastly, those too hard bits on the end of your Parmesan and Romano cheese? They’re called ‘rinds.’ Save them for soup making… throw them into pots of simmering white beans OR cabbage. I’m hear to tell you cabbage AND beans, together, are nearly lethal.

KS- super rock star of saving
Erin from Long Island says:

January 3, 2010 at 8:30 pm

I cook….a lot. I make my own apple sauce, pizza, cranberry sauce, chutneys and salsas, paneer (indian cheese), flour tortillas and flat breads (which may turn into chips), hummus, bread, and flavored oils and vinegars. Its not as hard as it sounds I swear!

I make cleaners with vinegar, lemon juice, salt. and/or baking soda. Way cheaper and safer then the usual stuff!

After getting yet another disappointing haircut for a ridiculous proce, I grew a pair and cut my own hair. I have been doing it for 4 years now.

I also really love gardening. There is something magical about putting a few seeds in the ground and creating zucchini the size of my arm. Some things (eggplant, peppers) are not as succesful as others (herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers) but it still makes me feel good!
Christine says:

January 3, 2010 at 7:33 pm

With being a single mom of three teenage boys, things are always going array in my house. Things mysteriously get broke or disappear all together, so I have come to be a mother of “make-do”. My wealth of knowledge has come from many searches online to “cope” with the latest mishap.
One example was when my special shampoo and conditioner disappeared. I used a bad generic that left mats in my long hair! Literally, you touched one part of my head and the whole scalp moved! I tried everything suggested to me. Finally I tried them all together; it worked! You use a lemon water solution and wash it with that and hand soap. Then of course condition it very well after you remove the matting. I would suggest that you use a warm oil condition as the hand soap is very damaging, although worth the result!
Another example would be when the cupboard doors in my kitchen were wearing out and I tried to fix them but the holes were too big to put the screws back into. I had learned that if you put a toothpick into the hole (or two if needed), and then screw in the screw again, it will grip; and if you use wood glue, it will help make last even longer.
erica says:

January 3, 2010 at 6:11 pm

I invested in a nice blender. I use it to make all my soups, dips, salsas. I make drinks from smoothies to coffee house drinks. I love using it to make hummus. I have cut the cost of what I spend on those things.
Shaelyn Neal says:

January 3, 2010 at 5:49 pm

Install your own appliances and fixtures to keep home updating costs down. I needed to install some new sink fixtures which only cost me $50 each for my bathroom sink – it was going to cost me $100 to have them installed! So I got online, looked at some how-to videos, read the instructions (gasp) and installed them myself. I figure I might as well try and if I mess it up, I can call the professionals. I’ve since moved on to install a garbage disposal, kitchen faucet, microwave, dishwasher and three lighting fixtures and saved $700!
Syn says:

January 3, 2010 at 5:26 pm

Dig deep in the back of your cupboards and pull out that crock pot. With slow cooking you can take cheap cuts of meat and make meals that taste like a million bucks! This Christmas I made our feast for 6 and spent less than $50! I have two crock pots. I bought a $6 pork roast for Pernil and it cooked to perfection in one pot. In the other I made a traditional Puerto Rican stew made with squash, yams, potatoes, yucca, corn cobs, and carrots. Wine, cheese, and crackers rounded off my inexpensive Christmas dinner.
nicole r says:

January 3, 2010 at 5:09 pm

Honey i have learned how 2 do my own hair,, from relaxin to coloring, and curling and straightening my own… i do my own eyebrows, nails and pedicures and thats already $160.00 i am saving a month on those things alone when ur paying ppl 2 make u look right… Then im a graphic tee girl, so i get those 5 dollar rainbow stretchy teeshirts and some inexpensive fabric paint from ac moore and design shirts 2 wear and make them match what i want them 2 match… i watch movies ON DEMAND instead of rushing 2 tha movies,,, and buy all my toiletries ON SALE!! best way 2 do it,, all saving me a bundle on things i use 2 buy @ full price,, and helping me 2 really save my $$$
Angela Carey says:

January 3, 2010 at 4:56 pm

Sometimes I feel like I’m frugal to a fault…I am always looking for ways to save money whether it’s shopping, decorating, cooking, family entertainment…I live to save! I wish I had thought to write “Bitches on a Budget”! I think I’ll write “Coupon Queen” instead as it is my self-proclaimed title! Anyway, to the task at hand…My favorite “thrifty do-it-yourself project” is my front door wreath. I bought a grapevine wreath with at Michael’s (with a coupon of course) and I keep different wired ribbon and sprays in the closet so all I have to do is change it for the season. This avoids the storage issue of different wreaths and definitely saves on the cost of making or purchasing various ones. Of course the sprays, decorations and ribbon were all bought with coupons or after the season when on clearance. I love changing my wreath and thinking of all the money I saved in the process! Enjoy!
Nicole says:

January 3, 2010 at 4:50 pm

I love to DIY, mainly home decor and jewelry items. I can be in a store and see a cute necklace and a cute pair of earrings that cost $30 and attempt to figure them out myself and make them for $5 for the set. I’ve turned the kids old clothes and baby blankets into decor for their rooms, or even doll clothes. Its all about finding a “template” or instructions online and figuring it out.
Anna Lorraine Sics says:

January 3, 2010 at 4:47 pm

For cake pictures: http://mltsonata.blogspot.com/2009/02/baking.html
Anna Lorraine Sics says:

January 3, 2010 at 4:44 pm

I bake cakes from European baking books. The bitches in Europe know how to turn out a cake. Every woman has it in her. So I learned a foreign language, lived there for two years and taught myself how to bake. Now cakes and tortes look like the finest a big-city can offer.
Jennifer Duchene says:

January 2, 2010 at 3:37 pm

Turn an old clothing item, you love into a pillow, or a bedcover by sewing patchwork style with basic cheap plain cloth or an old sheet, need cheap drapes? try shower curtains, or painters cloth drops or sheets on sale.

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