Transform it into a safe, well-organized, clean, and purposeful part of your home.

Have you ever gotten lost in your pantry . . . not able to find what you need right now?

$4.95

Maybe it was on the wrong shelf, or worse, it wasn’t there at all! You want to try a new recipe and a basic ingredient that you thought you replenished but didn’t is blocking your plans for a surprise dinner menu. Ever discover an expired canned good or boxed staple? Is the problem disorganization, a tight budget, or lack of creative ideas for making your pantry fun and purposeful? You’re on the right track as Molly shares amazing ways to have a pantry to be proud of and that will serve you and your family well every day of the week! And that’s not all—here’s a hint of all that’s in store when you read the September issue of Molly Green Magazine.

• Nutrition is more important than ever with all the processed foods on the grocery shelves these days. Learn how to utilize your garden or someone else’s to replenish your pantry with better selections during National Nutrition Week.
• September is a great month to think about fall décor and planting spring bulbs. Check out the list from Alayna Cann of other surprises on the calendar for this change-of-season month.
• Ever enjoy Eggs Benedict at a nice restaurant? Add this recipe from Patricia Hunter to your recipe box and make it at home using basics from your pantry.
• Food Co-ops are helping people stock their pantries and put food on their tables at a better price. Inger Koppenhaver helps you take baby steps through the bulk-buying process that can otherwise be intimidating.
• Leftovers will be something you and your family look forward to when you incorporate the tips Rhonda Barfield has outlined.
• Money is no object when you take Jennifer Opsahl’s advice and use her dollar store ideas for decorating and organizing.
• Save space and your sanity with Sharon White’s food can rotator – you won’t believe how she makes it!
• What could be better than free food? Get the inside scoop on how and where to find it.
• Discover pleasure and purpose in filling your pantry with Candy Foote’s strategic shopping plan—it even includes free items!
• Molly shares sensible ways and reasons for stockpiling your pantry.
• Turn play into a profitable business like Emily and Rebekah Sather did after finding inspiration on a road trip. It could help fund the transformation of your pantry.
• Make a trip to your garden when you want a gift for a friend or family member—Emilee Gettle tells you all about how she does it.
• Safety should be a priority when we store dry or frozen foods. Molly tells us how! She shares a favorite cookbook that gives us more for less, and . . . you won’t believe all that Molly and Midge know about apples!
• Your pantry will never be so clean and organized once you’ve “changed one thing” with Sarah Dugger.

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

Click here to view a sample.

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 Managers: Dena Wood, Becky Gustafson
Contributing Writers: Alayna Cann, Patricia Hunter, Inger Koppenhaver, Sarah Dugger, Candy Foote, Dena Wood, Emilee Gettle, Becky Gustafson, Rhonda Barfield, Sharon White
Publication: 2012
Pages: 48
File Size: 3.6 MB

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Fabulous Friday is a way to recap the week and give you some frugal tips for the weekend. Please share what you’re up to this weekend! Molly

Do you spend money on purchasing bottles of water in all sorts of yummy flavors? While I admit they are tasty, too many extra purchases every week and month can really add up. I’ve been trying to focus on drinking more water lately and adding in my own flavor(s) has really helped stretch my budget in the “extra spending” category.

Try these ideas for DIY flavored water and see what you think:.

1. Fill a pitcher with water and slices of cucumber, lemon and lime. Refrigerate until cold, pour into travel container and enjoy!
2. Adding in a slice of citrus to your glass is a sure way to add in some tang. My favorite examples of citrus is lemon, orange or lime.
3. If you don’t have the actual citrus fruit on hand, how about adding in a squirt or two of lemon or lime juice? Add in a little natural sweetener if you prefer. *Did you notice this is a way to make homemade lemonade/limeade?
4. If you have some fruit teas on hand you could brew some up the night before and cool in the fridge. Adding some of this flavored tea to your water will give you a nice flavor. Again, if you prefer it sweetened some use a natural sweetener.
5. Cranberry concentrate goes a long way. Adding a few drops into your water bottle is a nice, tangy change. YUM!

Drinking more water throughout your day is always a bonus. Plain water is the best but if a flavored kind will help you get more down, GO FOR IT!

What are you up to this weekend?

Guest Blog by: Midge

What would happen if you mailed your clothes to your final destination and just traveled with a personal bag?

