savings
Legos Are a Renewable Resource
March 10th, 2010 | Comments
Tags: kids, mamas, savings, Shopping
Parents have cornucopias of junk. Rubbermaid boxes overloaded with gadgets and gizmos of all shape and size. Puzzles, books, animals, tops, drums, kazoos, blocks, teethers, jack-in-the-boxes, wing-dings, do-hickies, whatchamacallits. And yet everyone invests in these same objects again and again. All the Mama B’s on your street are buying the same toys. Why not organize a swap? A toy library?
The allure of a new plaything vanishes after a little while… give it a couple weeks, a month, and the glow of the new fades; soon that cherished Mister Potato Head is growing extra eyes in a corner. Share him! Make some other rugrat’s day—and save her mama big bucks. Later, when he’s returned to you, little Jenny gets the sweet pleasure of re-acquaintance.
Invite trustworthy friends to join. Label objects. Rotate in and out monthly. Sanitize. It’s green, thrifty, and keeps life fresh. Sorry, Toys R Us—Smart B Us Mamas.
Be a Video Star Contest
March 3rd, 2010 | 1 Comment
Tags: Beauty & Grooming, Contests, Food & Spirits, Health & Fitness, savings, Shopping, Travel & Entertainment
We never give up. (It can be kind of an annoying habit or a great strength–depends who you ask.) Anyway, we have this vision– the greatest piece of installation art on a Facebook fan page ever! We like to live without rules, be on the edge, we don’t know of anyone else doing this–besides this is FREE entertainment. Like all great art we’ve given it a cool post modern name: Video Contest: Script #1. Script you ask? Yes we going to give you two sentences that we want you to start your video with, the idea behind this is that we are a united community of struggling B’s all with the same problem. But each and every one of us although we share the same human struggle of being ‘bitches on a budget’ has their own unique way to look at this and we want to know what it is.
Video yourself (nothing X rated please) and post your videos here (click on the comments section right below the title of this post). As they come in we’ll re-post them on our fan page . You’ll be able to watch everyones and then we’re going to figure out a way to have everyone vote on their favorite videos. (Still working on it) Here it is start practicing your script:
Hi. My name is _______. I’m a Bitch on a Budget. Yesterday I went out and bought ________ and today I’m ashamed. Here’s what happened (share your sad tale of buyers remorse):_________________.
Finish your video with: Bitches on a Budget–I need help.
Lights, camera, action.
Contest #5: Re-Purpose The Ordinary—Beauty Secrets of Savvy B’s
February 28th, 2010 | 36 Comments
Tags: Beauty & Grooming, Contests, Food & Spirits, savings, Shopping
Our high school biology teacher used to tell us that shampoo was a “Madison Avenue lie.” He’d stand before the class, proudly stroke his overgrown bowl haircut, and say, “Look! I wash my hair with ivory soap and it comes out fine!”
OK, he was a little crazy, and we won’t go so far as to recommend using bar soap on your tresses (ugh!), but dear Mr. Fitz did have something of a point. He instilled in us a cynical eye… a desire to be empowered consumers, not to be lured by silly marketing or brand names… and to think about how products marketed for one thing can be used in other ways.
Case in point?
We’ve learned that cheap, tear-free baby shampoo doubles as a killer eye-makeup remover. That in a pinch, a dab of toothpaste dries up a zit. That on a warm day, an easy deep conditioning treatment involves coating hair in olive oil, wrapping it in plastic wrap, and sitting in the sun.
We’ve been known to use moisturizer as a hair gel and we have friends who swear that diluted apple cider vinegar is an amazing facial toner.
Now it’s your turn. How do you re-purpose ordinary products to extraordinary effects? What ‘off-brand’ uses do you find for the stuff in your cabinets?
(While we’re all for creativity, please no active ingredient chemical/prescription thingy’s that may do more harm than good–you know, like birth control pills ground with mortar and pestle, mixed with shave cream, and used as an insect repellent.)
Click comments above to leave your reply. The most creative, economical, savvy answer wins a copy BITCHES ON A BUDGET! Last day to post March 7.
Contest #4: Pucker Up
February 19th, 2010 | 41 Comments
Tags: Beauty & Grooming, Contests, savings, Shopping
Nothing can change our mood or look as quickly/economically as lipstick/gloss. What’s your budget fave? Best lip product under ten bucks? Under five bucks? How low can you go?
Tell us by next Wednesday, Feb. 24. Click ‘comment’ above to enter. Random entry will be selected to win FREE COPY OF BITCHES ON A BUDGET!
Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow*
December 20th, 2009 | Comments
Tags: savings, Shopping
Well, it’s happened (at least where we live). Mother nature, the supreme bitch, has given us the first blizzard of the season. And it’s reminded us of a tip we need to share. If you find yourself searching through boxes for little Johnny’s winter gear: the oh-so-adorable toggle-button wool coat and super-duper-thermal-spectacular-quadraphonic snow boots. But Johnny’s getting big, and the gear doesn’t fit. And a sinking pit is growing in your stomach because this stuff wasn’t cheap, and now you have to invest all over again.
Head over to your local kiddie consignment shop.
This time of year mamas everywhere are rooting through closets for mukluks and tiny parkas, only to discover gear that no longer fits their kiddos. This means hefty donations to the thrift store, which you smart b’s can capitalize on by giving and getting.
We spotted some very cute leopard-spotted mini Uggs for ten bucks—barely worn. Brand-name snowpants for five bucks. Our favorite find? A sweat shirt that says LOCK UP YOUR DAUGHTERS, which naturally we snagged for a criminally cute toddler friend.
We also found sleds parked out front like a used car lot—plastic saucers, steel-runnered racers, and one family-friendly toboggan that could easily accommodate the Jolie-Pitts. Fraction of the price of new.
Regularly bring in your own pile of outgrown stuff. Be vigilant, and you can practically trade up, no cash exchanged, when a February growth spurt makes Junior’s snowpants look like clamdiggers.
So green and cheap, it warms our hearts.
*Read our article in the Huffington Post about Snow and Play and let us know what you think!
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