Unclaimed Money

Is there any better friend to the frugal person that the library? So many resources and programs are offered for all ages. The services are almost always free; well not exactly free, but funded by your tax dollars, regardless of whether you use the library or not.

Of course at the library you will find books of all kinds. You will also find movies, music, internet access, and much more. The library also offers classes for all ages. There are story times for young children, summer reading programs for school age children, and a vast array of programs for adults with interests in everything from reading fiction to doing family tree research. There truly is something for everyone at the local library.

Here are some tips to help you get the most from your local library.

1. Reserve your items before you go.
This is especially helpful if you have children. They can make it hard to browse. Reserve your items online, and they will be ready and waiting when you get there. In many cases this also allows you access to resources from other branches of the library. The library will transport your items to your local branch for pick up.

2. Check the library calendar.
There are many ongoing and one time programs offered. Free activities for the kids and for you? Can’t beat that!

3. Write the due date on your calendar.
Don’t cancel out the freeness of using the library by racking up a lot of late fees. Write the date items are due on your calendar.

4. Try it before you buy it.
If you are thinking of buying reference book, or maybe even a fictional title why not give it a trial run by borrowing it first from the library? Make sure it is worth your hard earned money.

The library is your friend. It is a wonderful resource for free entertainment and education. Go visit your friend frequently!

The cost of food is going up. There are several factors that are affecting prices, but regardless of the reasons, you will see the difference in your food budget. One way to lessen the impact is to grow your some of your own food.

You don’t have to have a lot of space to grow a garden. Popular methods, such as square foot gardening, allow you to grow your own food in small spaces. Get Rich Slowly has a nice introduction to this method along with a list of other resources. There is some initial expense with starting this type of garden, but if you plan to stay in the same place for awhile it will be worth the investment.

Even if you live in an apartment or other situation where you have no yard to work with, you can grow many things in containers as long as you have a sunny spot for them. If you have a balcony, that is perfect, but even a sunny window can be sufficient. West Virginia University provides a nice article to help you get started. There are also initial costs associated with this, but the containers are portable and will last forever. Consider using some recycled containers such as milk jugs, coffee cans, or ice cream buckets when possible.

Here are some general tips to keep in mind:
1. Grow what you like.
Tomatoes are a garden favorite, but why grow them if you don’t like them?

2. Herbs are practically black thumb proof.
If you are afraid you have a black thumb, start with growing herbs. Most herbs are very tolerant of a neglect. Many, like Rosemary, also make nice houseplants that can be kept year round.

3. Start small.
If you’ve never gardened before, don’t invest a lot of time and money the first year. Even the most experienced gardeners can be overwhelmed by a large garden. Start small, and if all goes well, add more next year.

4. A little here, and a little there.
Don’t ignore your garden. Giving it a quick check everyday, and watering and weeding as needed is much easier than going to your garden after a week and discovering the weeds have taken over.

Gardening can be an enjoyable and rewarding activity. It also can be a source of inexpensive (and organic if you choose) food. So go get some seeds, play in the dirt, and see what you can grow.

Communication is vital to keeping relationships healthy. Keeping both parties informed eliminates uncertainty and doubt in the relationship. It keeps you on the same page, and moving in the same direction. This is true not only in your personal relationships, but in your relationships with your creditors.

Your creditors will keep you informed. They will communicate with you when you’ve missed a payment. They are sure to tell you that there has been a change in terms. They will give you a pat on the back, in the form of a credit increase when they are happy with you. They will offer you access checks and other services to entice you to deepen your relationship with them. They sometimes will communicate with you too much, and just don’t take the hint you’re not interested.

Often though the conversation is a bit one sided, and with your creditors, that is fine if things are going well. If you are happy with the relationship as it is, you are keeping up your end by paying on time, and have no interest in their enticing offers, there is no need to respond to their multitude of communications. If you can’t make your payments, if you’ve missed a payment, or just aren’t happy with the interest rate or other terms make a phone call. In many cases you will be able to come up with a solution that is acceptable to you and to your creditor.

If you are struggling, you need to call your creditors, and make some arrangements. They want to know that you intend to pay them. They are willing to work with you, but they can’t if you don’t first communicate with them, or at least respond when they communicate with you. Opening up the line of communication can save you hundreds of dollars in interest and late fees. It also can help protect your credit rating.

Communication is important in any relationship. The relationship with your creditors is no different. Keep the relationship healthy by letting them know if you are having problems, and taking the opportunity to come up with a solution.