After having Sarah, our 13 month old baby, our journeys usually lead us in the direction of flying to my in-laws or driving to my parent’s home.  The hassle of carrying the baby, her large amount of baby diva stuff, as well as our bags can be overwhelming.  So, this summer, on our way to see the in-laws, we decided to mail our clothes ahead of us.

Our airplane carrier offered great deals for flights but any bags over a certain weight and size limit cost you money.  You can have one free bag which would be something like a small laptop bag, a purse, small backpack, etc.  This free bag has to fit under the seat.

The carry on or stowed bag fee can range between: $20-$35.  A regular suitcase under 41 pounds can cost you as much as $35 but if you accidentally go over limit, they could end up charging you $50 more.  Our total cost could have reached somewhere between $120 – $210 or more for both segments of the flight.  So, we decided to pack a laptop bag for my husband and a small backpack/baby diaper bag for my personal bag.  We mailed the rest of our travel needs and clothes.

Each box we mailed ended up costing us about $20 – $25 each way.  We were able to pack all of our stuff in two boxes as compared to the three suitcases that we were originally going to bring.  We also did not have to pay for the extra cost of the weight of our suitcase.  Our budget plan involved us stopping at the store after we arrived at our destination for some incidentals such as diapers, baby wipes, etc. so we would not have to bear the cost of shipping them as well as having to buy them.  We also packed a change of clothes into our free bags just in case our boxes did not show up on time.

The biggest snafu we ran into was making sure to mail our clothes early enough before we left.  We did incur a bit of an extra expense on the first set of mailings because we had to send the boxes by USPS Priority Mail.  Also, I mailed all of my favorite clothes for the trip and suffered for a bit before we left wearing the raggedy clothes I had left behind.  We received our boxes within two days of coming home without using priority mail on our return trip.

All in all, if we had mailed our packages early enough the first set of mailings, we would have spent about $100 total in shipping compared to the airplane costs listed above.  And our airline carrier is known to be more budget friendly than most.  Check your favorite carrier because this could end up saving you a whole lot more money!

We also skipped the baggage claim twice!  And with a small baby in tow, that was an extreme blessing.  In fact, I would venture to say that I would mail my clothes again if only for that reason alone.

Do you have any frugal hints for traveling?  How have you saved money while flying across country?

I remember “back in the day” when the price of gas was under $1. It can be overwhelming to realize that price has quadrupled. Add in a larger vehicle that holds more than two children and you’re sure to feel the sting right in your pocketbook! Guest poster, John Amann, shares with us 10 Frugal Ways To Save Money On Gas. Molly

1. SLOW DOWN AND SAVE MONEY Everyone wants to get to where they are going fast, it’s understandable considering our modern lives and “go go go” culture.  You’re in a hurry, you’re running late for work or you just want to get home.  It’s easy not to think twice about putting a little extra pressure on the gas pedal and cutting minutes off your commute.But it’s precisely this kind of thinking that can add up to dollars lost at the gas pump each week.  The frugal fact is that according to the GHSA (Governor’s Highway Safety Association) your lead foot can reduce gas mileage by 33% on the highway!  And for every 5mph over 60mph that you drive on the highway it’s like paying an extra 20 cents a gallon for gas.

   It’s also not just the highway speed that is emptying your wallet but also the way you accelerate that can cost you money.  Rapid braking and acceleration is going to suck fuel out of your tank faster than any other driving habit.  The more you jump on the gas pedal the more RPM’s you’re going to use, the more gas you’re going to use and the more money you will be dishing out at the pump.  Try to plan your braking a little in advance and ease your car to a slow controlled stop and then accelerate in the same manner.  Accelerate slowly and go easy on the gas pedal, your wallet will thank you.

2. USE YOUR SMARTPHONE TO FIND CHEAP GAS Just about all of us have a smartphone these days, and whether you’re a diehard android, iPhone, blackberry or windows phone user there are plenty of frugal options out there to help you save money at the pump.Each app works in pretty much the same way.  You either enter your location or the app finds your location by GPS and the app will then return a list of gas stations in your area with current fuel prices for you to choose from.  It’s quick, it’s simple and if you own a smartphone the savings are already in your pocket.

   GasBuddy mobile app.

