Frugal Mania

With Father’s Day waiting in the wings just around the next bend, I thought it would be nice for me to share a few frugal Father’s Day gift ideas in the hopes that you can see to it that Dad enjoys a day full of enjoyment that makes him feel so appreciated that he will never forget it.

Let me say this now before you make the worst mistake of your life. Don’t waste the first cent on another tie, pair of socks or anything whatsoever that says “#1 Dad” on it. A good Father’s Day gift is one for which he won’t feel it necessary to lie by tell you how much he loves the thing that will be forever banished to the dark recesses of his closet.

Start the day with a special Father’s Day breakfast in bed. With help from the kids (if possible), prepare all of Dad’s favorite breakfast treats and serve them to him in bed, along with the morning newspaper or a collection of the latest issue of his favorite magazines.

Spend an hour or so with the kids behind closed doors while Dad relaxes into his day, helping them to design and create their own Father’s Day cards. A supply of construction paper, old magazines, crayons, watercolors and washable markers is all that it takes.

As for gifts, give it some serious thought before you go off half-cocked. What about some snazzy new BBQ accessories? A gift card for his favorite store? Whatever it is, make sure that the meaning behind the gift is worth more than the gift itself and you are sure to have a winning Father’s Day that will be hard to beat.

At least once a day I receive an email from someone asking why I am frugal. Here is the most recent:

Michael,
You live in the greatest country in the world, you make a living, you even have health insurance according to what I have read on your website and you still don’t seem to appreciate what you’ve got. What gives? So the cost of gas is up. We’re at war. It happens. Do you really need to seem to ungreatful? It would seem sir, that you need a reality check.

A.G. in Virginia

Needless to say, I seriously felt that a response was not just warranted but called for. So I did:

A.G.,
First, I want to thank you for the time you spent to share your thoughts and opinions with me. For every response I get there are at least 100 people who can’t even be bothered to do what you did and for that I do offer my appreciation. Now to answer your question:

A report on CNN today revealed that consumer spending was the lowest in the first quarter of 2008 since the previous recession. Not a startling or surprising revelation to be sure, and yet it does illustrate the problems of everyday people here in the United States.

Regardless of how the current administration wishes to spin it, the average person is in a financial bind now more than ever and I can feel the pinch in my own home and every time I have to drive to the supermarket.

The Social Security Administration has been quoted as saying that as many as 85 out of 100 Americans who reach the retirement age of 65 will do so with less than $250 in the bank. Our senior citizens (who survived the Great Depression, I’d like to add) are now faced with the very real prospect of being forced to ration the medications that keep them alive and healthy and even go without other necessities like food and even heat in the winter months just to be able to afford to live.

Sure, I have health care coverage right now, but I haven’t been able to afford the extra $15 it would take for a visit to the doctor, much less the cost of any prescriptions that may be called for. I am quite appreciative of everything I do have and I don’t want to be a part of these statistics. I don’t want to reach retirement age with no money, when the time comes for me to retire and relax I want to spend my days doing what I want to do - relaxing - instead of worrying if I can afford to buy food or pay my bills.

If that isn’t enough of a downer, check out this article that tells the story of a man who has been evicted after paying $30,000 for his rental home, because the home he is living in is being foreclosed on. The landlord, it seems, has not paid the mortgage since he moved in last August and though the renter has paid what was due regularly, he is soon to be homeless and without the security deposit of nearly $8,000 that he paid when he took possession of the property.

I am a renter. This could happen to me. Need I say more on that subject?

And to think, people ask me why I am obsessed with frugal living and teaching other people to live on less and be happy at the same time. The news is grim, and it is up to each and every one of us to find joy in everyday life. Despite the people who are against what I stand for, I have found that joy. I live a reasonably comfortable and happy life even though the average price of gas is higher than ever and shows no signs of going down this year.

You ask me why am I frugal? The real question you should ask yourself is why are you not.

