I saw this tip on Pinterest and thought I’d actually give it a try. I used one of those odd hangers that come with a two-piece outfit. You know, the part that you never really use. The clips snapped right off and worked perfectly. I’m afraid we seldom have any chips left to use them on, but they worked nicely on my lettuce and broccoli.

Cheapie Chip Clips work for me. To see more Works for Me Wednesday tips visit We Are That Family and Thrifty Thursday andFrugal Friday.

Guest post by Jennifer Scheffel:

Ever asked the question, “How do I get organized?” When it comes to certain projects, it can be daunting to figure out just where to start.

This is a story of the magical blackboard that helps me get things done, stay organized, and remember to do all the little things that make up my day.

I’ve always kept to-do lists. There’s a cosmic relationship between identifying projects, and writing them down. Writing down goals, wishes and chores gives them importance. Seeing important goals reminds you to simply take the steps to complete them. And, OH, the joy in marking items off the to-do list is remarkable.

But about two weeks ago, I was feeling a little overwhelmed with organizing my home projects and to-do lists. Everyday new items are added, and some remained from the day before.

My husband, who seems to be an expert at getting things done, suggested that I rethink the way I create my to-do lists.

I reacted bluntly to my husband’s suggestion: “I’ve been writing down household projects and to-do lists for ages.”

After thinking it through, I admitted that sometimes the items on these lists fizzled. My lists, with all my good intentions, used to get shoved under a stack of papers, bills, and post-it notes containing even more to-do list items.

This is where the blackboard comes in. After admitting my hubby might be on to something, I knew I needed a radical change to creating to-do lists. And, I needed a trick for making sure my goals never ended up under piles of paperwork again!

Like a vision, it came to me. I would make a magic blackboard. If goals go on the blackboard, they will happen … and that’s magic. In order for the blackboard to possess such a trick, it would have to be placed in a spot I’d see everyday.

Your blackboard’s placement is key to its magic. The back door entrance to my home was the perfect choice for me. Each time I enter, I’m greeted with my weekly goals.

But, the walls are tricky; a standard chalkboard wouldn’t do. I’d need to paint one on the walls.

Frugal Tips for How to Paint a Blackboard

Frugal Tip #1:

Chalkboard paint isn’t cheap, it costs about $20 for a quart can. I’m a frugal girl and I wanted to accomplish the entire project for less than $5 (or free, if I could).

I have lots of left over cans of paint around my house, and I felt that my crafty friends might as well. As a shot in the dark, I placed a post on my Facebook Page asking if anyone had left-over chalkboard paint. A neighbor replied within 20 minutes that she had a can of chalkboard paint she’d love to dispose of. Lucky me!

One you have your paint and supplies, choose the perfect spot for your to-do list blackboard. Tape off the shape of your chalkboard with painter’s tape. A sponge roller works best with chalkboard paint.

Paint three or four coats and allow 2 to 4 hours of dry time between each. Wait at least three days before writing on your chalkboard. Use a quality chalk. It’s easier to write with and easier to wash off and worth the few extra pennies.

Frugal Tip #2:

You can save the cost of creating a frame for your blackboard with a little creative painting.

For my blackboard, I used a stencil that mimicked the pattern of fabric I had in the room. The stencil was purchased at a yard sale for $1 a year ago. I’ve used the stencil for several projects. Maintenance of such stencils is important if you want them to last for more projects.

If you use a stencil as a border to your blackboard, wash it between every use. You can use denatured alcohol or even hot soapy water if you don’t allow the paint to dry. This step will save you the heartache of paint running underneath the stencil and ruining your design.

For the best results, use repositionable spray adhesive on your stencil. This allows you to position the stencil perfectly. As extra assurance, use painter’s tape to secure it to the wall. Finally, a sponge roller works best for painting with a stencil. Roll the paint on very thinly and in several coats.

How Do I Get Organized Using the Magic Blackboard?

I get organized by washing the chalkboard every Sunday. A clean chalkboard doesn’t stay clean long.

I add new items to the blackboard everyday. But, I don’t erase any old ones! I cross through them. This gives me a sense of accomplishment by the end of the week. Anything not accomplished by Sunday goes on the top of the list for next week.

After using the magic blackboard for two weeks, I can truly say it makes organizing my home projects a lot easier. My husband is even in on the action. However, I did discovered one drawback. One chalkboard just isn’t enough!

I quickly learned that placing list items for work-related chores on the back-door blackboard isn’t effective. Only household related chores are placed on this board.

Luckily, there’s an easy solution: paint another blackboard! The first item on my project list: create a magical work blackboard for my office. I can’t wait to see what changes my work projects undergo by using this simple organization technique!

