A Penny Pinched Home Archives - Passionate Penny Pincher

Five Minute Challenge: Clean the Screens

May 18, 2013 By Laurie 2 Comments

Do you have five minutes? (You know you do!) Stand up, walk away from the computer (I know it hurts!) grab a bottle of inexpensive window cleaner, and clean every screen in your home.

Wipe down those computers, laptops, televisions, iPhones, iPads, Androids and whatever else you own with a screen that needs a good cleaning. When you’re all done, come on back and check out the deals . . . I promise they’ll be right here waiting for you!

Doesn’t that just feel good? (I did mine too, so I know it’s worth it.)

Do you have any unique cleaning tips? I’d love to hear them! Leave a comment to share those too . . . I’m always looking for new ideas. See previous five minute challenges.

Filed Under: A Penny Pinched Home, five minute challenge

How To Create Beautiful Hanging Baskets {On A Budget}

May 17, 2013 By Laurie 4 Comments

As I shared over the weekend, I’m a sucker for a pretty hanging basket. The problem is, they get expensive. And other than one year when one of my favorite local nurseries had a Groupon available, my sweet penny-pinchin’-hubby just isn’t going to shell out $45 for one hanging basket. (We have two big hanging baskets on our deck, so those two alone would cost $90 ~ eek!)

While I’m not anywhere near figuring out just how to make a perfect hanging basket (as evidenced by a few baskets on our front porch that aren’t looking too hot right now. . . ) the ones we made out back this year are doing so well, and I’m convinced you can do this too. Here’s what we did . . .

(Here’s one of the baskets we found at Bennett’s that was just beautiful, but with a $45 price tag ~ goodness!)

1. Find a great nursery that knows what they’re talking about. Here in the North Alabama area, we like Reseda’s and Bennett’s, because the workers all love plants, and are helpful with novice gardeners like us.

2. Once you’ve found a hanging basket you like, ask exactly which flowers are in it. Even though I like to think I know a thing or two about flowers, I really don’t know much, and most folks who work at better nurseries have a ton of plant knowledge. A good nursery will help you find matching plants in smaller pots so you can do it yourself.

3. Buy those plants! Because the nursery is starting their hanging baskets so early in the season, the baskets probably don’t need quite as many plants as you may need if you’re starting later. (Although, you don’t want too many plants or they won’t have enough room to do well!) We used five plants (there are actually ten shown below because we made two baskets.) The basket we liked included the yellow in the middle for height, and four more trailing flowers around the edges of the basket to come down once they grow.

4. Don’t forget the containers. The containers for hanging baskets can get expensive, so we re-used wire baskets from previous years, and replaced them with new coco fiber. (Ours are similar to these found on Amazon.) The coco fiber gets pretty pricey too, so if you can get it to last two seasons, you’ll definitely save some money ~ I noticed these on Amazon are almost half what we paid at the nursery . . . I’ll do better next year!

5. Start planting. We used Miracle Gro Potting Soil. . .

And Soil Moist (this stuff is like the little crystals that you find in ~ it helps keep the soil moist especially in the heat of summer, but you’ll still need a lot of water!) We’ve had this container for 8 years, so even though it cost us $10 initially to purchase, it’s been well worth it!

6. Plant your tallest plant in the middle, and plants that you want to spill over the edges around it.

Then, water faithfully and wait 3 weeks . . . or better yet, six weeks (here’s ours after just three weeks ~ I was amazed!)

My husband and I are guessing that we spent about $20 per hanging basket by the time you figure in the cost of the dirt, plants, and new coco fiber every few years. While they’re not the most penny pinched deal ever, it’s something we love and completely worth splurging on because we enjoy them so much! You can also check out a peek of my hubby’s (brilliant!) watering system over here ~ one of these days I’ll put together a post of how he designed it but the pictures might help.

Do you have any tips on starting pots at home? I’d love to hear them . . . I’ve been so happy with these baskets this year, and am always looking for new ideas!

I’d love for you to join me over on Pinterest (I love that place!) If you have a blog and have done a little fluffing in your home, I’d love to see it, so leave your link in the comments section. Also, if there’s a craft you’ve seen on a website that you’re hoping to make, feel free to share that link as well (I’m always looking for new ideas!)

See more previous Friday Fluff Up projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing!