The days are getting longer. The daffodils are starting to come up, and soon it will be time for that annual American ritual; spring break. The kids will be home from school, and we all will have a touch of spring fever. Tired of winter, we will be ready for a change of pace. Many of us will hit the highways to head for some fun in the sun. Here are some ideas to keep spring break in the budget:

1. There is no place like home,
Spring break is a peak travel time. The airlines won’t be discounting their tickets. The gas stations will not be lowering prices either. Travel isn’t cheap. One way to address this is to stay home. Pretend to be a tourist in your own town. Take day trips to go see the sites, the museums, and other things that locals tend to take for granted.

2. Or those places close to home.
If you simply must have more sun than your home location provides, opt for destinations that are closer to home. Staying closer to home means less travel time and cost, and more time and money available to enjoy the destination.

3. If you go, go with friends or family.
Depending on the size of your family, you may be able to share transportation. You can share lodging in the form of cabins or rental houses, and depending on the situation you may be able to share childcare responsibilities so each couple can spend some time alone.

4. You can’t pack the kitchen sink, but you do want one.
Eating out for every meal is expensive! Look for places to stay that have a kitchen or a kitchenette. Cook most of your own meals. You might want opt for more convenience type meals while on vacation, but even those are much cheaper than dining out.

5. Enjoy the local cuisine, frugally.
Of course you probably will want to eat a few meals out. Make those meals less expensive by looking for deals at restaurant.com, in local coupon books, or keeping an eye out for specials such as kids eat free or early birds. In most cases it also is less expensive to eat out for lunch than dinner.

6. Look for free entertainment.
Check with local park systems, museums and other places for free or low cost attractions. Of course you will also want to search for coupons and specials at places that do charge. Don’t schedule every minute either. Just relaxing is an important part of spring break.

7. Sensible souvenirs.
If you want to buy souvenirs don’t just buy some piece of junk to say you bought something. Buy something you will use that reminds you of the vacation. One of my favorite souvenirs is a wind chime we bought in Florida. Seeing it always reminds me of the sun and the beach.

Spring is almost here, and with it spring break. Get out enjoy it, but do so without spending a fortune!

In this world geared to instant gratification, patience can be hard to come by. We have the world at our fingertips, and it tells us that we can have what we want now. In most cases exercising patience works to our benefit. Patience, after all, is a virtue, and this is especially true when it comes to our finances.

When I look back at our financial history I see many purchases that were made impulsively. Most of those impulsive buys were made with credit cards. Some of those items seemed like deals to good to pass on at the time. When we were unable to pay the balance of the credit card at the end of the month, the interest charges made those good deals quite expensive.

Some of our impulse purchases were things we convinced ourselves we deserved. We worked hard, and lived frugally most of the year. Didn’t we deserved that three day cruise that we got the good price on? The plain and simple fact was that these items were beyond our means.

Some of these impulse purchases were things we really did need, but maybe did not need right this minute. These purchases were not planned for, nor were they well researched. Taking the time to plan (and save) ahead, and to find the best deal could have saved us a lot of money.

Over the years we have learned to be patient when it comes to our finances and purchases. Things still come up, and we still are tempted to buy impulsively, but where we have exercised patience we have consistently seen three results.

The desire goes away.
Sometimes in the heat of a moment you can convince yourself that you really need something or that a particular item is too good of a deal to pass up. Waiting often shows you that you truly do not need the item, or that the deal really isn’t that good.

One example from our life is our computer. Our computer is old, and a few months ago I was really frustrated by it. I had myself convinced I needed a new one. I went to a local store, and started picking one out. Then I went home to think about it. I am still using the old one. A new one would be nice, but there really isn’t room in the budget, and this one really is adequate.

You find a better deal.
Knowing that you want (or need) to make a purchase, but choosing to wait gives you time to research, and find the best deal. Often, by waiting, we have found the items we were wanting to buy used at a fraction of the cost. In the best cases we have found free items to fit our needs on Freecycle or from acquaintances.

The latest example of this in our lives is bunk beds for the kids. We have four kids; two boys and two girls. They share rooms. We had one set of bunk beds. The youngest two were in a crib and toddler bed. Several months ago we realized that we were going to need another set of bunk beds soon. A few weeks ago my husband’s co-worker mentioned his daughter wanted to give away a set of bunk beds. Score! Now we have a second set, and only need to purchase mattresses.

You find an alternative.
Sometimes when there is a need or want patience breeds creativity, and you find another item that will serve the purpose for less money.

Recently, our microwave died. It was the third one in as many years. I really was ready to go out and buy another one, but wrote about my frustrations at another place. I was surprised by the responses I got from people who do without a microwave. They offered alternatives to some of my most common uses for our microwave. I decided to wait on that purchase. I have found that those alternatives really are almost as convenient, and have decided not to buy a microwave, for now anyway.

