With the first chilly Fall mornings, a frugalista's thoughts turn to - apples? They're cheap this time of year, they're nutritious and they're versatile. Whether you take a weekend trip to your local U-pick farm, or buy them on sale at the grocery store, there's a lot you can do with them.
Apples are the perfect lunch box fruit. They don't need peeling, they're not messy and most kids and adults like them. Just make sure to wash before eating if they're not organic, to remove pesticides.
Peeled and sliced, you can bake them into a pie, or simmer them into a side dish that's good with kielbasa, pork chops or chicken.
Chop them up and simmer them down, add a little cinnamon and brown sugar, and you've got apple sauce. Apple sauce can also be canned and enjoyed year round.
Sliced and dried, you can seal them into air-tight bags or jars and keep them a long time. I see dehydrators all the time at yard sales and thrift stores.
On a really cold winter day, I like to bake apples. I core them, put them in a cake pan, and fill the hole with pats of butter, raisins, brown sugar and cinnamon. Then I bake them at 350 degrees until they're soft.
If you've got the right equipment, you can make cider and juice. If not, you can buy it at your local orchard or farmer's market. It's full of vitamins. I like mine hot, with spices (mulled). Here's a recipe:
2 qts. apple cider
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1 orange (unpeeled)
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp. whole cloves
brandy (optional)
Combine cider, sugar, ginger and orange in slow cooker. Tie cinnamon and cloves in a small cheesecloth bag; add to crock pot. Cover and cook on LOW 2 to 4 hours. The entire house will smell great! Remove the bag of spices. In a mug put a shot of brandy, then fill with hot mix from cooker. If you don't want the brandy, just serve as is from the cooker.Makes 10 to 12 servings
A little hard on the teeth perhaps, but caramel apples are another Autumn favorite. Just insert popsicle sticks, melt some caramel candies in the microwave with a little milk, dip, and allow to cool.
If you want to get crafty, you can try a project I did once as a kid - apple dolls. There are some instructions here:
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10843
No matter how you slice, dice or spice them, apples are an inexpensive, healthful and delicious fruit that should be on your fall grocery list.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
In Protest of Premature Promotion
Unbelievable, I know, but I have already begun to hear Christmas music playing in stores and restaurants, and most oddly of all, blaring from an ice-cream truck. I don't know about you, but all this untimely jollity puts me in a decidedly "Bah, humbug!" mood. It was bad enough that they started around Halloween the last few years. Now, before all the kids are even back to school, before the calendar even officially recognizes Fall, it has begun.
All of this early cheer has a purpose, of course. Facing the prospect of another dismal holiday shopping season, retailers are trying their hardest to get us in the shopping mood. Should you feel responsible for jump starting the economy by shopping 'till you drop? I say no. Retailers will adapt by streamlining their operations and selling more affordable merchandise, or they will not survive.
Don't be pressured into buying by the power of suggestion. The best way to shop for Christmas, birthdays or any occasion, is to shop all year. Take advantage of clearance sales, retailer coupons, closeouts, and brand new merchandise at yard sales and flea markets. If you see some great bargains during the actual Christmas shopping season, great. If not, you can sit back and rejoice in the season, secure in the knowledge that you have a well-stocked gift box at home. All that's left is to listen to some free downloaded Christmas music and wrap your gifts (using recycled materials of course!).
All of this early cheer has a purpose, of course. Facing the prospect of another dismal holiday shopping season, retailers are trying their hardest to get us in the shopping mood. Should you feel responsible for jump starting the economy by shopping 'till you drop? I say no. Retailers will adapt by streamlining their operations and selling more affordable merchandise, or they will not survive.
Don't be pressured into buying by the power of suggestion. The best way to shop for Christmas, birthdays or any occasion, is to shop all year. Take advantage of clearance sales, retailer coupons, closeouts, and brand new merchandise at yard sales and flea markets. If you see some great bargains during the actual Christmas shopping season, great. If not, you can sit back and rejoice in the season, secure in the knowledge that you have a well-stocked gift box at home. All that's left is to listen to some free downloaded Christmas music and wrap your gifts (using recycled materials of course!).
