Reusing Christmas Cards

My sister-in-law Debbie is a frugal maven.  She loves a great deal, and rarely lets things go to waste. She has always reused last year's Christmas cards as gift tags for the following year.

This year she gave out thank you notes from her and the kids using the old cards.  She just cut off the portion that had writing on it and wrote on the back as you would a post card.  I thought this was a fantastic use of resources.

I did a little searching online and found this Better Homes and Gardens article that has some wonderfully creative ways to use those cards that are about to head to the recycling bin. If you are seriously constrained by budget, use these tips next Christmas, or as Debbie did, say thank you with this easy money saving project!

I think you could make some beautiful letter banners with old cards too!

The BEST Way to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

It's plum and tomato season at my place.  Which means it's also fruit fly season.

These nasty buggers multiply faster than gremlins, and the time to take care of it is when you see the first fruit fly (but who ever actually does that?). 

All you need is a glass or jar, a large piece of paper, and some bait (i.e. Something sweet to attract them.  I used a bit of fruit, but vinegar or wine will do the trick).

Make your paper into a cone shape above the bait and watch those dummies fly around unable to get out.

Me -1, fruit flies-0

Make sure to dispose of outside so you don't let any of the buggers loose.  Feel proud you outsmarted hundreds of invertebrates. 

DON'T BUY THAT! Chicken Broth

A picture of chicken noodle soup, The Simple, Easy and Frugal Way, with a few surprise ingredients.

A roasted chicken is a delicious meal that can be stretched into several meals no matter the size of your family.  To me, the best part is what comes next - the chicken broth!

The key to a delicious and more nutritious and healing broth is the length of time you cook the bones. I aim to cook the carcass for 4-5 hours on a slow Sunday when I'm cleaning the house.  I add a little bit of vinegar because I read once that that helps to draw out the good stuff from the bones.  Plus vinegar always helps things to taste a little better in my opinion!

This is a simple, easy and frugal way to  stretch your dollars.  There is just no comparing this to the watered down, high in sodium store bought broth.

Here's what you do:

After you roast your chicken, "pick the bird."  I'll do this after we've gotten our fill at dinner. Take off all the meat you can get and store it in the refrigerator to use later.  If you want you can freeze the chicken pieces in smaller portions. The key is not to let any go bad! I always think, "wow, this chicken died so i could eat it - I better use up every last bit." It helps to assuage the guilt I feel about eating such a charming little animal!

Once you have your carcass (and any leftover skin), put it in a medium to large pot and fill with water.  Add a half to one whole onion quartered or thickly chopped (you'll be taking this out at the end).  Add a few sprigs of rosemary (a great compliment to chicken) or dill (a unique and yummy flavor in broth), more if you like stronger flavor.  Add a little (I usually use about an 1/8 to a 1/4 cup) of vinegar.  Add a generous pinch of kosher or sea salt. Garlic can also be a nice addition.

Bring to a boil on high and then lower the heat so it's at a slow rolling boil. Keep the lid almost all the way on, but leave it a little off kilter so the steam doesn't build up and it doesn't boil over. You do need a lid on it though or else it will start to evaporate.

When it's done "doing it's thang," let cool a bit and then strain. You will "pick the bird" again at this point and any of those little meat bits can be used when you make your soup. 

Broth can be stored in old jars, or you can freeze in plastic containers.  After it cools in the fridge you will notice it is thick like jello.  That's good! That is the good stuff from the bones (look here for how gelatin is made).  It will melt when you reheat it.  Since it is very concentrated, you can add water to stretch your broth.  You might also notice a layer of fat on the top.  You can either leave it in, or skim it and use it later for cooking, but don't throw it out, it's good for you!

You can now use your delicious and healing broth in soup or just drink it plain, or my favorite, with a pinch of added salt and a squeeze of lemon.

Later I will share my recipe for a delicious and filling chicken noodle soup. 

Note: If you don't have time to cook the carcass, it will be fine in the fridge for a few days.  If it will be five days or longer until you can make broth, wrap it in plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer.

Do you make broth at home? How long do you let it cook? What do you like to add? 

DON'T BUY THAT! Homemade Granite Cleaner

This is the first post in a series of all about things you really don't need to buy. You're not going to go without, you can simply make it yourself for pennies on the dollar.

In America we often lead frantic lives and pay for convenience. We spend more because we are busy trying to afford things we often think we need. Not to mention how tired we get doing all of this earning! It keeps us on the hamster wheel of making money to consume.

But often, there is an easy solution to save money. Emphasis on the word easy!  In fact, many things showcased here are far more easy than running to the store.

Truth be told, almost anything in your house can be cleaned with baking soda or vinegar, a little water and some elbow grease. Growing up, that's how my mom cleaned. However, every once and awhile there are exceptions. Granite, for instance, should not be cleaned with acid (i.e. vinegar or lemon), which led me in search of a homemade granite cleanser.  And sweet, sweet Google, as usual, you did not let me down.

I found the original recipe on One Good Thing By Jillee. Since I used a more mild soap (Dr. Bronner's), I added a whole tablespoon of soap.

Homemade Granite Cleaner

You will need:
1/4 cup rubbing alcohol or cheap vodka
3 Drops Liquid soap like Dawn (or up to a tablespoon of a more mild soap such as Dr. Bronner's Peppermint soap)
A spray bottle
Essential oil (Used to cover up the alcohol smell. Not needed if using soap already containing essential oil)

Put in the ingredients in the spray bottle, fill the rest of the bottle with water, and clean!