Filed Under: A Penny Pinched Home, Friday Fluff Up, Penny Pinched DIY Projects

A Peek At Our Garden As It’s Growing . . . Too Big?

May 15, 2013 By Laurie 5 Comments

Remember that tiny garden I had just a few weeks ago? (Four weeks, to be exact?) Everything is literally growing like weeds (but thankfully no weeds!) My husband is convinced that the square foot gardening method put things a little too close, and is a little worried it won’t work . . . but I’m thinking we’ll just have a lot of everything in that tiny space.

{To compare, here’s how our garden looked in April . . . )

Have you tried out square foot gardening and do you have any suggestions? I’d love to know if you think we’ve over planted . . . I’m thinking the tomatoes and peppers have plenty of room, but not so sure about everything else!

(And, if you’d like to start a raised garden of your own, check out this Greenland Gardener 6-Inch Raised Bed Garden Kits for just $29.98, shipped . . . a great price and way less work than the one we built!)

Filed Under: A Penny Pinched Home, Amazon Deals, Household, Penny Pinched DIY Projects

New Use For Vinegar: It Kills Weeds?

May 14, 2013 By Laurie 4 Comments

You all know I love using vinegar to tackle soap scum, and clean some windows, but I didn’t know it was a weed killer too! Visit One Good Thing By Jillee to learn more. . . seriously smart.

See more penny pinched home ideas.

Filed Under: A Penny Pinched Home, Penny Pinched DIY Projects

My Fun Mother’s Day Gift

May 11, 2013 By Laurie 2 Comments

My amazing, smart, fantastic, brilliant hubby just installed a few more hidden drippers to water every single hanging basket and pot that we own (that would be 19 to be exact. . . I like my flowers!) We had water to all the high hanging baskets last summer, but to have them even to the lower ones is just the nicest gift.

Hope your smart loved one does something super special for you this weekend too. Happy Mother’s Day!

Filed Under: A Penny Pinched Home, Penny Pinched DIY Projects, Random Ramblings

Dollar Tree Teacher Gift Ideas

May 10, 2013 By Laurie 9 Comments

It’s the end of the school year and you moms with school-aged kiddos know what that means . . . time to come up with simple teacher gift ideas! With three children at two different schools, the number of teachers that we give to can really add up, so I love finding Dollar Tree Teacher gift ideas to let them know we do so appreciate them. (I usually add a gift card also for their primary teachers, but my kids love having a small gift to give!)

So, here are three simple {penny-pinched} ideas that we’re using this year, and would also be great gifts as a thank you to other folks who help with your children. (And, if you happen to be running a VBS this year at your church, these might make nice simple thank you’s for your VBS workers too!)

Cute Watering Can

Here’s what I used:

$1 pots and tins found from the Dollar Tree = $1
Ribbon 50% off at Hobby Lobby = $2 (was enough for 6 tins)
Yellow confetti from the Dollar Tree = $1 (was enough for 6 tins)
Candy clearanced at Target from Easter = $2 (enough for 6 tins)
$1.83 for each

{I also used my Cricut with vellum to add the initials, but they would be cute even without them, or you can pickup stickers at Hobby Lobby if you don’t have a Cricut!}

Lemonade Fun

Here’s what I used:

Lemonade Glass from the Dollar Tree = $1
Lemonade Mixes at the Dollar Tree = $1 (would be enough for 2 glasses)
Yellow confetti from the Dollar Tree = $1 (would be enough for 8 glasses)
Ribbon at Hobby Lobby 50% off = $1 (would be enough for 8 glasses)
Total = $1.75 each

You can also just wrap up a loaf of homemade bread (like this Blueberry Banana Bread that I made earlier this week), and attach some ribbon with a thank you note or gift card.

***NOTE: it’s difficult sharing with you specifics of what I spend on projects like this, especially if by any chance my own kid’s teachers read this stuff (I don’t think they do . . . . ) I hope that it inspires you to to find frugal ways to thank others, without sacrificing your famiy’s budget. And, in a world where we’re often encouraged to spend too much on things we may or may not be able to afford, I want you to live abundantly on just what you have right now. (If you know me in real life, I’m really not the cheapest girl on the planet ~ I just think you can do beautiful things even on a budget, and hope it motivates you too!)***

Do you have any other suggestions on how to thank a teacher or someone else who’s worked with your child this year? I’d love to hear them! And if you’re ever over on Pinterest, I’d love for you to join me there too . . . I love that place!