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Penny Pinching Pioneers
You're probably aware of a lot of great magazines and blogs out there today dispensing advice about frugality and simple living. Did you know that even before the days of the Internet, way back when, there were some masters of the art of saving money, who were scrimpin' it old school? I want to make sure you don't miss out on their wisdom.
Ben Franklin, one of our country's founding fathers, was not only a hard-working man and inventor, he liked to hold onto his cash. "Spare and have is better than spend and crave" he once said. Nor did he believe in abusing credit. "Rather go to bed supperless than rise in debt" he advised. He thought it prudent to watch the small expenditures that can wreck a budget. "Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship." he felt. "Shop till you drop" was definitely not his motto. "If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting" he counseled. A fan of "do-it-yourself", he printed wine-making instructions in one of his publications to help people brew their own inexpensive wine. He also started a lending library.
The pioneers were frugal by necessity. They couldn't lug a bunch of stuff with them over such a long distance, over rough terrain, in a rickety wooden wagon. They had to get creative, and make what they used, grow or kill what they ate, and use their stuff until it wore out. What was not strictly useful got abandoned by the side of the trail to lighten the load. Once they established new settlements, they had to keep up their simple ways. There was no local department store to rely on, and no money to spend anyway. Aside from some limited trading with the Indians, they had to make what they needed. That chapter in one of the Little House on the Prairie books where they made all their Christmas gifts - rag dolls, wooden toys, etc., has always been one of my favorites.
Those who lived through the great depression also had no choice but to be thrifty. Jobs were scarce, savings were lost when banks failed, and people had to help each other to survive. No matter how little food a family had, if someone came to the back door asking for something to eat, they would share. People would share clothes, tools, household items, anything they had. Sadly this spirit of giving is scarce today, although a return to this mindset would benefit us all. During this time, many inexpensive recipes were developed to work around shortages of certain foods, and utilize cheap ingredients that were readily available. Some of these recipes can be found here:
http://community.tasteofhome.com/forums/t/44025.aspx .
There's even a video on YouTube of a 93 year old woman preparing some recipes from this era:
http://consumerist.com/5158899/learn-to-make-depression-era-recipes-with-93+year+old-clara
In the 1970's a teenager named Dolly Freed wrote the book Possum Living. It was about her "back to the land" lifestyle. She lived with her father on half an acre just outside Philadelphia. Much of the information and ideas may be too extreme for most people, but it is fascinating. They lived on a budget of about $700 per year, raised all their own food, and brewed their own alcohol. If you are interested, you can read it here:
http://www.geocities.com/becnalrio/possumliving.htm
Just before the rampant consumerism of the 80's got underway, there was a book published called Living More With Less by Doris Janzen Longacre. Written by a Mennonite woman, the book revealed how wastefully Americans live, and how people in other countries make the most of their meager resources. It is a manual for living more simply and being less attached to material possessions. There are a lot of practical tips for stretching your budget and making do with what you already have. Since the author is a religious woman, the biblical quotes may put some readers off, but if you can get past that there is some great information there.
Amy Dacyczyn, aka The Frugal Zealot, became fairly well known in the 1990's for her newsletter, The Tightwad Gazette. The newsletter was eventually published as a series of three books, The Tightwad Gazette I, II and III. After that, there was a "complete edition" with all the books combined. This series is my bible. Originally a spendthrift, Amy became an extreme frugalite to realize her dream of raising a large family and owning a sprawling farmhouse in New England. Although her and her husband had an average combined income of less than $30,000, after seven years they had saved $49,000, purchased vehicles, large appliances and furniture, and were debt-free! She analyzed things such as the cost of drying a load of laundry or whether it was cheaper to use cloth or disposable diapers, and came up with ingenious ways to reuse things that would normally be thrown out. She also includes some great thrifty recipes. Again, some of the information could be considered extreme, but she always approached saving money ethically. You can use what you want and ignore the rest. I heartily recommend these books as the best I have ever read on frugality and simple living. Now that Amy has achieved her financial goals, she no longer writes books or newsletters, and declines to blog, although many have begged her to. She claims she has shared everything she has to say on the subject.