In closing, I want to tell you that I have attached to image files to this email and I have a question for you about them. Which would you want to see when you retire?

Kind regards,
Michael Nolan

The images I attached to that email are shown below. I’m pretty sure I won’t get a response. What do you folks think?

You may have never really thought about it before, but if you have to pay a water bill, there are several ways that you can decrease your dependence on “the man” without sacrificing your current water usage. In other words, it is entirely painless to do.

Convinced yet? Well read on to find out several ways to save money on your water bill.

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From time to time I go that extra mile (on foot of course, since I am too cheap to buy gas these days) to bring you the latest and greatest deals and now it is time for yet another Hot Deal at Frugal Mania, I just hope you can handle it!

According to a television commercial I saw while enduring Adventures in Babysitting recently (please, just don’t ask), True Value Hardware is offering a coupon on their website for $5 off a purchase of $25 or more.

if your house is anything at all like mine, there is always something breaking down or needing to be replaced. What better time to do it than when you can save a little cash at the same time?

To get your coupon, all you have to do is visit truevalue.com and click on the coupon (it is in the right hand column). When you do, you’ll be prompted to enter your email address and zip code.

The really cool thing about this particular site is that when you enter your zip code, the coupon page also shows you the nearest True Value stores to you. It doesn’t get any easier than that!

If by some chance you can’t think of anything to buy, leave me a comment and I would be more than happy to send you my shopping list. What can it hurt? My birthday’s only two months away and let’s face it peeps - you owe me!

Have a great day everyone!

The word organic seems to conjure mental images of high dollar produce at your nearest Whole Foods market, but in reality organic food truly is the best for you.

Now I need to add to that statement by saying that in order to be truly organic, food that is grown should be grown without the use of any chemical-based (or otherwise artificial) pesticides, fertilizers or other such additives. These foods are grown using completely natural methods - in other words, letting Mother Nature do what she does best and trusting that the resulting produce will be tastier, healthier and well worth the effort.

It can definitely be costly to buy organic. Yeah, I realize that you are nominating me for the Understatement of the Year award at this point, but it had to be said. Still, it is entirely possible to eat a healthier organic diet and still be frugal. In fact, you can do so for around seven bucks a day and you don’t even have to take my word for it - an article at MSN Health & Fitness not only tells you so, they detail how it can be done! This is the first time I have been so absolutely impressed with an article of this type in the mainstream media, and it is handled clearly and realistically.

To be fair, writer Lynn Welsh did write an article for a local Madison, WI newspaper a couple of years ago that also included some excellent tips on this subject, but the former is far more detailed.

Accept the fact that if you want to accomplish this lofty goal you are going to have to make some definite dietary changes. Less meat, poultry and seafood, more beans and rice and other vitamin-rich items.

Reading this article has given me the desire to start working on a new project that I think will be incredibly helpful to fans of Frugal Mania. It is going to be a lot of work on my part but there will be little doubt that it will bring about the opportunity for more people to live a healthier, more frugal lifestyle without resorting to random hit-and-miss frugal living tactics.

I’ve already said more than I should have about it at this point, so you’re just going to have to wait to find out what I’m talking about!

I am happy to announce that the first Frugal Mania coupon train is not only rolling but it has reached and departed from the first stop. We have quite a few people signed up but there is always going to be room for more - in fact, the more stops on this train the better!

To read all the details and to learn how to sign up and maybe even win a special prize to boot, click here to visit the original coupon train post.

If you are new to coupon trains the premise is really simple. Everyone has coupons for items they don’t use and most people just throw them in the trash, right? I know I used to. Coupon trains work because I clip all of the coupons (even the ones for things I don’t buy). I started this train will my own collection of current (in-date) coupons that are for items I don’t want for whatever reason.

I send those coupons to the next person in the train who takes what they want, adds some of their own, removes the ones that are out of date (or about to be out of date) and sends it to the next person.