See previous Friday Fluff Up projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing!

Filed Under: A Penny Pinched Home, Dollar Tree, Friday Fluff Up, Penny Pinched DIY Projects, Store Deals

5 Minute Challenge: What Do You Need To Put Away?

May 8, 2013 By Laurie 4 Comments

Do you have a nagging tiny chore at home that will take just a few minutes to complete? Today’s your day to DO. IT.

After walking by my kids Easter baskets for a sold two weeks (seriously, it’s May . . . remember Easter this year was in March?) I finally had had enough. (I know, you’re so impressed, right?) Since apparently they won’t magically hop to the right place (and since I’m clearly the only person in my family with eyes), I finally did it.

Up in the attic.

Done.

(I was seriously tempted to just take a picture of the tidy floor after moving them out of the picture and not really put them away. Hence the picture of my attic . . . proof I completely the task.)

What do you need to get done today? Take a few minutes and get it over with. I promise it feels so good when you’re done (whew!)

Do you know an unique cleaning tips? I’d love to hear them! Leave a comment to share those too . . . I’m always looking for new ideas. See previous five minute challenges.

Filed Under: A Penny Pinched Home, five minute challenge

25 Days Of Frugal Summer Fun. . . To Be Continued

May 3, 2013 By Laurie 4 Comments

So… here I go completely bailing on our 25 Days of Summer Fun Series. (At least for now.)

Seriously, after day two.

I looked at my husband tonight (as it was pouring down rain and way too cold outside), and said, “you know, it’s kinda hard to do this 25 Days of Frugal Summer Fun series when it’s cold out, and I’m not sure it’s going to be helpful to anyone reading because they’re not right in the middle of summer either.” His response?

Duh.

Yup, he’s right.

In case you haven’t figured this out yet (~ahem~), I’m just a mom. I don’t have any degrees in marketing, advertising, or even journalism . . . in fact, I’m in sheer amazement each day that so many folks take time to read what’s here on PPP. (It’s all I can do just to keep this technologically-challenged brain on top of things most days!)

I do however know a thing or two about coupons, and I’m not a bad cook. Sometimes though I get so excited about an idea before thinking it through rationally. And somewhere as I was planning out May I figured I’d better get a head start on summertime . . . because isn’t that what all the best stores do? They sell Christmas candy during Halloween and market Easter bunnies when it’s still Valentine’s?

This plain-ole’-momma should have thought that one through a little better, and since I figure we’re only two days in you’ll understand me stopping early. That way I can have some frugal summer fun with my own kids once they finish up their school year, and share what we do each day along the way.

So, go ahead and get your summer bucket list ready and let me know your big plans, and we’ll do them all together in June. Thanks for understanding.

{By the way, what keeps getting me even more excited about these new series is the fun graphics my friend Cheryl of Beyer by Design has designed for them. We’ve got some exciting plans in the works for the next few months, so keep watching to see more udpates!}

Filed Under: 25 Day Series, 25 Days of Frugal Summer Fun, A Penny Pinched Home

Dollar Tree Organizing (Love. It.)

May 3, 2013 By Laurie Leave a Comment

Do you ever see those beautifully organized pictures on Pinterest but realize just how much was spent getting there? While I love me some organizing, spending way too much money to tidy things up just isn’t going to happen around here.

Enter the Dollar Tree.

This morning I ran in and they had tons of cute containers all priced for just $1 (woot!), and it’s such a great way to organize. Here’s a re-post of my favorite Dollar Tree organizing clean out . . . see what $12 can do!

We’ve all seen those fabulously organized photos on Pinterest of perfectly designed crafty spots, just waiting for someone to get a little crafting inspiration. I noticed a few more recently as I was checking out organizing ideas on Pinterest, and was slightly discouraged looking around my own (*disastrous*) crafting spot.

Now I’m super fortunate, and have some room up in our playroom for all my craft supplies, but it constantly gets destroyed (no matter how often I tidy it. . .) because it tends to be the junk table hidden away out of sight! But after seeing one too many cutely organized pins on Pinterest, I decided I’d had enough.

