Category Archives: Frugal Living

Frugal living tips in many categories from finance to craft and everything in between.

9 Clever Things To Do With Toilet Paper Tubes

Posted on by
Reply

9 Clever Things To Do With Toilet Paper Tubes

Part of being frugal is reusing things you already have into something useful, or just fun! Not only does this save you money but you are also being green by reusing something that otherwise would have gone in the trash!

9 Clever Things To Do With Toilet Paper Tubes!

1

Toilet Paper Tube Wall Art

Toilet Paper Roll Wall Art

Did you know that by cutting each tube into thin slivers and gluing the strips together you can create some really cool designs and turn them into your own wall art! I love how Angela over at 365 Days to Simplicity put her geometric design into a round shadow box and framed it to hang on the wall. The addition of little faux pearls just makes it extra special I think.

Get the directions: HERE

2

Toilet Paper Tube Marker Caddy

Toilet Paper Roll Marker Caddy

If you are a crafter, scrapbooker or just have a lot of markers (or pens, pencils, even crayons) corral them all up in a nice and tidy Toilet Paper Tube marker caddy. So easy to put together using an empty shoe box and toilet paper tubes! I love how Aunt Peaches did her’s up. The polka dots on the box are cute. I think her shoe box came like that but you could use some wrapping paper, shelf liner paper or leftover wallpaper and cover your box to make your box match your decor!

Get the directions: HERE

3

Toilet Paper Tube Plant Seed Starter Pots

Toilet Paper Tube Plant Starters

This I save my toilet paper tubes just for this purpose every year. It is super simple to create little seed starting pots out of toilet paper tubes. Fill with potting soil, plant your seeds and watch them grow into seedlings. When it is time to plant, just pop the entire thing into the ground and the paper tube decomposes away naturally. No little plastic pots to do something with, and you are returning these paper tubes to the earth. I am quite envious however of Little Bambino and her Beefsteak tomato seedlings. I just have almost zero luck growing tomatoes from seed here where I live. Oh I can get them to sprout but our season is so short that I never get any tomatoes!

Get the directions: HERE

4

Toilet Paper Tube Birthday Crowns

Toilet Paper Tube Birthday Crowns

When I saw these little birthday crowns made out of, you guessed it, toilet paper tubes I admit I squealed just a little! I gotta give it up to Creative Jewish Mom for coming up with this idea because when I showed my 8 year old daughter these she BEGGED me to make her one…so guess what we are doing tomorrow? These would be so cute at a princess (or prince) themed birthday party and are super frugal to make!

Get the directions: HERE

5

Toilet Paper Tube Party Favor Boxes

Toilet Paper Tube Party Favor Boxes

Going right along with the party idea in number 4 how about making some cute little party favor boxes out of your toilet paper tubes! You could decorate these in just about any way possible with a little scrapbook paper and Mod Podge and some imagination! Crissy’s Crafts has several different ideas and step-by-step directions on how to make these. What you put inside is totally up to you but the possibilities are endless – candy, gum, little toys, crayons, little bottles of nail polish, etc!

Get the directions: HERE

6

Toilet Paper Tube Painting

Toilet Paper Tube Painting

The end of an empty toilet paper tube is a circle and you can use it sort of like a stamp and stamp circles on just about anything. Give your toddler a toilet paper tube roll and some kid friendly (WASHABLE) paint and let them go to town on a piece of paper. Or, if you like something a bit more adult how about these chic picture canvases from Creative Carmella? I think they look great and you can paint them in any color you want. These look like picture frames but they aren’t, but you could buy some wooden frames and paint them just the same!

Get the directions: HERE

7

Toilet Paper Tube Bird Feeder

Toilet Paper Tube Bird Feeder

This little craft project is for the birds… literally. Have the kids help you feed our feathered friends by covering empty toilet paper tubes with peanut butter and rolling in birdseed. Cocktail Mom has full instructions on how to make this (plus some cute pictures of her kiddos)

Get the directions: HERE

8

Toilet Paper Tube Wreath

Toilet Paper Tube Wreath

This fabulous wreath is made out of toilet paper tubes, can you believe it? Oh my gosh how adorable. I have a thing for stuff that is slightly shabby chic and this would just be adorable I think. Who would have thought that you could turn a humble toilet paper tube into a rose? Well Melissa over at Proverbs 31 Life did and it looks great. She spray painted her wreath white but honestly, I sort of love the look of the unpainted one above!

Get directions: HERE

9

Toilet Paper Tube Fire Starters

Toilet Paper Tube Fire Starters

I love this idea from Nadine’s Nook! Making your own fire starters is the ultimate when it comes to recycling your trash into something useful! Stuff your empty toilet paper tubes with dryer lint and wrap with newspaper and you have a very handy and easy way to start a fire be in a fire in the fireplace or stash some away in your camping gear!

Get the directions: HERE 

So stop throwing away those empty toilet paper tubes and put them to use around the house! Do you want more ideas? Check out our Clever Things To Do With Toilet Paper Tubes Pinterest board!