The great thing about coupon trains is that they can continue for as long as there are people who want to register as stops. The more people who participate, the richer and more diverse the collection of coupons that are circulating.

Don’t ever forget that coupons are basically free money, so the next time you find yourself debating whether or not to spend the five minutes it takes to clip a few, ask if you would just toss a few dollars in the trash can, because that is exactly what you’re doing when you toss those unclipped coupons!

Are you riding the Frugal Mania Coupon Train? click here to find out more and get on board!

Today’s frugal tip is a lesson in appreciating what you already have, especially when you find yourself wanting more. More specifically, this post has to do with your clothing. How well are you really acquainted with the clothes you have right now - I mean all of your clothes, not just the stuff on the top of your drawers and in the front of your closets?

Here’s what I want to suggest as an exercise for each of you:

Set aside an afternoon (or evening, or morning) and take every piece of clothing you own out of your closet, and out of your drawers. Physically touch each and every article and divide the clothes into three categories:

1. Clothes that you need to repair
2. Clothes that you need to get rid of, and
3. Clothes that are fine and need to just be put away.

Clothes that you need to repair
Clothes in need of repair should be set into a pile and (here’s an original idea) repaired! That means you should reattach loose or missing buttons, repair small tears or seams and get those clothes back into commission. It is far too easy to let these small repairs pile up, so make a promise to yourself that you will make those overdue repairs once and for all. I promise you will feel good about it once you’re done.

Clothes that you need to get rid of
You know those clothes that have been hidden away in the back of you closet since your Freshman year of college because you swore you would get back into them eventually? Here’s the deal. If you haven’t been able to fit into those jeans since 1985, you’re not going to get back into them even if you can. Face it and move on with your life. Oh, and bag those clothes up and get thee to your local charity thrift shop - it is donation time, kid.

Clothes that are fine and need to just be put away
Before you put all these beauties back into their rightful places, seriously look at the ones you haven’t worn in a while and think about what other items in your wardrobe that they will complement. Most people have nice clothes they haven’t even thought about because they haven’t seen them in months or even years. I’d bet the same is the case for you.

CREDITS: I owe this tip to the lovely host of Consciously Frugal, who learned it from a reader in New York. If you haven’t checked out this chick’s blog, you really need to get your butts over there. She rocks my frugal world and I bet you’ll <3 her too.

Tuna salad is a perennial favorite for many families.
It can also be simple and inexpensive to make and enjoy. Here is my own personal recipe:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can, chunk light tuna in water
• 2 Tablespoons, mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon, yellow mustard
• 1 hard boiled egg, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons, onion, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons of sweet relish
• salt & pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Drain tuna and add to a small bowl.
2. Add chopped egg, onion and relish and mix well.
3. Add mayo and mustard and stir well to mix thoroughly.

SERVING OPTIONS

• Tuna Salad Sandwiches: There’s nothing better than two slices of wheat bread, some fresh sliced tomato and a good helping of tuna salad.
• Tuna Salad Salad: Take a bowl of your favorite salad greens, toss in some carrots, celery, tomato (or anything else you like), add a touch of homemade dressing (like my simple balsamic vinaigrette) and a scoop of tuna salad. Simple, delicious, healthy and frugal!
• Tuna Melt: Two slices of bread, a slice (or two) of cheese and tuna. Make it in a pan like you would make a grilled cheese and you have a warm and delicious quick meal that is sure to please.

MICHAEL’S NOTES
When I make tuna salad I usually make a double batch so that I have enough for two sandwiches and a salad proper. That means I have prepared three lunches for myself at one time which can be a tremendous time and money saver. Another added benefit is that already having something ready and waiting in the fridge means that I am far less likely to skip a meal (which I do way too often anyway). Skipping meals can lower your energy and your productivity as well as leading to inevitable overeating later.

IMPORTANT NOTE: It isn’t too late to jump on the Coupon Train - click here to find out more!