Another classic frugal living book that came out of the 90's was Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin. It was about changing your relationship with money and achieving financial independence as soon as possible. The most useful idea I gleaned from the book was that of analyzing each purchase by the number of hours of work it took to earn the money to pay for it. Things suddenly become a lot less desirable when you realize how long and hard you would have to labor for them. This book also reveals how silly the old model of "keeping up with the Joneses" is. Now that we are in the age of the Internet, there is a website dedicated to the book's philosophy here:
http://yourmoneyoryourlife.info/
Last but not least, there is the first book that taught me the basics about personal finance and investing. It was originally published in 1997. Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties by Beth Kobliner. It explained everything in very plain, easy to understand language. Nowadays, there is a website, of course, where you can go for more information:
http://www.bethkobliner.com/
I hope some of these pilgrims of parsimony, explorers of economizing, scouts of saving serve to inspire you. Do you know of any frugal pioneers I haven't mentioned? Please share their stories. I'm always searching for new sources of inspiration.
Ben Franklin, one of our country's founding fathers, was not only a hard-working man and inventor, he liked to hold onto his cash. "Spare and have is better than spend and crave" he once said. Nor did he believe in abusing credit. "Rather go to bed supperless than rise in debt" he advised. He thought it prudent to watch the small expenditures that can wreck a budget. "Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship." he felt. "Shop till you drop" was definitely not his motto. "If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting" he counseled. A fan of "do-it-yourself", he printed wine-making instructions in one of his publications to help people brew their own inexpensive wine. He also started a lending library.
The pioneers were frugal by necessity. They couldn't lug a bunch of stuff with them over such a long distance, over rough terrain, in a rickety wooden wagon. They had to get creative, and make what they used, grow or kill what they ate, and use their stuff until it wore out. What was not strictly useful got abandoned by the side of the trail to lighten the load. Once they established new settlements, they had to keep up their simple ways. There was no local department store to rely on, and no money to spend anyway. Aside from some limited trading with the Indians, they had to make what they needed. That chapter in one of the Little House on the Prairie books where they made all their Christmas gifts - rag dolls, wooden toys, etc., has always been one of my favorites.
Those who lived through the great depression also had no choice but to be thrifty. Jobs were scarce, savings were lost when banks failed, and people had to help each other to survive. No matter how little food a family had, if someone came to the back door asking for something to eat, they would share. People would share clothes, tools, household items, anything they had. Sadly this spirit of giving is scarce today, although a return to this mindset would benefit us all. During this time, many inexpensive recipes were developed to work around shortages of certain foods, and utilize cheap ingredients that were readily available. Some of these recipes can be found here:
http://community.tasteofhome.com/forums/t/44025.aspx .
There's even a video on YouTube of a 93 year old woman preparing some recipes from this era:
http://consumerist.com/5158899/learn-to-make-depression-era-recipes-with-93+year+old-clara
In the 1970's a teenager named Dolly Freed wrote the book Possum Living. It was about her "back to the land" lifestyle. She lived with her father on half an acre just outside Philadelphia. Much of the information and ideas may be too extreme for most people, but it is fascinating. They lived on a budget of about $700 per year, raised all their own food, and brewed their own alcohol. If you are interested, you can read it here:
http://www.geocities.com/becnalrio/possumliving.htm
Just before the rampant consumerism of the 80's got underway, there was a book published called Living More With Less by Doris Janzen Longacre. Written by a Mennonite woman, the book revealed how wastefully Americans live, and how people in other countries make the most of their meager resources. It is a manual for living more simply and being less attached to material possessions. There are a lot of practical tips for stretching your budget and making do with what you already have. Since the author is a religious woman, the biblical quotes may put some readers off, but if you can get past that there is some great information there.