Save Money on Car Oil Changes

Posted on by
1

Oil ChangeTaking care of your car is smart by having regular tune-ups, oil changes, tire rotations and other basic car maintenance you are more likely to avoid costly car repairs that can really bust your budget.

One of the most important car things you can do to take care of your car is to have your oil changed on a regular schedule.  Neglecting to have your oil changed can lead to your engine burning up or throwing a rod (take it from me; you do NOT want to have to pay to replace your car engine!)

The average price of an oil change is over $30 and how often you need to change your oil is going to depend on how much you drive your car. Check your car owner’s manual to see how often yours should be changed. For both my mine and my husband’s cars it is recommended to change the oil every 4 months or 4,000 miles. My husband does a lot more driving in his truck than I do in my mid-sized SUV but we still both get our oil changed like clockwork when we reach either the 4 month mark or the 4,000 mile mark on our cars.

Where we live the average oil change costs about $35 and that can really add up when you have two cars needing oil changes every couple of months. But being the frugal gal I am I always look for the best deals and coupons to make sure we are saving money where we can. If your oil change shop has a mailing list make sure to get on it so that they can mail you coupons or look online for printable coupons. One great resource is Tinmanoilchange where you can find oil change coupons for over 200 US cities. They have both some of the big name oil change joints like Pep Boys, NAPA, Penzoil, Sears and more plus some of the smaller stores that are local to specific cities or areas. Clicking around on several cities (my little town up here in Wyoming was not represented) I found several coupons that knocked the price on the oil change to $15-$20 dollars. That kind of savings can really add up!

Take care of your car and your car will take care of you and make sure to save some money too when you are going in for an oil change!

10 Adorable Tooth Fairy Ideas

Posted on by
5

10 Adorable Tooth Fairy IdeasCurrently of my 5 kids, 3 are in the loosing teeth stage. About once a month someone looses a new tooth so the Tooth Fairy visits our home on a regular basis.

Basically these kids look like Jack-O-Lanterns…but that’s OK I love that look on kids, precious snaggle-toothy grins!

Yesterday afternoon my youngest daughter Carly lost another tooth but the Tooth Fairy  forgot to come and put her dollar under the pillow so I was looking for some fun ideas to make up for the missed Tooth Fairy visit. Something to make it special since the Tooth Fairy was going to be a bit late.

So here are some really clever ideas I found and some I am actually going to start working on soon, like the Tooth Fairy pouches, but tonight the Tooth Fairy is going to leave a bit of fairy dust on the dollar she leaves under the pillow…

Click here to see all 10 great ideas!

Pampering On A Penny – 8 Cheap Ways to Spoil Yourself!

Posted on by
1

Pampering yourself once in a while is a great treat, but it can get expensive – fast. A manicure and pedicure at the salon can easily run $50. Add in a makeover, hair treatment, and whatever else tickles your fancy, and you’re over budget in no time! Use these at home beauty tips and recipes for Pampering On a Penny.

Swap massages

Massages are great, but they can be pricey! Swap massages with your significant other, or a friend. You’ll both get the relaxing benefits of a massage, without the hefty pricetag.

Fruity Face Scrub

Take the rinds of a pineapple and gently rub them on your face. Leave on for about 10 minutes, and rinse with cool water. It will help get rid of dead skin cells, refine your pore, and even brighten your complexion.

Head to the mall

If you go to one of the nicer department stores in the mall, you’ll see that they will let you try out different types of makeup – for free! Sit down and enjoy a makeover, without having to pay the salon prices.

Lip Scrub

Apply chapstick or lip balm. Rub cinnamon across your lips to exfoliate. The spice is said to bring more blood to the surface, which will also make your lips appear fuller.

Movie night!

Head to Red Box, or pull up Netflix, and spend the evening watching chick flicks while you sip on your homemade lemonade and eat popcorn that you paid pennies for. Saving $30 or more by staying at home is a grand way to pamper yourself!

Relaxing Foot Soak

Fill a container (big enough to soak your feet in) with 2 cups whole milk. Add in 5 drops of lavender essential oil, and if you have fresh lavender on hand, add some petals to the mix. Soak your feet for up to 20 minutes. The milk will soften your skin, and the lavender essential oil will relieve muscle soreness while relaxing you.

Bubble Bath

Nothing beats a bubble bath. Play some nice relaxing music, light some candles, and soak until you look like a wrinkled prune!

Hair Treatment

Mix sliced bananas, berries, and avocados in a small bowl. Add a little coconut oil and smash until it’s kind of pasty. Spread evenly on your hair and wrap in a warm, moist towel. Let sit for about 20 minutes then rinse and wash your hair.

What’s your best tip for pampering yourself on a budget?

8 Budget Friendly Ways to Stay Cool This Summer

Posted on by
Reply

Summer is here, and it sure is heating up fast! Enjoy it without breaking the bank, with these cool tips.

1. Keep a bottle of cool water handy.

Woman Drinking Bottled Water

Drink bottled water to stay cool

Taking a cool shower is a great way to cool down, but it’s not always realistic – who has time to take a shower in the middle of the day? Keeping a bottle of cool water handy can be just as refreshing, but a much quicker alternative to a shower.

Next Tip: Splash Pads

 

 

 

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8