 This article was written by Jennifer Scheffel of www.best-grocery-coupon-websites.com. Her site reviews the topgrocery coupon websites and provides tips on saving money. They have a printable grocery list, coupon organizer and plenty of online printable coupons.

The Frugal Magic Blackboard works for me. To see more Works for Me Wednesday tips visit We Are That Family. Linked to Made by You Monday and Feature Yourself Friday and Frugal Fridays.

I saw this idea on Pinterest and new I had to give it a try. I’ve seen those pre-made smoothie mixes in the store, but never considered buying one. Still, the idea of having a mix ready to go is appealing, especially so the kids could make their own, easily. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before.

The secret to making your own mixes is freezing your yogurt in ice cube trays first.

Once you’ve done that, you can just pop a few cubes in a baggie with some frozen fruit and you’re good to go. I bagged some up this morning. I happened to have a couple of bananas that were going bad yesterday so I sliced them onto a cookie sheet and froze them last night. My supplies:

A finished banana/berry smoothie:

All ready for the freezer:

Just add some milk and bend. Ummm….I don’t really measure. Just some fruit, yogurt and milk. (And I add a scoop of protein powder to mine.) They laways turn out fine. If you like yours sweeter you can add some honey or Splenda. And now to enjoy the fruits of my labor. YUM!

Linking to Frugal Fridays and Works for Me Wednesday.

Last month I shared my trick for fast-fix salads at home. Today I thought I’d share about how I prep quick-grab lunches for my husband. This time of year he’s working harvest, which means 13 hour days. And since he’s gluten-free, he can’t just grab a sandwich and go. Therefore, I’ve been spending Sunday afternoons prepping a week’s worth of lunches that he can grab. That way I don’t have to worry about it again and he has a healthy lunch ready to go.

Last week was just a partial week of harvest and I fixed him some salads with two kinds of beans, marinated grilled chicken and cheese. I actually had two boxes of Ziploc bowls that I’d gotten free on a promo and never used. The salads worked perfectly in them. I prepped the salads, boiled up a bunch of hard boiled eggs and filled sandwich bags with some mini carrots, string cheese and almonds. I also made up some brown rice with lentils and peas and put them in bowls as well (not pictured.) I put some dressing in tiny cups and put some yogurt nearby. Now hubby has all his lunch items on one shelf and can easily grab what he wants.

This week I made a TON of potato salad. I filled six bowls with it for hubs and kept a tub for us to eat as well. I made my version of Southwest chicken salad. I used a package of the cubed chicken I’d prepped from my Zaycon foods purchase, mixed it with black beans and corn and dumped in some taco seasoning. Then I topped them with cheese.

I then cooked up a bunch of rice and added the rest of the chicken/corn/bean mixture to that to make a “rice bowl” type dish. I had some extra taco sauce packets from Taco Bell in my odds & ends drawer so I stuck a couple right on top of each bowl.

Another week down! Here’s a pic of things “in process”.

Here’s a shot of the rice bowl. You can put pretty much any kind of meat & veggies in these and have them come out well.

I took another shot of the fridge this week to show how I label dishes with my pink hair tape labels. I like these because they’re cheap, easy to write on, and peel right off. I decided I’d better label them after hubs took two of the same dish for lunch last week. I thought they were see-through enough (or that one could lift the lid and look?!), but I guess not. 

Oh! And if you look at the cost of a pre-made salad bowl you’ll find that they’re right at $3!! And rice bowls are about the same, I believe. CRAZY! it’s definitely worth the time to make your own. Same with potato salad. It’s very inexpensive to make, but costs a fortune to buy pre-made.

What about you? Do you have any easy lunch tricks or tricks for dealing with allergies or intolerances?

Linking up to Tackle it Tuesday and Works for Me Wednesday.

Be a frugal fashionista!

Reduce, reuse, and buy used to save money on clothing without sacrificing style.

$4.95

In Molly’s Money-Saving Digest -Molly Saves In the Closet, learn how to outfit your family inexpensively, make your own closet organizer, and even turn a spare closet into an office. But the Digest doesn’t stop there. You’ll find plenty of other advice to help you get the most out of your money and your time.

• Make a cool summertime treat with a few minutes of your time and a few ingredients you probably already have at hand.
• Add a versatile Mexican meal to your recipe box.
• Explore your options for making sure your pets are well-cared-for when you’re away.
• Teach your kids an important financial concept for businesses.
• Discover the many benefits of drinking water.
• Learn how to protect your hair from the ravages of summertime.
• Find out which book stays on Molly’s shelf year after year.