   Don’t have a smartphone?  Don’t worry point your browser to:  gaspricewatch.com

3. TURN OFF THE A/C AROUND TOWN Make no mistake about it air-conditioning is an enemy of your fuel tank and part of an axis of evil habits that can cause you to use more fuel during the hot summer months.  Is it a necessity?  You bet, but turning up the AC while driving around at slow speeds or on days that you don’t absolutely need it is going to cost you money.

   At highway speeds studies have shown that keeping your windows up and AC on is the most efficient way to keep cool reducing your fuel economy by approximately 10%.  This is because keeping your windows down with interferes with the aerodynamics of your vehicle creating more drag on your car causing your engine to work harder.

   But for those driving around down at relatively slow speeds on short trips to the store and back, It’s more efficient to keep the AC off, roll down the windows and cool off with the breeze.

   A quick rule of thumb is that if you are driving at less than 40mph keep the windows down, over 40mph roll up the windows and use your AC.

4. EMPTY YOUR TRUNK FOR EXTRA GAS SAVINGS It’s just a simple fact of physics that the heavier your car is the more fuel it is going to take to propel the car forward.  And if you are anything like me, your trunk is often a disaster, and cluttered with unnecessary items.  Cleaning out your car’s trunk and leaving only the essentials will save you fuel in the long run.  The lighter you keep your car, the less gas your car has to use and the more money you will save.With the same idea in mind and thinking about the weight of your vehicle you should always wait to fill up your car until the gas tank is near empty.  Driving around with a full tank of gas is going to make your car significantly heavier, thus causing a decrease in miles per gallon.
5. CARPOOLINGNot only will you be doing something good for the environment by reducing your carbon footprint, but carpooling has the potential to save you and your coworkers a ton of cash.With the price of gas rising carpooling has steadily been gaining in popularity, and there are several online resources that can help you find a carpooling partner if you happen to strike out with your coworkers.  Two popular resources for finding a carpool buddy are carpooling.com (outside the US) and erideshare.com.
6. CRUISE CONTROL If you are serious about cutting fuel costs setting your car on cruise is a habit that you must put into practice.Using cruise control around town or in city driving clearly is not very practical but on long stretches of road or highway, setting cruise control will save fuel by eliminating the fluctuations in pedal pressure applied by your foot.

   Setting your car on cruise will ensure steady engine RPM and stop the unnecessary fluctuations in acceleration that little by little rob you of money.

7. SAVE MONEY BY TIGHTENING YOUR GAS CAP Not fully tightening your gas cap can result in fuel evaporating into thin air and taking your hard earned money with it.  Especially in the hot summer months it is important to tighten your gas cap and ensure that you are saving every drop of gasoline for your engine and not the atmosphere.
8. PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE Is your air filter clean?  Is your engine tuned up?  Are you using the correct grade of motor oil?  Answering no to any of these questions will cause your engine to work harder, run hotter and use up more gas in the process.Show a little bit of love to your car and keep up with basic maintenance requirements.  It will save you money in the long run, and save you money at the pumps.
9. STOP IDLING Seems simple right?  But pay attention for a week and take note of how many times you sit in your car idling all the while your car is burning fuel for no reason.  A rule of thumb is that if your car is going to be stopped for over a minute turn off the car to cut down on wasted fuel.
10. DRIVE LESS AND WALK MORE Plan your day, eliminate multiple short trips, walk or ride a bike when you can and use less gas.  It’s good for you, it’s good for the environment and it’s good for your wallet.

John Amann created wickedfrugal.com in July of 2012 in order to blog about his own thoughts and ideas on how to save money and live frugally during the recession.Wickedfrugal.com is updated daily with new frugal ideas and tips to ease the burden on your wallet and stretch your money in ways you may not have thought of.

If you get my weekly newsletter, you most likely read Midge’s question regarding the contents of a “back to school” survival kit for teachers (if you don’t get my newsletter be sure and subscribe via the sticky note in the upper right corner of the blog). Here are a few thoughts I had on what I might include in that type of survival kit. Molly

Dear Midge,

Well, depending on what type of teacher you’re making the survival kit for might depend on the things “she” would enjoy. A public school teacher might enjoy things like some hand lotion, cute sticky notes, tea bags and sugar packets, small bags of microwave popcorn, M & Ms, gum, headache medicine, etc.

