Picture Perfect!

I have a doozie of an article I am itching to share, but that will need to wait until tomorrow night. First things first ...

You know those tasks that are necessary and easy, yet they land in the "headache" column? Call me crazy, but I consider printing photos to be one of those "mundane annoyances." I know it's necessary. I know that photo albums are important. But who wants to drive across town and stand in front of a printer for fifteen minutes?

I take enough pictures to fill the Grand Canyon with prints, but I dread printing photos like I dread going to the dentist.

So this is really good news ...

Now through October 5th, get 100 4x6 prints for $1, 200 for $2, or 300 for $3!

Serious savings, Friends! Click here.

Right now I am uploading my own set. I am pumped ...

On the Cheap: 12 Summer Activities

Photo by Bermi Ferrer

One of the most frequent questions I have received during the past week is, "What to do this summer?!" Here are a dozen ideas. Please consider adding one of your own!

1. Set up the sprinkler.
2. Read.
3. Volunteer. (Help a neighbor!)
4. Have a picnic.
5. Garden.
6. Go on a hike.
7. Camp in the backyard.
8. Plan a scavenger hunt for the kids.
9. Have a yard sale. (Sell lemonade!)
10. Research community events.
11. Go to the zoo.
12. Check with the library for events.

Calling All Coupon Mavens

Photo by Lomo-Cam

I am no financial guru. Granted, I consider myself a good family economist, but I am no Donald Trump (or Dave Ramsey, or Suze Orman).

In lieu of tonight's In Print, I am excited to announce an update for HouseHoncho.com. I was going to save this announcement for June 1st, but I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve with this update.

Having been recently inspired by TLC's Extreme Couponing, I am excited to announce that, in addition to quick home remedies and cleaning tips, I will be posting home-related coupons and freebies on the House Honcho Facebook page beginning tomorrow.

Nothing crazy. Maybe 3 to 5 savings opportunities a week. Basically, the best ones I can find to share with you, my favorite home economists.

Make cents?

Thank you, TLC.

Paint by Mortgage

Photo by adzookie.com

Interested in having your mortgage paid in full for the next year? The answer could be as simple as painting your house.

According to a recent article on CNNMoney.com, the startup advertising firm Adzookie struck advertising gold when it decided to turn homes into giant billboards.

No doubt cheaper than the cost of renting billboards in high-traffic areas, the company says it will pay the home mortgage every month that a home remains painted (as seen in the photo above).

For Adzookie and homeowners experiencing mortgage crises, this arrangement could be a win/win. But before you run to the website to apply, consider this report from CNNMoney.com:

Adzookie launched the offer on its website Tuesday -- and by late afternoon, the company had already received more than 1,000 applications, according to Adzookie CEO Romeo Mendoza. One even came from a church.

(Renters need not apply.)

In other news, welcome to the hundreds who have stumbled on househoncho.com via our current contest. The flood of private messages and positive responses has been overwhelming. Feel free to join the conversation, add your two cents to the blog, or even contact Adzookie and let us know how it goes . . .

Always a Lender or a Barrower Be

Photo by juhansonin

So the adage is actually, "Never a lender or a barrower be," but when you hear what my favorite thing is for today's post, you'll be ditching that cliche like last night's chicken bones.

Consider the library.

Now, I understand that you've been to the library. Of course you have, (at least for those obligatory field trips in elementary school). But have you considered the ways you might profit from the library today?

Libraries are about more than dusty non-fiction.

My local library--which impresses me more than the Corn Palace of South Dakota--offers programs such as the Museum Adventure Pass (which offers free admission to participating museums), inter-library loan (which allows patrons to request material from around the state), audio books which can be checked out from a personal computer, and (drum roll) eBooks for eReaders. (I checked out a book for my Nook without leaving my house!)

Do yourself a favor and see what YOUR library offers. You might be surprised!

And don't forget that libraries offer magazines, cookbooks, CDs, and DVDs!

Unless you are my co-worker (who admitted to me today that she ran up a $3,000 library fine when she was in college) you will find that you can enjoy a myriad of entertainment options free of charge.

And just in case you want to know exactly how much you save, click here!

. . . making libraries my favorite things. Happy Friday!

Favorite Things: (Cheap) Entertainment Choices

Photo by franckdethier

I love Friday, and not just because it's the beginning of a weekend. I get to talk about my favorite things.

Since Fridays are often synonymous with relaxation/entertainment, I thought it would be appropriate to share with you my three favorite (inexpensive) entertainment choices. In my opinion, these are the most guilt-free ways to enjoy the entertainment we love.