Amy Dacyczyn, aka The Frugal Zealot, became fairly well known in the 1990's for her newsletter, The Tightwad Gazette. The newsletter was eventually published as a series of three books, The Tightwad Gazette I, II and III. After that, there was a "complete edition" with all the books combined. This series is my bible. Originally a spendthrift, Amy became an extreme frugalite to realize her dream of raising a large family and owning a sprawling farmhouse in New England. Although her and her husband had an average combined income of less than $30,000, after seven years they had saved $49,000, purchased vehicles, large appliances and furniture, and were debt-free! She analyzed things such as the cost of drying a load of laundry or whether it was cheaper to use cloth or disposable diapers, and came up with ingenious ways to reuse things that would normally be thrown out. She also includes some great thrifty recipes. Again, some of the information could be considered extreme, but she always approached saving money ethically. You can use what you want and ignore the rest. I heartily recommend these books as the best I have ever read on frugality and simple living. Now that Amy has achieved her financial goals, she no longer writes books or newsletters, and declines to blog, although many have begged her to. She claims she has shared everything she has to say on the subject.
Another classic frugal living book that came out of the 90's was Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin. It was about changing your relationship with money and achieving financial independence as soon as possible. The most useful idea I gleaned from the book was that of analyzing each purchase by the number of hours of work it took to earn the money to pay for it. Things suddenly become a lot less desirable when you realize how long and hard you would have to labor for them. This book also reveals how silly the old model of "keeping up with the Joneses" is. Now that we are in the age of the Internet, there is a website dedicated to the book's philosophy here:
http://yourmoneyoryourlife.info/
Last but not least, there is the first book that taught me the basics about personal finance and investing. It was originally published in 1997. Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties by Beth Kobliner. It explained everything in very plain, easy to understand language. Nowadays, there is a website, of course, where you can go for more information:
http://www.bethkobliner.com/
I hope some of these pilgrims of parsimony, explorers of economizing, scouts of saving serve to inspire you. Do you know of any frugal pioneers I haven't mentioned? Please share their stories. I'm always searching for new sources of inspiration.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Reading, Writing and Reasonable Prices
It's back to school time. For moms, that means lots of peace and quiet, but what does it mean for the rest of us? It means savings!
All the major department stores and office supply stores are having sales right now on office supplies. Pens, pencils, notebooks, paper, USB drives, tape, glue, even laptops are on sale. Some drugstores and office supply stores have these items for a few cents or even free if you send in a rebate. Check to see if your local stores have a rebate program. Now is the time to restock your home office.
Thanks to the kids heading back to college, a whole bunch of housewares are on sale too. Towels, mini fridges, sheets (usually twin XL only), and small appliances such as toasters and microwaves, are all discounted. Organizational aids, such as memo boards, shelves, closet storage units, hangers and plastic bins are also cheap. Many of the items that are suited for college dorm rooms are also perfectly sized for studio apartments. Now is the time to outfit yours.
Students also need new clothes for school (or think they do). Great prices can be found on clothes, shoes, backpacks, etc. for the next couple of weeks. Act now if your wardrobe needs a boost.
Take advantage of the many opportunities for back to school savings. Why should kids have all the fun?
All the major department stores and office supply stores are having sales right now on office supplies. Pens, pencils, notebooks, paper, USB drives, tape, glue, even laptops are on sale. Some drugstores and office supply stores have these items for a few cents or even free if you send in a rebate. Check to see if your local stores have a rebate program. Now is the time to restock your home office.
Thanks to the kids heading back to college, a whole bunch of housewares are on sale too. Towels, mini fridges, sheets (usually twin XL only), and small appliances such as toasters and microwaves, are all discounted. Organizational aids, such as memo boards, shelves, closet storage units, hangers and plastic bins are also cheap. Many of the items that are suited for college dorm rooms are also perfectly sized for studio apartments. Now is the time to outfit yours.