As I headed into town to hunt down some cute bins, I commiserated about how much I was going to have to spend to get organized. . . until I remembered The Dollar Tree. (WOOOOHOOO!) Guess what I found there? Perfect, adorable, tidy little bins for my shelves, all for (you guessed it!) A DOLLAR! I bought everything used in this week’s project for a whopping $12 (WOW!) So, here’s the before & after of my disaster . . .

(~gasp!~ I’m telling you what, I couldnt’ make this stuff up. . .)

Now, obviously I moved things around a bit . . . I’ve been wanting to put the scrapbooks that were still left on those shelves in a plastic bin downstairs (with way too many more of them), in case we ever needed to get them out in a hurry. (I know, that sounds nuts but I’ve spent some serious hours on those books, so I hated that they were so far upstairs in case we ever had an emergency!) I also finally took a few minutes to put all of my kids special artwork and pictures away in their Rubbermaid container that has been littering that table for way too long.

This post is linked to Living Well Spending Less Thrifty Thursday. I’d love for you to join me over on Pinterest (I love that place!) If you have a blog and have done a little fluffing in your home, I’d love to see it, so leave your link in the comments section. Also, if there’s a craft you’ve seen on a website that you’re hoping to make, feel free to share that link as well (I’m always looking for new ideas!)

Filed Under: A Penny Pinched Home, Friday Fluff Up, Uncategorized

Summer Bucket List ~ 25 Days of Frugal Summer Fun

May 1, 2013 By Laurie 6 Comments

It’s the first day in our 25 Days of Frugal Summer Fun series, and I’m so excited to share one of my favorite ways to start out the summer! While there are all kind of ideas that our family loves to do in the summertime, tonight’s idea is a great way to begin the summer with a plan of attack. My kids have so many ideas swirling about in their heads with summer break just three weeks away {yikes!}, so it’s time to get started planning!

I thought I’d start by sharing how we created a summer bucket list last summer, which is still sitting on our front porch just waiting to be re-used this summer. Here’s how we started last year . . .

Reposted from May 2o12

Last night, after my girls were in bed, I asked my son what he would like put in our family’s “bucket list” for the summer. I gave him a few ideas as a starting point, and let him go wild coming up with ideas for fun summer treats to add to the list.

My (little?) boy is twelve this summer, and as he rattled off things to do, I had to inwardly grin. Do you know what that big ole’ boy wants to do this summer? (Please don’t laugh. . . although I did just a bit!) He wants to play cowboys and indians and go on an “adventure”; to create an art project and play capture the flag; to make a cake all by himself, catch a few fireflies, and, of course, build a fort outside to hide out in.

Do you know what snuck up on me as we made our list together? That boy of mine is growing up (I just hate this growing up business some days!) I doubt I’ll have many more summers when playing cowboys and indians, drawing a sidewalk chalk city, or making freshly squeezed homemade lemonade will be on his to-do list for the summer.

So our bucket list is going to stay real close at hand this summer, and we’ll be working to to clip every one off the list. And do you know what else? I’m not going to be sad about things changing one tiny bit. (Do you hear that?) Because while I know in my heart that these cowboy days are very closely nearing an end, that boy is pretty fun to hang out with as he’s growing up. Instead of being sad as about this growing up stuff (really!), I’m just going to enjoy every single moment we’re in right now, and look right on forward to getting to know the person that he’s becoming.

(Thank goodness though that I have two little girls coming up behind him though . . . I think we may still have a few more years of princesses left!)

By the way, our all-time favorite book to read for boys has been The Brave Cowboyby Joan Walsh Anglund. I think this one’s a must-have-book for every little boy (toddler-kindergarten aged), and even now we still pull it out every once in awhile just to look through the sweet pictures and spend a little time imagining just like that cowboy did.

Thanks for the clever bucket list idea, Delia Creates. . . I loved it! See more great Summer Bucket List ideas HERE, HERE & HERE. I’d love for you to join me over on Pinterest to see more crafty ideas, and please leave a comment with any other summer craft ideas you have!

What ideas will be on you summer bucket list year? I’d love to hear them! Don’t forget you can also enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card when you share a comment on this post before 10 PM tonight. Good luck!

Filed Under: 25 Day Series, 25 Days of Frugal Summer Fun, A Penny Pinched Home