A homeschooling mama might enjoy some of the same things listed above including a few “coupons” from her children for help with various chores around the house.  Presentation is everything so tucking these little gems into a cute basket with a package of new pens or Sharpies is sure to be a hit. And last but not least, check out this cool download!

Love ya, Molly

Flashback Monday is where I bring you “back in time” with me to previous topics discussed in my magazines. Molly members simply need to go to your Member Page, find the back issue we’re talking about and click on it. If you’re not a Molly member and would like to be, sign up here. Not only will you receive a new magazine each month, but you will have access to all back issues as well as other fun (and helpful!) resources. Molly

Do you have emergency plans ready and set to go? Kids included? Would the staples in your pantry feed your hungry household for a week? How far could you stretch it?

Invest your time wisely! Be ready for the unexpected and inspired by many low- or no-cost supplemental projects inside this essential edition, Socks, Suds and Savings!  You won’t always know when disaster is headed your way. But you can save your family from needless headaches, harm, and even hunger when you prepare NOW to survive the storm, fire, flood, or calamity that could come.

Take a closer look inside of Socks, Suds and Savings by clicking here to see a sample of this issue.

If you’re not a Molly member, become one here and for only $3.85/month you will receive a new issue of Molly’s Money-Saving Magazine as well as access to ALL the back issues of my Money-Saving Magazine. That’s more than THREE YEARS’ worth of back issues! See you soon!

 Here we are again, it’s Friday! I got thinking about the end of the work week and jobs in general. Guest poster, Mark Hansen, talks to us about teens and first jobs. It’s also Fabulous Friday! Please share what you’re up to this weekend, are you working or do you have the weekend off?  Molly

As we mature through our teenage years, one of our first major steps into adulthood is working that first job. A first-time job may be awkward and an all-around rude awakening for many, but the accompanying lessons of responsibility and perseverance are absolutely vital, says financial expert Mark Hansen. Also, we get our first taste of earned money – how to spend it, and the value of budgeting it for larger purchases.

But this summer continues a trend in recent years: there simply are not enough jobs to go around during this rough economy. The 2011 summer employment average – peak season for those aged 16 to 24 – was only 48.8 percent for young people, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s the lowest percentage since the Bureau began collecting such data, in 1948.

This year, so far, the rate is virtually the same, and many young people have simply given up their job search. This is a potentially devastating trend with long-lasting consequences,” says Hansen. We know the negative effects experienced by adults who go without a job for long periods, but unemployment can be worse for teens. Think about idleness, an increased risk of juvenile delinquency, undeveloped or atrophied technical and social skills and, of course, a lack of money.

Just because there are fewer jobs, however, doesn’t mean young people are powerless to improve their situation. Hansen offers alternatives for self-motivated teens:

o Untapped markets are everywhere: It may be true that the once low-hanging fruit, such as fast-food positions, are being taken by adults, but a teen’s job search needn’t end there. Today’s young people have a distinct advantage over older folks – they were raised on computers, which may include knowledge of graphics software, sound and video programs and much more. These skills may be parlayed to help market events for neighbors, family members or a small business.

o Good, old-fashioned manual labor: Computers and related skills have changed the world, but a smartphone is not going to cut a neighbor’s grass, clean his garage or move his furniture. Consider offering a competitive price for these tasks; neighbors are often sympathetic to young people looking to make an honest dollar.

o Volunteer your time: Nowadays, high school students receive credit for dedicated volunteer hours, which are routinely applied to scholarship efforts. Beyond the expectation of a corollary reward, youth are more than ever attuned to the innate sense of satisfaction gained from helping others. Several studies have shown that people are rewarded with a sense of purpose and well-being while helping others, according to the American Psychological Association.

o Beefed-up allowance for added chores: Parents are busier than ever these days, which often mean chores around the house suffer. While most may not be able to afford the kind of wage a teen could earn at McDonalds, an increase in allowance can nevertheless motivate a teen who needs spending money.

About Mark Hansen: A successful businessman, a former Palm Beach County, Fla., elected school board member and motivational speaker, Mark has dedicated his life to helping young people overcome obstacles and deal with the challenges of daily living. Struck by a car and nearly killed as a child, Mark fought back through positive actions and reactions to all that he had to overcome. As a result, he relates to teens in a very special way. Through books such as, “Success 101 for Teens: Dollars and Sense for a Winning Financial Life,” and seminars, Mark Hansen is driven to make an impact on teens and young adults and to empower them to rise above and triumph over life’s obstacles.