Students also need new clothes for school (or think they do). Great prices can be found on clothes, shoes, backpacks, etc. for the next couple of weeks. Act now if your wardrobe needs a boost.
Take advantage of the many opportunities for back to school savings. Why should kids have all the fun?
Monday, July 27, 2009
I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends
I get by with a little help from my friends. So do you. Have you ever thought about how your network of family and friends helps you to stretch your dollars?
Do you ever watch your friend's or sibling's child so that they can have an evening out without hiring a babysitter? I bet they do the same for you. Not that babysitters don't deserve to earn a living, but employing neighborhood teens is not always in the budget.
Have you shared coupons for things you don't use with your best friend, or the lady who sits next to you at work? Great idea! If nobody you know needs them, put them in that "take one, leave one" box at the library or local coffee shop.
How about asking your neighbor who's on her way to the grocery store to pick you up a pound of those grapes that are on sale? Or splitting a Costco-sized bulk pack of something you could never use up on time by yourself, but it's such a great deal you can't pass it up?
Does your employer offer a "friends and family discount"? How many times have you passed the savings on to your circle of pals? I'm sure they've reciprocated.
When was the last time you invited chums over for a game night, or karaoke night? Hosting your friends cheaply at home saves them, and you, a bundle on entertainment.
Do you swap weed eaters and tree pruners, bread makers and chocolate fountains with the neighbors? Sharing seldom-used gadgets benefits all involved. Don't forget about the little stuff, like books and movies. Buying or renting these can add up, especially with late fees!
Summer is in full swing. Are you trading zucchini and tomato surplus over the garden fence? Don't forget seeds and cuttings! That rooster of yours may be keeping your neighbor awake, but I bet he enjoys the eggs from your chickens!
Remember that cruise you took last month? How much did you save on long-term parking when your friend dropped you off at the airport? I bet it was enough to enjoy a special dinner in port.
While you were away, did your neighbor clean out your catbox, or walk your dog? A pet-sitter or kennel wouldn't have been cheap. I hope you brought him or her a souvenir t-shirt!
No man is an island. Since the time of the cavemen, people have known that they fare better if they stick together. What are some of the ways you get by with a little help from your friends?
Do you ever watch your friend's or sibling's child so that they can have an evening out without hiring a babysitter? I bet they do the same for you. Not that babysitters don't deserve to earn a living, but employing neighborhood teens is not always in the budget.
Have you shared coupons for things you don't use with your best friend, or the lady who sits next to you at work? Great idea! If nobody you know needs them, put them in that "take one, leave one" box at the library or local coffee shop.
How about asking your neighbor who's on her way to the grocery store to pick you up a pound of those grapes that are on sale? Or splitting a Costco-sized bulk pack of something you could never use up on time by yourself, but it's such a great deal you can't pass it up?
Does your employer offer a "friends and family discount"? How many times have you passed the savings on to your circle of pals? I'm sure they've reciprocated.
When was the last time you invited chums over for a game night, or karaoke night? Hosting your friends cheaply at home saves them, and you, a bundle on entertainment.
Do you swap weed eaters and tree pruners, bread makers and chocolate fountains with the neighbors? Sharing seldom-used gadgets benefits all involved. Don't forget about the little stuff, like books and movies. Buying or renting these can add up, especially with late fees!
Summer is in full swing. Are you trading zucchini and tomato surplus over the garden fence? Don't forget seeds and cuttings! That rooster of yours may be keeping your neighbor awake, but I bet he enjoys the eggs from your chickens!
Remember that cruise you took last month? How much did you save on long-term parking when your friend dropped you off at the airport? I bet it was enough to enjoy a special dinner in port.
While you were away, did your neighbor clean out your catbox, or walk your dog? A pet-sitter or kennel wouldn't have been cheap. I hope you brought him or her a souvenir t-shirt!