Patience really is a frugal virtue, and I hope that the examples above have helped show that. So, how do you develop patience in this world of instant gratification? Here are some things that have worked for us:

Look to the future.
Many times you can see upcoming needs. Prepare for them now by saving money and researching now.

Impose a waiting rule.
If you really want to buy something self impose a three day rule, or whatever time period you feel is sufficient.

Cash only.
Don’t carry your credit cards. Then you can only buy what you can pay for.

Make it a team effort.
If you are married, hopefully, this is something you and your spouse are doing together. If you are single you can partner up with a like minded friend or family to encourage each other in your frugal endeavors, or start a blog. It really does help keep you accountable.

Instant gratification may be the way of the world, but it really is not the best way for your finances. Patience is a frugal virtue. Developing and exercising patience will save you money, and help you to reach the financial goals that are most important to you.

Food waste is a large problem in the developed world. Depending on the country and source of the statistics, it is estimated that one quarter to one half of food produced ends up in the trash. There are huge concerns about the environmental and moral implications of these figures, not to mention the economic impact of this waste. An interesting article on the topic can be found at CNN - All About: Food Waste.

Much of this waste occurs pre-consumer, but we, as consumers, certainly contribute to this problem. Throwing away food is essentially throwing away money. Can we really afford to do that? If you regularly find yourself throwing away food, it is time to take a look and find ways to stop this siphon of your budget. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Buy less
Maybe this seems obvious, but if you buy less you will have to use what you have, and you will be able to use it in a more timely manner.

Get Your Produce Ready
Fresh produce is so appealing in the store, and then it sits in your refrigerator drawer for a week, and it isn’t so appealing any more. Another week, and it is in the trash. Prevent this waste by cutting up the vegetables all at the same time. That way they are ready when you want a quick snack.

Eat Your Leftovers!
Take them to work. Eat them for dinner. Use them to make something else. If there are a lot of leftovers freeze them for a quick and easy meal later. Don’t throw them in the trash. Our favorite way to clean up the leftovers is to create a buffet from them. Everyone gets to pick what they want, and the leftovers disappear.

Get Chickens
You’ll never ever have to put food scraps in the trash again. They will eat every last shred of food, and give you fresh eggs in return. Maybe chickens aren’t practical for everyone, but how about the next one?

Make Compost
Meat or greasy foods aren’t good for your compost, but just about all other food scraps are.

Wasting food is a problem. There are concerns about its effect on the environment, and about the people that food could be feeding. Wasting food is also a drain on your finances. Cut back and use up what you have to save money, and maybe help to keep the planet a little cleaner too!

Ah February, and the cabin fever has set in. The holidays are well behind us, and even the groundhogs can’t decide if spring will be here soon or not. It is the perfect scenario for the winter doldrums. A break in the routine is called for, but you don’t want to break your budget. Here are some ideas:

1. Head to the library.
Check out a juicy book, or a movie. It is free!

2. Look for free days at the museum.
If they don’t have free days, consider a membership. They usually pay for themselves in a couple of visits, and you will have an activity to do year round!

3. Go play outside.
Really! Pick a sunny day, and go play, even if there is snow. Go sledding with the kids, take a walk, or go ice skating. The fresh air and sunshine will be truly invigorating!

4. Do it yourself spa.
Take some time alone, or maybe with a friend, and do your nails, color your hair, or something else that makes you feel pampered and pretty.

5. Learn something new.
Always wanted to learn a craft or a skill. Take the time now, when life tends to be a little slower.

6. Don’t go window shopping.
Unless you have a lot of will power, don’t tempt yourself. At worst you’ll come home with a lot of stuff you don’t need. At the least you will find things you wish you could buy, and be frustrated because you can’t.

7. Enjoy nature, from the house.
Put out a bird feeder near a window. Get a field guide from the library, and keep track of how many birds come to your feeder.

8. Turn off the T.V.
Resist the temptation to just veg in front of the tube in the winter. There isn’t much good on anyhow. Break out the cards or a board game, and enjoy something that makes you use your brain.

9. Connect with family and friends.
Pick up the phone, type an email, or write a letter to someone you haven’t connected with for a long time. If possible you could even go visit. Nothing beats the doldrums like rehashing the good old days with an old friend.

10. De-clutter.
It may not sound like the most exciting option, but you will feel good when it is done. Clean out that closet. Rearrange a room. Organize your desk. Sell things you don’t need anymore on eBay, or donate them to charity. It is a win-win!