Molly Saves! In the Closet

It’s easy to get carried away with clothing. From the temptation to overspend to the burden of having more clothes than storage space, wardrobes can be worrisome. In this society so focused on having it all, frugal families must hold to the belief that less is more. With a foundation of neutral basics that really fit, a smaller wardrobe can cover all the bases. This month’s Digest offers up tips on practicing contentment and getting the most out of your clothing budget and your closet space.

• Find free patterns online to make your own clothes.
• Learn how to repair damaged clothing or turn lost causes into something useful.
• Thin your clothing collection to make room for a frugal and fabulous “cloffice,” an office in your closet.
• Read Molly’s tips on the best places to buy clothing, how to make good purchases, and how to stock your wardrobe with essential pieces.
• Learn how to turn an inexpensive cardboard shoe organizer into an organizer/storage unit with drawers.
• Explore the ins and outs of buying used.

Take a closer look at all the impressive features you’ll find in this month’s Digest:

• This ’n’ That: August is Family Fun Month, and it’s a great time to plan an outing. Don’t forget the peaches, watermelon, and s’mores, which are also celebrated this month. Plan to make any Christmas gifts? Now is the time to get started.
• Begin With the Basics: With two zip-lock bags, some rock salt, and some pantry staples, you can manufacture smiles with quick, cooling ice cream. Spice up plain vanilla with some cocoa or other add-ins.
• Forms, Printables, & Resources: Your husband’s dress shirts can have new life as a blouse, a wallet, or a child’s dress. Those are just a few ideas you’ll find on the Internet for recycling old clothes. Want to try your hand at making new ones? Get sewing help and patterns online.
• Décor & More: Find out how Eleanor Joyce was able to turn a closet into office space for just $6. If you have a closet that’s filled with things you rarely have need of, make it a cozy and functional home for your computer and put it to good use.
• Meal of the Month: KerryAnn Foster serves up a recipe for tostadas, which can be adapted to lunch or dinner and is versatile enough to serve with salad, rice, or tortillas, as well as the usual tostada shell.
• Pet Care for Pennies: Dr. Tiffany Rule discusses the options for pets when the family goes away on vacation. Read about the pros and cons of boarding, pet sitting, and taking your pet along.
• Tightwad Training Camp: Whether young people want to start a lemonade stand or a more involved business, there’s something they need to understand: profit.
• Something Old, Something New: Sharon White takes you step-by-step through taking a simple shoe organizer and turning it into something more: a wonderful place for organizing craft supplies or other small items, complete with drawers.
• Here’s to Your Health: Make sure your body is getting the hydration it needs. Drinking an adequate amount of water affects everything from your blood pressure to your skin.
• You’re a Natural Beauty: Like your skin, your hair needs protection from the sun. Molly tells you how to ward off damage. Do you swim in a pool during the summer? Find out how to diminish the effects of chlorine.
• Molly Recommends: Find out which book is one of Molly’s favorites when it comes to managing home and family. You may not be running a Fortune 500 company, but you can use that analogy to help run your home.
• Change One Thing This Month: Buying used not only saves money, but it also allows you to buy higher-quality items than you would normally be able to afford. Learn where to look and form the habit of researching used sources before spending the big bucks.
• Inspiration! Gather a last bit of inspiration for using consignment stores, special department store programs, and thrift stores to keep your closets well-stocked.
• Directory of Links: For those of you who print and bind your Digests, you’ll have easy access to all of the fantastic links worth saving in the back of this issue. It makes your Digest easier to use!

See why homemakers love Molly’s Digest—see what’s inside!

See a sample here.

Every month, Molly has a wealth of information and support to share in one easy-to-read, handy resource! Discover for yourself all of the exciting and imaginative ideas Molly has to offer and wants to share with you—ideas that could save you big money and needless headaches!

You’ll glean some of the best inexpensive ideas and projects for everyday living that you can find, and be inspired to be self-confident, creative, and resourceful too.

Molly makes it fun and easier to be frugal! Think about it—with so much to learn and save, if you apply just one money-saving idea, you’ll recoup the cost of this E-Book right away!

Project Manager: Toni Riggs
Contributing Writers: Dena Wood, Eleanor Joyce, Sharon White, Patricia Hunter, Toni Riggs, Tiffany J. Rule, DVM, KerryAnn Foster
Publication: 2011
Pages: 54
File Size: 4.2 MB

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Every month, Molly has a wealth of information and support to share in one easy-to-read, handy resource! Discover for yourself all of the exciting and imaginative ideas Molly has to offer—ideas that could save you big money and needless headaches!
You’ll glean some of the best inexpensive ideas and projects for everyday living that you can find and be inspired to be self-confident, creative, and resourceful too.

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