No man is an island. Since the time of the cavemen, people have known that they fare better if they stick together. What are some of the ways you get by with a little help from your friends?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Trickling Tributaries
One of the best pieces of personal financial advice I ever read was that you should develop different streams of income to supplement your main income source. I wouldn't say I have streams of income - more like trickling tributaries.
My main alternative income stream, not so much now, but in the future, will be my rental condo. Right now the mortgage, association fees, taxes and operating expenses add up to more than the rent I'm collecting. Many years down the road, the balance will tip, and the condo will start bringing in more than it costs me to maintain. At that point, the rental condo will provide a stream of income.
Another tiny trickle comes from my blog ads. It's hardly anything right now, but my blog is fairly new. If I work on providing some great content, my readership should grow, and this will become another stream.
Throughout the year, I work on various craft projects in my spare time. Several times a year, I sell my creations at local craft fairs. This provides another small stream.
My other rivulets of revenue include payments for completing surveys, participating in the Shopper's Hotline (more on this later, I'm still testing this to see if I want to recommend it), selling books and CD's on half.com, mystery shopping, volunteering for focus groups, collecting promotional fees banks offer for opening new accounts, and savings and money market account interest (although it's pretty pathetic this year).
There are many other possible sources of supplementary income. Start a paper route. Purchase and service a vending machine route. Babysit or walk dogs. Collect cans or scrap metal to recycle. Sell some of your produce if you garden, or eggs if you raise chickens. Buy nice clothes or collectibles at yard sales, and resell for a profit on ebay. Sell cosmetics, jewelry, candles, scrapbooking supplies, etc., via home parties. These are just a few ideas.
The more sources of income you have, the more easily you can weather economic downturns such as the one we are experiencing now. What are some of your income streams?
My main alternative income stream, not so much now, but in the future, will be my rental condo. Right now the mortgage, association fees, taxes and operating expenses add up to more than the rent I'm collecting. Many years down the road, the balance will tip, and the condo will start bringing in more than it costs me to maintain. At that point, the rental condo will provide a stream of income.
Another tiny trickle comes from my blog ads. It's hardly anything right now, but my blog is fairly new. If I work on providing some great content, my readership should grow, and this will become another stream.
Throughout the year, I work on various craft projects in my spare time. Several times a year, I sell my creations at local craft fairs. This provides another small stream.
My other rivulets of revenue include payments for completing surveys, participating in the Shopper's Hotline (more on this later, I'm still testing this to see if I want to recommend it), selling books and CD's on half.com, mystery shopping, volunteering for focus groups, collecting promotional fees banks offer for opening new accounts, and savings and money market account interest (although it's pretty pathetic this year).
There are many other possible sources of supplementary income. Start a paper route. Purchase and service a vending machine route. Babysit or walk dogs. Collect cans or scrap metal to recycle. Sell some of your produce if you garden, or eggs if you raise chickens. Buy nice clothes or collectibles at yard sales, and resell for a profit on ebay. Sell cosmetics, jewelry, candles, scrapbooking supplies, etc., via home parties. These are just a few ideas.
The more sources of income you have, the more easily you can weather economic downturns such as the one we are experiencing now. What are some of your income streams?
Friday, July 3, 2009
Cheap Chills
During the summer months it pays to have a few cool tricks up your sleeve. Read on for some of my favorite cheap ways to beat the heat.
Stash some grapes, blueberries and bananas in the freezer. Eat frozen for a frosty treat. Buy a plastic popsicle tray from the dollar store and use dollops of leftover jam, yogurt, fruit juice, iced tea, etc. to make your own popsicles. If you don't want to buy a popsicle tray, you can use old yogurt or sour cream containers with saved popsicle sticks.
Make up a pitcher of iced tea (or lemonade if you grow lemons) for pennies and keep your refrigerator stocked. Frozen berries make tasty ice cubes to float in the pitcher. Sipping cool liquids helps to keep your body temperature down.
