I am a lover of books. Anyone who knows me well knows this. In my precious free-time, I can usually be found with my nose in a book...sometimes I can be found with my nose in a book when I technically shouldn't be having free time, but that's another story. :) Lately, I've been noticing that I've passed on my love of books to my kids, and I love that! While I have been making frequent use of our local library--especially now that school is in full swing with my older two sons--I've been working on building our own library here at home, full of living books and classical literature. And all at practically no cost to me.
How do I do this, you ask? There are a couple of ways. First, I registered for free at Paperback Swap (if you sign up, please use living4him2007 as your referrer!). Upon signing up and posting 10 books, you get 2 free credits. Each credit is good toward any book, or audio books cost 2 credits. Then, when someone orders one of your books, you pay postage to send it to them. When they receive the book, you get a credit. Obviously when you order a book, the sender will pay the postage and you get it for free. I have gotten quite a few books this way, and they come in very good condition. I'm always on the lookout for free books or really cheaply priced books at garage sales, just so I can post them on Paperback Swap and keep my list fresh and keep my credits coming in.
Another way I get free books only costs me in time, and little at that. I am registered at Swagbucks, and that is also a free registration. Now, having been a member of quite a few "points" programs online, I have gotten very wary of these types of programs. But, Swagbucks is completely legit! All you do is use their search (as opposed to Google or yahoo). Each search you do has a potential for getting Swagbucks. That doesn't mean you will get Swagbucks every time you search--you won't! But, if you like researching things like me, you can earn quite a few Swagbucks in a day. Each search gives you the potential to earn up to 50 Swagbucks (realistically from my own experience, when you do get Swagbucks, it will be anywhere from 6-10 at a time), and Fridays are mega Swagbuck days, so then, the max you can earn per search goes up to 1000! I haven't gotten that one yet, but I try! :) Plus, when you refer your friends to use Swagbucks, they will match what ever Swagbucks THEY get to YOUR account for their first 48 hours of being registered. Take a look through the Swag Store and see what kind of things you can buy with your Swagbucks. I always go for the $5 Amazon gift cards, which cost 450 Swagbucks each. I have redeemed 6 of those in the past 3 months, and have been chipping away at my extensive Amazon wishlist with them. I have my Swagbucks almost down to a science now...I just got a book in the mail that I ordered with a $5 gift card I earned, while I'm waiting for the last gift card I snagged to be credited to my account (it usually takes 5-7 days), AND I'm almost ready to snag another.
With just these two programs alone, I have a pretty steady stream of free books coming in the mail. And, the kids love it, because most of the books are for them. :)
One more way that I could earn more Amazon gift cards is through my Amazon Associates program. There are 3 ways to get your commission: by check in the mail, by direct deposit, or by Amazon gift cards. Right now, I have it set to gift cards, just because I don't want to wait to get $100 and pay the processing fee required for a check, and I haven't set up direct deposit yet, but I will eventually.
So there you have it. If you love books and would love to build up a collection, but don't have the money, there are ways to do it very cheaply or even free. It takes a little more time and patience, but--at least to me, anyway--it's worth it!
Lisa's Homemaking Corner
Showing posts with label Frugal Ideas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Frugal Ideas. Show all posts
Friday, September 10, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Frugal Friday: Books
I know, I know, I'm a day late. LOL! Better late than never, especially if you love books and are looking for ways to indulge your passion and keep the pocketbook under control!
Do you love to read? Can't get enough books? I love to read, and use the library often, but I often find books that I want in my personal collection at home. If you have books lying around that you just don't want to read for one reason or another, I recommend joining paperbackswap. When you first join, see if you can find ten books around your house that you are willing to part with, and are in fairly good condition, and list them on paperbackswap. You will then get two credits toward books. Books are generally one credit each, two credits for audio books. Here's how it works: When people "order" the books you put up, you pay postage to send them out. As each book is received by the person who requested it, you get another credit! With your credits, you can order books, and the person sending the book to you covers the postage costs, just as you cover those costs sending out books. You can use the two credits you get for listing your first ten books, right away.
I listed eleven books last week and already got my two books yesterday from that. I also sent out three books, so should be getting three more credits any day. My wish list is pretty long. ;)
Another resource I found and love, is for those of you who own a ton of books and are trying to find a way to keep track of them. Librarything is for you. This is a free site to catalog your home library. Enter in every book you own, and it will generate recommendations for other books you might enjoy. You can also become friends with others on the site, and it will tell you which people have libraries similar to yours. There's many other features, and the best part is, it's free!
