Make your own substitutes...

Sometimes I don't make a recipe just because it has an ingredient that I don't usually keep on hand, (such as buttermilk or cake flour ). I just don't want to purchase something that I am only going to probably need the one time! So I am always looking for substitutions with ingredients that I have on hand so that I don't need to spend the extra money.

Here are a few of my favorites:

• 1 cup buttermilk = 1 TBSP lemon juice/white vinegar plus enough milk to total 1 cup. (You must let it sit for a few minutes to thicken.) You can also substitute 1 cup of plain yogurt!
• 1 cup cake flour = 1 cup minus 2 TBSP all purpose flour
• 1 cup self rising flour = 1 cup all purpose flour plus 1 1/2 tsp baking powder plus 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup honey = 1 1/4 cups sugar plus 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup half/half cream = 1 TBSP melted butter plus enough whole milk to total 1 cup
• 1 cup whole milk = 1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp allspice = 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon plus 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup light corn syrup = 1 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp baking powder = 1/2 tsp cream of tartar plus 1/4 tsp baking soda

If there are other ingredients you are looking for a substitution for, just google it. You are bound to find someone who has found a substitute in the past!

Baby wipes...

Baby wipes are probably one of my favorite products out there. They are cheap, hypoallergenic, very gentle, but can clean up all kind of messes.

Here are some of my favorite uses for them:

• Make-up remover. Make up remover wipes can be twice as expensive for only half as many... these work wonders to remove most of the make up from my face before i wash it


• Remove deodorant stains. You know when you pull that black shirt over your head and you get deodorant on the outside of the shirt? A swipe of a baby wipe will take it off!


• Shining your shoes. Takes many scuffs and stains off easily!


• Cleaning up dropped food off your shirt. Keep a couple of these in your purse in a baggie and you will be set


• Wiping down walls. You can remove light stains in a jiff!


• Cleaning dirty hands. Just keep a box in your car for emergencies... they also clean the upholstery, windows and surfaces in a pinch.


• Quick bathroom wipe down when company shows up unexpectedly


• Cleaning up fresh stains off your carpet


• Cleaning off rubber stamps if you scrapbook


• Wiping over the kitchen floor in sticky spots.

Hitting your pause button...

Sometimes while roaming the stores you will come across something you "just have to have!" It isn't on sale, you don't NEED it, you just HAVE to have it. At times like this, it can pay BIG time to hit your pause button.

Leave the item on the shelf, walk out of the store empty handed, drive home and THINK about it. Give yourself 48-72 hours to mull it over. If you still HAVE to have it, at LEAST comparison shop before going back to get it. Chances are though, during your pause time, you will at least talk yourself into waiting until you find it on sale... you might even find that you didn't really HAVE to have it as much as you thought you did. :)

And the winner is...

I used a random number generator

to pick the winner.

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers: 3
Timestamp: 2009-01-16 18:12:48 UTC

That makes Higleys the winner.

Congratulations!

Send your home address to

frugalityville[at]gmail[dot]com

and I will put your stuff in

the mail immediately!!

Thanks everyone who left a note.

It's nice to know I don't write

this blog for no-one. :)

Want a free bottle of suave shampoo???

Today only, you can click on this link and get a coupon for one:

http://www.suave.com/nomics/index.html

Hurry!

Coupon Giveaway...

UPDATE: I have added more Gerber coupons, diaper coupons, cookie dough and some others :)

So I have no idea if there will be ANY interest in this at all... but for some reason Gerber keeps sending me baby coupons and well, I don't have any babies!!! (Or at least, my babies are 12 & 15 and definitely not in need of anything Gerber!) So I have been tossing them in the garbage every time they come in the mail.

However, just recently it occurred to me that, hey! Someone else MIGHT want them. So I went through my coupons and found a variety of items for kids and their moms that I had pretty dang good coupons for! None of the coupons expire before January 31st, and most of them are much later than that. The coupon pack will include at least the following:

• $12 in coupons for various Gerber and Gerber Graduate products
• $18 in coupons for various kids medicines
• A $5 coupon good off of two bottles of Pedialyte
• $19 in vitamin coupons. (Six of these are $3 off one package, so on sale they will probably be free... and I included adult ones because if you have little kids, you need vitamins too! ;))
• $2 in Johnson's baby product coupons
• $4 in coupons for BOOST Kid essentials nutritionally complete drink multi pack. (For those picky eaters you can at least make sure they are getting some nutrition!)
• Family of 4 coupons for Cold Stone (2 love it sizes and 2 kids sizes for $9). I included two coupons in case you have more than 2 kids... a fun family treat!
• Two $5 coupons for Village Inn (In case you need a cheap date night.)
• $5 in toothbrush coupons
• $7.50 in Lysol coupons (You KNOW you need them!)
• Six $1 coupons off boxed chocolates just in time for Valentines day!
• $1.85 in cookie dough coupons. Just because you deserve it.

That right there is over $80 worth of coupons! The fun part is I am gonna give you a week to leave a comment, and I will add whatever I find between now and then... and who knows... maybe I will add a surprise or two!

So leave me a hello and I will use a random number generator on Friday the 16th of January to pick a winner. I will then contact you and mail them out to you immediately... or if you are the only one who comments, YOU will just get it... or if no-one comments, then I will try and pass it off to some cute mom I meet at the store... and cry... because no-one reads my blog. Just kidding! ;) I won't cry... in front of anyone. ;)

And if there is any interest in this, maybe I will do it more often, because I think it will be kind of fun. I do like to give things away!

More seasonal shopping... January!

In my e-newsletter today from the Grocery Guru , it said to look out for electronics to drop in price during the month of January... especially flat screen T.V.'s. The reason? The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is this month. There they will introduce the new products for 2009, meaning that stores will want to clear the shelves of the old models. Old model, schmodel! If it's cheaper, I will take it!!!

Another thing I have noticed big sales on so far this month is exercise equipment. (I suppose the fact that it is the month we make our New Years Resolutions might have something to do with that), but keep your eyes peeled. Who knows what bargains you might find!

Finally, I have noticed that household items like storage containers, toilet paper, paper towels and cleaners have been prominent in the ads this week. Remember, if you find a HOAD (Heck of a deal), STOCK UP!!!

Seasonal shopping... January!

We all know the saying "To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under the sun". That holds true for shopping too. During the year there are better times than others to buy certain items. Here is what you should look for during the month of January:

• Holiday Clearance. Now is the time to buy all your wrapping paper, a new artificial tree, Christmas lights, decorations or new holiday tableware for next December. You can find it from 50-90% off if you are willing to look.
• Along with the holiday clearance, you can get good deals on gifts that weren't purchased such as bath sets, photo frames and other goodies that will work great for birthday or wedding gifts for the next few months.
• End of season winter and fall clearance including clothes, shoes and accessories.
• Towels, sheets, comforters and other linens generally go on sale at the end of January as well as some cookware.