I can’t think of anything I like better than fresh, homemade chicken salad, and most people seem blissfully unaware that it is one of the simplest and most inexpensive delights in the kitchen. Here therefore, is my own personal basic chicken salad recipe:

Michael’s Chicken Salad
INGREDIENTS
1 cup, chicken, finely chopped
3 Tablespoons, mayonnaise
1 piece, bacon, crumbled (or 1 Tablespoon bacon bits)
2 Tablespoons, celery, diced
2 Tablespoons, purple onion, diced finely
grapes, cranberries, apples or raisins
salt & pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Empty chicken into a small bown.
2. Add celery and onion and mix well.
3. Add mayo and stir thoroughly to mix.
4. Toss in bacon bits, sliced grapes, apple chunks, cranberries or any other similar extras (even strawberries!) and fold in until just blended.

MICHAEL’S NOTES
There are tons of variations for chicken salad. Sometimes I forego the mayo in favor of balsamic vinaigrette. Sometimes I add vegetables and fruit that others might think is just crazy. Blueberries, for instance, are absolutely delicious, as are fresh herbs - whatever is on hand at the time, but usually rosemary, basil and chives. Give it a try and whatever you do, don’t let your ideas be limited by what you see in any recipe (especially one of mine). Recipes should exist only to serve as guides from which you can create your own individual masterpiece!

Another absolutely delectable option is the addition of curry seasoning. That simple alteration, a short stint in the microwave and a bed of rice make for a meal I could eat every day of the week.

For links to all of the frugal recipes posted at Frugal Mania visit the Frugal Mania Recipe Archive.

IMPORTANT NOTE: It isn’t too late to jump on the Coupon Train - click here to find out more!

Fridays are usually reserved for my week in review feature, but I couldn’t resist sharing this with all you frugal maniacs as soon as possible!

Today’s Hot Deal is brought to us by the folks at Lowe’s and Visa. Now usually I am not a fan of anything that has a credit card name attached to it, but this time Visa has done a great thing in my book. The deal is that you get a free printable coupon valid for $10 off any purchase of $25 or more when you shop at your nearest Lowe’s Home Improvement store before June 30, 2008.

I don’t know about you, but I can spend $25 at Lowe’s without even thinking about it. Not exactly frugal, but at least I am buying things that are useful and save me money in the long run!

To get the deal all you need to do is visit this website.

Once there, you will be prompted to enter some information (the usual stuff - email address, name, address, etc.) and when you have done so, you will receive an email with a link to the page for your coupon. All you need to do is print it and take the entire page with you the next time you go to Lowe’s! I love it when such a good deal pops up that really doesn’t require much effort on my part. It isn’t that I’m lazy, I just like things to be simple!

Now since this is an offer from Visa, it is contingent on the fact that you use your Visa card when making your purchase. If you are worried about adding to your credit card debt, bear in mind that most debit cards these days carry a Visa logo. Get my drift? I thougth so. In all honesty, I don’t even have a credit card anymore. I have my credit union’s debit card (which gives me rewards on every purchase) and my Paypal debit card (which pays me back 1% cash on every signature purchase). I’ve used them for almost every purchase I have made for years and have reaped quite a few great rewards as as result.

NOTE: There is a bit of fine print on the coupon that you should read when you print it out, as it does state a few brands that the coupon cannot be used for. Unless you’re shopping for something major, it shouldn’t make much of a difference to you, but you need to read it just in case.

All Aboard!
Coupons! They are one of the most fun frugal practices that I use all the time, yet I know that a lot of people don’t share my enthusiasm for this free money. In order to hopefully change your mind, I want to invite you all to join in on the inaugural voyagle of the Frugal Mania Coupon Train!

Here’s how it works:

1. I am the conductor of this train. That means that I will start the journey by clipping tons of coupons, using what I can, and putting the rest in an envelope.