1. I listen to music at www.pandora.com. Known as the "new kind of radio stations that play only the music you like," you can actually guide the site to play music that you want. And you're never stuck waiting for a song to end before moving on to something better.

2. I watch television via www.hulu.com. All of my husband's and my favorite shows can be found online. We haven't paid a cable bill in almost five years. The commercials are shorter. And you never, ever have to plan your life around the time a show comes on T.V.

3. I rent movies and check out books through the inter-library loan department of my local library. I have never been at a loss when looking for a specific title. And as long as I return the material on time, I never have to pay a penny.

So many choices. So little cost. Why pay extra for entertainment?

Happy Friday!

Dear June

Photo by mazaletel

Dear June, My husband and I are on a fixed income. We made this decision so that I could stay home with the kids. I'm not crafty but want a cute home. Where do you get your inspiration?

Dear Frugal,

I commend your desire to make your home a warm and personal environment. It is, after all, the backdrop of your children's childhood.

As a huge fan of the DIY (do it yourself) community, I have a cache of bookmarked blogs and websites I frequent for inspiration and tutorials. Once you're on these sites, check out their favorite blogs and websites. It can be time-consuming, but it's a good way to find what you like. And many people provide free tutorials for their great ideas. Here are a few that might provide you with the ideas you're looking for:

designspongeonline.com
allthingsthrifty.com
etsy.com
vintagerevivals.blogspot.com
thepleatedpoppy.com

If I could recommend a plan of attack, I'd say to figure out what you like.

1. Start bookmarking your online finds. (Try pinterest.com to keep it all in one place. I promise, I get no kickbacks from pinterest!).
2. Request free Pottery Barn Home and Pottery Barn Kids catalogs. These two publications have great ideas than can be personalized and reproduced.
3. Scour thrift stores; they house many items that are begging for repurposing.
4. Check craigslist for inexpensive look-alikes and fix-me-ups.

From my home to yours,

Introducing ThredUp

Photo courtesy of www.thredup.com

It's Friday night and I have a deal for you . . .

From http://www.thredup.com/:

Did you know that kids outgrow a set of new clothes about every 6 months? That parents spend nearly $20,000 on clothes by the time a child is 17? That's just on the staples (no jackets, shoes, etc..)

Kids are expensive. They grow fast. And yet one of the most valuable things any kid has--clothing--just gets given away when it's outgrown.

Why? Because no great solution exists to help parents affordably and conveniently exchange clothes their child has outgrown for new clothes that fit. Traditional retail is exceedingly expensive. eBay, consignment and thrift stores are time consuming and tedious. Hand-me-downs and swap parties provide limited selections and are hard to coordinate. Most parents of the 72 million kids out there do nothing but give clothes away. Not anymore.

thredUP helps America's busiest families conveniently exchange kids clothing online.

Check out the website! You'll be glad you did.

Buy None, Get One Free!

Photo courtesy of P&G

I love samples.

There is something fun about standing in line for half a bite of pizza pocket or ripping open a box with a free magic eraser or finding a perfume sample tucked in a magazine. Honestly, I get as excited about the discovery of a free experience as I do the purchase of the whole thing.

I've been known to leave my local salon wearing four different perfumes. (FYI: Don't. It smells like a really bad garden.)

Which is why I was thrilled tonight to sign up for the P&G Brand Sampler.

On the website, I had the opportunity to choose the samples I wanted to try. And there was no need to enter a credit card number or commit to a purchase of any kind. And now I get to wait for the arrival of that lovely oversized envelope with my name on it.

Bliss.

I recently had friends tell me that--during the early years of their marriage--they could nearly eat their entire Sunday dinner at Sam's Club.

Gotta love samples--

Preventing Heat from Sneaking Out of the House

Photo by normanack

LITTLE known fact: your house breathes.

A typical home is supposed to exhale about 33 percent of its air every hour, sparing your lungs from mold, dust and other tiny invaders.

My house doesn’t breathe. It hyperventilates. Every hour it purges about 75 percent of its air — which is fine for my family’s health, but it kills me to think that we pay to heat that air and then quickly set it free.

I’ll explain the source of that 75 percent figure a little later. Right now let’s focus on the basic mission: finding where the air is escaping, plugging those holes and watching the heating bill shrink.

Read the rest of the article here.

Sweet Deal

Photo by NathanF

I have to tell you about this great deal I got today.