Don’t let February leave you with the winter doldrums. Spring really will be here soon, and until then you have plenty of things to keep you active while keeping to your budget.

It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes we find, or are given cash we didn’t know we had. Maybe you find five dollars in your jeans from last week. Maybe you get $20 on an instant lottery ticket. No matter the source, unexpected cash is always welcomed, and small amounts like this usually get tucked into your wallet and used for your normal everyday things.

What do you do though when you get a larger sum unexpectedly? Getting an unexpected larger sum is even less common, but it does happen. Perhaps you receive an inheritance you weren’t expecting, get a bonus from your place of employment, or a stock you own has suddenly doubled in worth. If you are an United States tax payer, a nice unexpected sum may be coming your way.

The plan is to put a tidy sum in your pocket in the form of a tax rebate. You are then supposed to go out and spend it to jump start the economy. Should you co-operate with this plan? Well, of course that is a personal decision, but in my opinion the answer is maybe.

I have a great aunt who occasionally will slip me a  handful of twenties, and say, “Go do something fun.” In those rare instances I do go spend the money on something that would not be in my normal budget plan. I obviously do not have the same relationship with the government as I do with my great aunt, and therefore do not feel as inclined to follow their wishes for how I use the money.

When a nice sum of unexpected money comes your way it should be used to meet the financial goals you already have. If you’ve been saving for a house down payment, then a tax rebate will be a nice jump start to that process. If you building an emergency, college, or retirement fund put your unexpected cash into that fund. Trying to pay off debt? Use the money toward that. If you’ve been planning to buy a large screen T.V., then you may be able to it sooner than planned.

Getting some extra cash should not be an excuse to blow through the money leaving you no better off than before you received the money.  Unexpected cash should be treated as a boost to the financial goals you already have established.

Thanks to Melissa whose post Recession Fears = Flat Screen TV?  was the inspiration for this post.

Typically, I tend to do things a little differently. It bothers me when people do something because “That is they way we’ve always done it.” Now maybe the way you’ve always done it is a great way. Maybe it is the best way, but do you know? Have you thought about it? Would you be willing to try to do it differently?

That attitude could be applied to a lot of areas of life, but for the purpose of this post the discussion is about household tasks. I don’t want to go against the grain just for the sake of being different, but I also don’t want to only buy XYZ brand just because that was what mom always bought. In general I think through tasks and try to find more efficient and economical ways to get things done, but the other day I caught myself red handed.

I was given Friendship Bread starter a few months ago.  Dutifully I’ve been caring for my starter, and trying new recipes with it. If you’ve ever had this starter, I’m sure you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, let me quickly explain by saying every ten days you create dough for baking, and four more starters. I’ve been freezing my extra starters for future use, or to give to friends.

The other day I was dutifully separating my starter, putting the new starters in their own ziplock bags when it dawned on me what an incredible waste that was. I know ziplocks aren’t that expensive, but four, every ten days, indefinitely. . . .well it adds up. I also had perfectly suitable reusable containers available. Why was I using all these disposable bags? Because that is what the directions said to do. Busted!

You may think not using ziplock bags is extreme, but there really are many ways to save money while you accomplish household tasks. It just takes a little thought sometimes, and a little experimentation.

Take cleaning products. Cleaning with simple items like vinegar and baking soda can save you a lot of money. (see Frugal Cleaning) If you prefer to buy cleansers, generics often work just as well. Whether you choose to buy generics or name brands, chances are you can use a lot less than the recommended amount and still get the job done. Try using only half the laundry detergent suggested. If the clothes are still clean, cut the detergent back even more. Dryer sheets can be cut in half, and still be very effective.

Frugal minded bloggers are a great place to find a wealth of ideas for thinking outside the box. Memes like Frugal Fridays are a great source as are blog carnivals like the Festival of Frugality. Books like the Tightwad Gazette are wonderful too. There are thousands of simple little tricks that can help save you money. What are some of your favorites?

Many of us have set goals to save money this year. Sometimes saving money requires sacrifice, but other things really are fairly easy and painless. Joining in this week’s Frugal Friday theme here are five painless ways to save $100 this year:

1. This winter throw on a sweater and turn down the heat a few degrees.

2. Eat your leftovers!

3. Grow your own veggies and herbs.

4. Never go grocery shopping while hungry.

5. Pack your meals on family outings.

Be sure to take a look at the other participants in the theme for Frugal Friday. On our main site you may be interested in the following articles:

10 Tips to help you save $200 this month
Make an extra $200 this month to pay off debt - 5 steps to get you started.