Do you love to read? Can't get enough books? I love to read, and use the library often, but I often find books that I want in my personal collection at home. If you have books lying around that you just don't want to read for one reason or another, I recommend joining paperbackswap. When you first join, see if you can find ten books around your house that you are willing to part with, and are in fairly good condition, and list them on paperbackswap. You will then get two credits toward books. Books are generally one credit each, two credits for audio books. Here's how it works: When people "order" the books you put up, you pay postage to send them out. As each book is received by the person who requested it, you get another credit! With your credits, you can order books, and the person sending the book to you covers the postage costs, just as you cover those costs sending out books. You can use the two credits you get for listing your first ten books, right away.
I listed eleven books last week and already got my two books yesterday from that. I also sent out three books, so should be getting three more credits any day. My wish list is pretty long. ;)
Another resource I found and love, is for those of you who own a ton of books and are trying to find a way to keep track of them. Librarything is for you. This is a free site to catalog your home library. Enter in every book you own, and it will generate recommendations for other books you might enjoy. You can also become friends with others on the site, and it will tell you which people have libraries similar to yours. There's many other features, and the best part is, it's free!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Frugal Friday: Homemade Laundry Soap
Today I am sharing a recipe that, yes, I have tried, for powdered laundry soap. I have tried the homemade liquid soaps before and neither myself nor my husband has liked them. Someone shared this a long time ago on a yahoo group that I'm a part of, and I've been wanting to try it since. I've been using it this week, and didn't say anything to my hubby to see if he'd notice...he didn't and that's a good thing! LOL!
1 cup grated Fels Naptha soap (this is a bar you can find in the laundry soap aisle for just a little over a dollar...I used about 3/4 of it for 1 cup, so that's roughly $0.77.)
1/2 cup borax (I got a 4 lb. 12 oz. box for $4.26...I'm guessing there's about 8 cups in there so for this recipe, you're spending about $0.27.)
1/2 cup washing soda, NOT baking soda...I got Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (bought a 3.5 lb. box for $2.57, so guesstimating for this recipe, about $0.23)
This is enough for 16 loads at $1.27. Not a bad deal!
Now, if you have a grater you can use for the soap that grates it into a nice powder, you can just mix all the ingredients together and use 2 tablespoons per load...Run the water, add a couple of drops of essential oil if you have it (I use tea tree oil), and add the 2 tablespoons of powder. Give it a little stir before you add your clothes. Be aware that you may not see suds as you do with store-bought soap (especially if you have hard water). This is okay! The ingredients will do their work.
If you only have something that will *shred* the soap, instead of grating it, here's what I like to do: I first use my fingers after I shredded the soap to break it down a little more, then I store it in its own container. I mix the borax and washing soda together in a different container (otherwise you won't have a very even mix because the powders will keep sinking to the bottom, with the soap shreds on top). I start the water in the washer and add a few drops of tea tree oil. Then I add 1 tablespoon of soap shreds and then 1 tablespoon of the powder mixture (after giving it a little shake). I give the water in the machine a little stir as it's running, and then add the clothes. That's it!
Another thing to be aware of, if you're used to using store-bought laundry soap...there is A LOT of scent in those soaps. So when you use the homemade soap, you won't really have any scent when you pull them out of the dryer (unless you hang your clothes out to dry, then they will smell wonderful!). But, you will notice they DO smell clean. That kind of spooked me the first time I used this...I thought they weren't getting clean because of the lack of smell, but that's exactly how they're *supposed* to smell (NO smell)! I was just too used to the heavy-scented store bought soap and figured that's how clean clothes were supposed to smell. Go figure!
So, as I said earlier, I've been using this for most of the week and haven't said anything to Nick yet. I'm really surprised he hasn't asked me if I'm doing anything different with the laundry lately, but, as I said earlier, this is a good sign! :) Wait until he finds out that I've been making our soap for less than half the cost of even the super good deals I've been getting combining sales and coupons! ;)
I DO have a couple of bottles of Tide with Downy in my laundry room that I got a really good deal on awhile back. I will save those for washing the bedding, as hubby really likes it when the sheets have that Downy smell (okay, so do I!). :)
1 cup grated Fels Naptha soap (this is a bar you can find in the laundry soap aisle for just a little over a dollar...I used about 3/4 of it for 1 cup, so that's roughly $0.77.)
1/2 cup borax (I got a 4 lb. 12 oz. box for $4.26...I'm guessing there's about 8 cups in there so for this recipe, you're spending about $0.27.)