Guest Blog by: Midge

As I spoke with my sister about her end of the summer projects, she mentioned the sad saga of her storage closet.  It has not been re-organized in over three years since the birth of her last little one.  Filled with homeschool memories and curriculum, this once neat and tidy closet has fallen into disarray.  It became the collector of all things “kid related”.  Empty VHS cases, broken toys hoping to be fixed, half filled boxes, craft supplies, board games and yes, in the middle of it all, the snow pants that started the avalanche last winter; they all fill up this rather large storage closet of which you can barely open the door.

Dread… a short list of synonyms thanks to thesaurus.com… “be afraid, cringe, fear, have cold feet, misdoubt, quake, shrink from, shudder, tremble”.  She used the word “dread” when discussing the closet.  In a frantic search for snow pants last winter, her two oldest girls caused the aforementioned avalanche into the center of the storage closet.  Game pieces, boxes of papers and random winter clothes were just a small part of what used to be the floor.  And instead of crying, she slowly closed the door on the mess knowing that spring and summer would give her the perfect opportunity to clean and organize.  Out of sight, out of mind!

Her project is finished as opposed to my “forever” project which is still not yet done.  It took her most of the summer working for short periods at a time.  The kids sorted, she sorted, the kids unsorted, she re-sorted, but she did not give up.  A sense of accomplishment and satisfaction had replaced the word “dread” in the house.

In retrospect, she told me she learned it was important for her just to finish the job.  She intended to let the kids have a yard sale but the organization was time consuming and the project was too much of an undertaking.  She lowered her expectations, tried not to give herself a hard time or become frustrated about how the mess happened to begin with, and persevered.

The final clincher helping her to finish the project was actually something Molly spoke about on her Facebook page last week… company was coming!  That is one of the greatest motivators to help a person get off the procrastination train.  Maybe I need to do that as well to finish my guest room project?

What project(s) did you complete this summer?  What helped you to get off your “Procrastination Train”?   Please share!

You can now see the floor and the vacuum has found a nice home again!

Guest Blog By: Inger Koppenhaver

When last I wrote about creating our little hobby farm, the backyard mini-barn was just in the process of being framed up and our chickens were mere teenagers!  It is now the end of the summer so I thought I would give you a quick update.  The baby chicks, we bought on a whim back in April, have now grown into plump laying hens.  We average one or two eggs per day between the three of them.  My son just added up all of his eggs neatly put in their own carton and made his first dozen!

As Robert Frost stated in his poem, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, there are still miles to go before we sleep… Fall is fast approaching and the barn needs to be painted, the chicken coop rebuilt in its new spot next to the barn, and our electrical outlets need to be installed before the first hint of frigid winter temperatures.  But, for the moment, my husband is truly enjoying the ease of moving his lawn tractor up and down our little wooden ramp and through the wide open doors.

Hopefully next spring, we will be able to share the news that our little farm is complete and welcoming three baby lambs.  If you would like to read more about our little (in town) hobby farm, you can catch it in the August issue of Molly Green.

If you get my weekly newsletter, you most likely read Midge’s question regarding natural ways to get rid gnats and flies (if you don’t get my newsletter be sure and subscribe via the sticky note in the upper right corner of the blog). Here are a few thoughts I had on getting rid of pesky insects. Molly

Dear Midge,
When it comes to getting rid of flies and gnats, I make it a quest. After being annoyed for only so long, I turn it into a “battle” that I know I must win. I probably have a deeper dislike for gnats over flies, mostly because they swarm around my face. Yuck. One way to get rid of them is to pour vinegar into a mason jar (fill to almost the top) and then screw on the lid. Poke a few holes through the lid so they can get in. Gnats are attracted to vinegar so I make up a few of these and place them strategically throughout the house where the population is the worst. Then I smile as I see them fly into the jar, knowing their fate. Bye, bye little gnats.

When it comes to flies that have gathered in the kitchen, I love the following method. Mix together 2 Tbsp. of liquid dish soap and water in a spray bottle. I use the fine mist spray and spray like crazy until I get all the flies. This is an effective and safe method to get those pesky little insects out of your home (and not use a fly swatter!). Double yuck.

I hope these tricks help, there’s no bug squashing involved only bug elimination.

Love ya,
Molly