2. I will then send the envelope to the next stop on the coupon train, which could easily be your place!

3. You clip coupons and do the same thing I did. The only difference is that at each stop, the person receiving the coupon train will be responsible for checking the dates on any coupons that remain in the envelope and removing any that will expire in the next week.

4. At each stop, the recipient takes what the will use and adds what they don’t need, keeping the train in motion within 48 hours each time.

Unfortunately, this Coupon Train is limited to the Frugal Maniacs here in the United States, since the majority of coupons will only be applicable to this particular part of the world. Not to worry, you frugal foreigners, I will always be on the lookout for ways that you can save too!

In order to get this train out of the station and keep it in motion, we need at least ten scheduled stops to start. As the conductor, I will maintain the list of names and addresses for all participants and your information will only be revealed to the participant who will be sending the train to your station. In other words, it is safe and your info won’t be going all over the country, so jump on board!

How to Participate: All you have to do is send an email to the conductor (that’s me!) with the subject line “Coupon Train” and your name and address in the body of the email. I will respond with the name and address of the next stop on the train and you simply send the coupon train on to the next person. Simple, Frugal and FUN!

HOW TO WIN FREE STUFF: As a special incentive to all participants, a random coupon train participant will receive a special gift from Frugal Mania, just for being a part of the coupon train!

Fuel prices are at record highs, and seem to be increasing every day. Even the solution originally touted as our savior from dependency on “Big Oil” - corn-based ethanol - has caused its own predicaments:

1. The demand for corn has caused many farmers to stop growing crops they may have grown for generations in favor of the highly sought out corn, which makes other produce (like tomatoes) harder to get. End result - the price of produce goes up.

2. The demand for corn for ethanol has made it more expensive for livestock farmers to purchase feed for their animals. End result - the price of meat goes up.

3. The cost of fuel is so high that it has an effect on the cost of all goods that must be transported. End result - the price of everything goes up.

So what’s the solution? Well I don’t claim to be a biochemist with the next great fuel alternative. There are plenty of people with degrees and the salaries to come up with those. Instead, I propose that you grow your own corn. Yeah, corn.

A packet of corn seeds can be purchased for as little as a few cents (I bought mine this year for 30 cents), and can yield plenty of corn for you and your family. It is the perfect time in many planting zones to put those seeds in the ground, too. All you need is about four to five square feet of ground, which is a small price to pay for such a delicious reward!

It is best to plant corn about 12 inches apart. I generally plant four corn plants in each of three rows. This gives me twelve corn stalks that provide fresh cobs of joy that just beg to be tasted. The extra benefit is that they will add some additional temporary privacy, and at the end of the season, the stalks can be cut, dried and used as yard decorations for the fall.

Here are a couple of great links on growing corn:

“How To Grown Corn” on eHow
“Watch Your Garden Grow” by University of Illinois Extension

Give it a try! At worst, you are out a few cents. At best, you will have fresh corn for the summer, save lots of money and eat more fresh, produce that you grew yourself. What could be more frugal than that?

“Clouds and Corn” photo by Dani Simmonds, used with permission.

We are all guilty of neglecting our precious plants every once in a while. Even the most forgiving of houseplants can look a little worse for the wear after a week with no water, but what can you do if you are always forgetting to give your lovely leafy plants a drink when they need it?

Should you invest in one of those expensive self-watering contraptions in order to save the life of your plants? You should know by now that I am going to respond with an emphatic “no!”, but the good news is that there is another way.

Thankfully, I have come across a frugal solution that uses what I already have and still keeps everyone happy, plant and human animal alike.

If you have a plastic water or soft drink bottle, you have a frugal slow-release watering solution at your fingertips!

Here’s how I do it:

NOTE: It is important that your bottle have a plastic screw top lid.

1. Drill or nail a few small holes in the lid of your bottle.

2. If you are working with a plastic bottle, use a sharp knife to cut off the bottom of the bottle, making what appears to be a funnel shape.