Fill a bathtub partway with tepid water and relax in there with a book. If you don't have a tub, take a brief cool shower. Pat your skin lightly with a towel when you're done, and let the rest air dry. The evaporation will cool your skin. Sitting with your feet in a bucket of cool water to read or watch tv works well too!
Place a mixing bowl full of ice in front of a fan, and position the fan so it blows over the top of the bowl in your direction. The evaporation from the ice cubes will cool you. When the ice melts, make use of the water to water some plants!
Keep the shades down or curtains drawn on the sunny side of the house during the day.
Run dishwashers, clothes dryers, etc. late at night or early in the morning to avoid heating the house up. Better yet, hang the clothes out to dry and let the heat work for you!
Employ your crockpot, toaster oven or microwave oven for cooking during the summer months. Bonus points for using a solar cooker! The house will stay a lot cooler if you don't turn the oven on. On really hot days, cold sandwiches and salads make the best meals.
Soak a cotton hat in cold water, wring it out, and wear it wet. A towel wrung out and worn around the neck works great too.
Let your umbrella do double duty by carrying it to shield you from the sun. You'll feel a lot cooler without the sun's rays beating down on your skin. Bonus: avoiding skin cancer!
Fill a clean tube sock with rice, tie at the top and freeze overnight. Wrapped around your neck or taken into bed with you on hot nights, it has a pleasant cooling effect.
Plan errands that involve visiting air-conditioned places for the hottest times of the day. Avoid having to turn up your AC at home. After all, they have to run it anyway, whether you're there or not.
I hope these tips help you have a cool summer, not a cruel summer! If you can think of any great tips I missed, please share them.
Stash some grapes, blueberries and bananas in the freezer. Eat frozen for a frosty treat. Buy a plastic popsicle tray from the dollar store and use dollops of leftover jam, yogurt, fruit juice, iced tea, etc. to make your own popsicles. If you don't want to buy a popsicle tray, you can use old yogurt or sour cream containers with saved popsicle sticks.
Make up a pitcher of iced tea (or lemonade if you grow lemons) for pennies and keep your refrigerator stocked. Frozen berries make tasty ice cubes to float in the pitcher. Sipping cool liquids helps to keep your body temperature down.
Fill a bathtub partway with tepid water and relax in there with a book. If you don't have a tub, take a brief cool shower. Pat your skin lightly with a towel when you're done, and let the rest air dry. The evaporation will cool your skin. Sitting with your feet in a bucket of cool water to read or watch tv works well too!
Place a mixing bowl full of ice in front of a fan, and position the fan so it blows over the top of the bowl in your direction. The evaporation from the ice cubes will cool you. When the ice melts, make use of the water to water some plants!
Keep the shades down or curtains drawn on the sunny side of the house during the day.
Run dishwashers, clothes dryers, etc. late at night or early in the morning to avoid heating the house up. Better yet, hang the clothes out to dry and let the heat work for you!
Employ your crockpot, toaster oven or microwave oven for cooking during the summer months. Bonus points for using a solar cooker! The house will stay a lot cooler if you don't turn the oven on. On really hot days, cold sandwiches and salads make the best meals.
Soak a cotton hat in cold water, wring it out, and wear it wet. A towel wrung out and worn around the neck works great too.
Let your umbrella do double duty by carrying it to shield you from the sun. You'll feel a lot cooler without the sun's rays beating down on your skin. Bonus: avoiding skin cancer!
Fill a clean tube sock with rice, tie at the top and freeze overnight. Wrapped around your neck or taken into bed with you on hot nights, it has a pleasant cooling effect.
Plan errands that involve visiting air-conditioned places for the hottest times of the day. Avoid having to turn up your AC at home. After all, they have to run it anyway, whether you're there or not.
I hope these tips help you have a cool summer, not a cruel summer! If you can think of any great tips I missed, please share them.
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