1/2 cup washing soda, NOT baking soda...I got Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (bought a 3.5 lb. box for $2.57, so guesstimating for this recipe, about $0.23)
This is enough for 16 loads at $1.27. Not a bad deal!
Now, if you have a grater you can use for the soap that grates it into a nice powder, you can just mix all the ingredients together and use 2 tablespoons per load...Run the water, add a couple of drops of essential oil if you have it (I use tea tree oil), and add the 2 tablespoons of powder. Give it a little stir before you add your clothes. Be aware that you may not see suds as you do with store-bought soap (especially if you have hard water). This is okay! The ingredients will do their work.
If you only have something that will *shred* the soap, instead of grating it, here's what I like to do: I first use my fingers after I shredded the soap to break it down a little more, then I store it in its own container. I mix the borax and washing soda together in a different container (otherwise you won't have a very even mix because the powders will keep sinking to the bottom, with the soap shreds on top). I start the water in the washer and add a few drops of tea tree oil. Then I add 1 tablespoon of soap shreds and then 1 tablespoon of the powder mixture (after giving it a little shake). I give the water in the machine a little stir as it's running, and then add the clothes. That's it!
Another thing to be aware of, if you're used to using store-bought laundry soap...there is A LOT of scent in those soaps. So when you use the homemade soap, you won't really have any scent when you pull them out of the dryer (unless you hang your clothes out to dry, then they will smell wonderful!). But, you will notice they DO smell clean. That kind of spooked me the first time I used this...I thought they weren't getting clean because of the lack of smell, but that's exactly how they're *supposed* to smell (NO smell)! I was just too used to the heavy-scented store bought soap and figured that's how clean clothes were supposed to smell. Go figure!
So, as I said earlier, I've been using this for most of the week and haven't said anything to Nick yet. I'm really surprised he hasn't asked me if I'm doing anything different with the laundry lately, but, as I said earlier, this is a good sign! :) Wait until he finds out that I've been making our soap for less than half the cost of even the super good deals I've been getting combining sales and coupons! ;)
I DO have a couple of bottles of Tide with Downy in my laundry room that I got a really good deal on awhile back. I will save those for washing the bedding, as hubby really likes it when the sheets have that Downy smell (okay, so do I!). :)
Friday, March 19, 2010
Frugal Friday: Introduction
Lately, I've been thinking of different ways to really stretch my husband's hard-earned money. While I'm better than I have been in the past, there are still so many ways I could cut costs. Each Friday, I am going to try and make a point of learning something new that will save us money. I have a whole list of things that I want to try. :) I'm thinking of things here that we would normally buy, that I can make, or learn to make, for cheaper. I'm also thinking of services for minor repairs that I could teach myself to handle.
So, while I'm getting my list together, I will leave you with a wonderful website I've found. Money Saving Mom This is a wonderful site for saving money on many things...she has links to free samples, store and coupon deals, and so much more. Go check it out!
So, while I'm getting my list together, I will leave you with a wonderful website I've found. Money Saving Mom This is a wonderful site for saving money on many things...she has links to free samples, store and coupon deals, and so much more. Go check it out!
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup milk
1 box stuffing mix (such as Stove Top) with seasoning packet
1 2/3 cups water
Place chicken in crockpot. Mix cream of mushroom soup and milk until smooth; pour over the chicken. Mix together the stuffing mix, seasoning packet (some brands already has the seasoning mixed in) and water. Let soak for about a minute and then pour over the soup mixture. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Enjoy!
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup milk
1 box stuffing mix (such as Stove Top) with seasoning packet
1 2/3 cups water
Place chicken in crockpot. Mix cream of mushroom soup and milk until smooth; pour over the chicken. Mix together the stuffing mix, seasoning packet (some brands already has the seasoning mixed in) and water. Let soak for about a minute and then pour over the soup mixture. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Homemade "hamburger helper"
We had this for dinner last night with salad and garlic bread. Yummy!
1 lb. lean ground beef
10 oz. egg noodles
2 14-15-oz. cans tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
salt to taste
Brown the ground beef and drain. In a separate pan, prepare noodles according to the package directions; drain. Mix together the noodles, beef, and rest of ingredients; serve immediately. Makes about 8 cups.
1 lb. lean ground beef
10 oz. egg noodles
2 14-15-oz. cans tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
salt to taste
Brown the ground beef and drain. In a separate pan, prepare noodles according to the package directions; drain. Mix together the noodles, beef, and rest of ingredients; serve immediately. Makes about 8 cups.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)