Home-Ec Guest Ivy says: If you’re trying to live on less money and you are not yet acquainted with the joy of thrift store shopping, let me introduce you. Reader, meet thrift store. Thrift store, meet reader. Now that y’all know each other, let me give you some good tips on thrift store shopping. The first rule …
Ivy says: Remember I wrote that my grandma had saved thousands of peanut butter lids? Now I know what she must have been saving them for.
Ivy says: Today in the “How to live on less” series, let’s talk about repurposing items. This is a lesson learned from our Depression-era moms and grandmoms. The idea is to take items that have been used for one thing, and turn it into something else. This can be as simple as using a (washed …
Ivy says: I might be the last person on earth to discover that frying bacon is easy peasy. When I was a kid at home, my mom always microwaved the bacon. That takes forever and you constantly have to pour off the bacon grease, which is a pain. I asked mom once if you could …
Dear Home Ec 101, I lost my job due to downsizing. The economy is so bad that I had a hard time finding a new job, and when I finally did find a new job, it was with less pay and fewer benefits. I’ve run up my credit cards and I owe a fortune. I …
Ivy says: I wish I could remember where I read this tip, so I could properly credit it. If you originally wrote about this on your blog, please let me know so I can link you. Anyway, to stretch your laundry detergent a bit further, when it is nearly empty, add some vinegar, shake up …
Ivy says: I need to preface this by saying I was an assistant manager for an auto repair shop for over 3 years. So I really do know what I’m talking about, I promise. Many lists I have seen on how to save money include changing the oil on your car yourself as a way …
Ivy says: As I posted before, we have been cleaning out my Grandma’s stuff following her death. By the way, I appreciate all the condolences. It gets easier every day. And some days, I can laugh. This was one of those days. Earlier this week, my uncle asked me if I wanted all my grandma’s …
Ivy says: I had a very hard time deciding how to choose the winner of this contest. Originally, I was going to pick the best answer, but there were 3 I just couldn’t decide between. Since there’s only 1 DVD to give away, I went with random.org to draw a number to correspond with comment …
Ivy says: Here’s a really good reason to start decluttering your house right now. Eventually, someday, you’re going to die. It’s unpleasant to think about, but it’s one of the only sure things about life- eventually, you’ll die. And when you do, someone you love is going to have to go through your stuff and …