3. Cut a small piece from an old pair of stockings and place it over the drinking end of the bottle, and secure it in place by reattaching the cap. This will ensure that no dirt or debris clogs up the holes you drilled in step one.

4. Place the inverted bottle into the pot with your neglected plant, burying the cap and another inch or so of the bottle to keep it stable.

5. Fill your new self-watering bottle with water and relax. The water will release slowly, keeping your plant well watered and happy.

This is an especially effective solution for people who are away from home for a few days at a time. In my case, I am growing tomato plants in 5-gallon buckets outside this year, and one of the easiest ways I have found to keep them well-watered is to use an old 2-liter plastic bottle. Since I have seen the occasional small bird stopping by for a drink or a splash, I am working on a DIY birdbath, since the cement option in my yard is cracked and will not hold water these days.

When I do it, you can bet it will find its way here, for all the frugal maniacs to enjoy!

I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t actually love ramen.

It has been literally years since I actually needed to live off the stuff, which is a rite of passage most any college student can sympathize with. Still, there is a simplistic beauty to that little package of flavor (and sodium) that I have never been able to escape. Even still there are times when I can find myself bored with the same old thing and I need to shake things up a bit.

I think what helped me to make the most of this uber cheap foodstuff is that I never saw it necessarily as a meal unto itself, but instead viewed it as a canvas on which I could work some amazing act of frugal culinary magic. Truth be told, I’ve come up with so many frugal meal ideas with ramen that even my often fickle partner doesn’t complain when sitting down for a meal anymore.

The two most obvious ideas I’ve had are also the most simple:

Frugal Leftovers
Whenever I cook up a four-minute bowl of ramen heaven, I use the time to raid the refrigerator an find that wayward piece of chicken left over from a recent (at least I hope it is recent) meal, or better yet, the chunks of steak I so carefully brought home the night before after a rare trek for a meal on the town. I keep several flavors of ramen noodles on hand, and match the flavor packet to my meaty leftovers whenever possible. This makes my meal heartier and uses up my leftovers at the same time. SCORE!

Frugal Veggies
At times I forego the flavor packet altogether, instead opting to saute a couple of cups of my favorite (in season, mostly) chopped veggies in some olive oil with a bit of chopped garlic. The flavor that sweats from the veggies (especially when I include onion, garlic and peppers in the mix) is so rich that the salt-intense flavor packet is rendered entirely unnecessary , and can be saved for flavoring an otherwise bland soup mix later.

What’s your favorite frugal way to use ramen?

One of the most common wastes of your shopping dollars covers a huge range of items that we call convenience foods. The truth is that these items are anything but convenient for your wallet, but thankfully they are all but entirely unnecessary. All it takes is a few minutes of your time and you won’t believe how much money you can save, sacrificing nothing at all.

A lot of people will say that they are willing to pay a little more for the added convenience and that is your choice, but you should at least give home made convenience foods a fair chance before you nix the idea altogether.

In order to bring the unconvinced toward the light, I will be sharing some of my personal favorite convenience food recipes over the coming weeks. Give them a shot – you won’t miss out on a thing and you will save more money than you can imagine. This week we will take a look at making your own spice blends at home.

Homemade Salt Substitute
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. powdered lemon rind
1 tsp. oregano

Just mix and serve in a spice shaker.

Homemade All Purpose Spice Mix
1/3 C grated parmesan
1/4 C sesame seeds
2 TBSP paprika
1 TBSP poppy seeds
2 TBSP chicken boullion
2 TBSP dried parsley
1 TBSP onion flakes
1 TBSP garlic powder
1 TBSP celery seed
½ TBSP sea salt
½ TBSP black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a zipper bag or jar and use on meat, fish, poultry, even steamed veggies.

I’ll be sharing some more great convenience food recipes over the coming weeks, but in the meantime, you should check out these great chicken recipes by Shelly over at Earthly Eating.