Any of you women out there have business hair in the front and party hair in the back? Well I do! So I'm in a committed relationship with my Conair Wet-to-Dry flat iron. But lately I've been considering dating around.

That brings me to my sweet deal. Today I purchased a CHI brand flat iron in a cute little travel bag, complete with travel-sized blow dryer and CHI hair products all for the low, low--and I do mean low--price of $19.75. It was marked down from $88.

Nope, you don't need new glasses! It really says "marked down from $88!" Can you believe that? And before you ask, it all works GREAT.

Now here's what's in it for you. I nabbed this little beauty after getting some information from one of those great deal websites out there. There are several you can check, but they all seem to draw from the same sources. So pick one and try to make a stop there daily.

After all, we house honchos could pay more ... but why?

Here's a list of some of my favorite deal websites:

slickdeals.com
hotcouponworld.com (There's a little bit of a learning curve to navigate this website)
fatwallet.com
dealnews.com
dealoftheday.com

Retail Me . . . Retail Me Not

Photo by transp

I am sitting in front of my pile of neatly clipped coupons.

I snagged $123 worth of coupons from Sunday's paper. And no, I did not clip any coupons for things I wouldn't use (like strange hair removal products or fiber cupcakes)--Not that either of those products is something I would be afraid to tell you I buy ... really.

I admit, the tallest glass of chocolate anything would not taste better than my coupon stack looks right now.

So I'll keep this post short and sweet. If you are a coupon maven, you need to check out the following site:

http://www.retailmenot.com/

This is a website that features more than grocery-related coupons. It's going on my list of websites.

With all the money you save, you can send me flowers. Or jewelry. Or maybe books.

Works Like a Charm (Bracelet)

The time has come.

I want to share with you my couponing system in the hopes that (if you are looking for ideas) you will find this to be helpful. And yes, you can claim my ideas as your own. So long as you don't try to tell me that you created this work of art by yourself, no one will ever get hurt.

[Deep breath]


Photo taken by Trisha

The photograph won't win any awards, but the system is fantastic. I use a seven-pocket/portfolio combo that I picked up at a office supply store. Because time does not always allow me to stop and clip coupons the instant the flier shows up in my mailbox, I file the page (or packet or pamphlet) of coupons in my file folder to save for a rainy day.

This is perfect because it helps tame the paper beast that always threatens to take over my house. And it means I won't lose the paper just because I don't have time to deal with it at the moment.

When time permits, I pull out the pages and cut away. (This is a great exercise for movie night or phone conversations or as an alternative to panic attacks.)

When the coupons are trimmed, I file them by category in the smaller red accordian file that fits perfectly in the larger system. (I do this because I'd rather not drag the entire filing system to the store. The red file allows me to "grab and go" and leave the uncut fliers and coupons at home.)

I use the front, mesh section of the filing system to store coupons that I plan to give someone else. Why not think of others while couponing? (Though a word of caution here. It is best not to give people coupons about things that might be considered sensitive. You know ... don't give anyone a coupon for hair removal or high power SPANX. Just saying.)

Hope this spurs some couponing prowess.

Truth for Thought

Photo by Aunt Owwee

Once in awhile an old truth, said in a new way, resonates in the soul.

Tonight I was going to show you my couponing system (very cool and very helpful, if I do say so myself). But then a friend said something that has stuck in my mind ... and the couponing will have to wait. Here is what she said:

Splurge on experiences, not stuff.

And I thought, "You know? That's the whole mission of House Honcho, really." Well, actually, my thoughts are never quite that succint. Usually they're a running ticker of all kinds of things--interspersed with memories of dinner and books and shoes--but really, that is the essence.

Experience is so much more valuable than clutter. The home isn't meant to house new things we'll never use. It's meant to house a family whose main collection is comprised of experiences.

And so, I will leave you to think about that truth and consider the effects it might have on your home.

So Many Ways to Save

Photo by theogeo

You know what time it is.

Calling all coupon mavens...

In lieu of September being National Coupon Month, I would like to share with you 5 websites that are uber-helpful when becoming a couponing genius. (I am currently building HouseHoncho's Top 100 websites, so if you know of better sites than these, please let me know!)

1. http://www.coupons.com/ (really basic address, really awesome site)
2. http://redplum.com/ (ah-ma-zing)
3. http://www.blogger.com/www.smartsource.com (not visiting this site is = not smart)
4. http://www.blogger.com/www.meijermealbox.com/ (offers the ability to plan AND save)
5. http://www.blogger.com/www.e-centives.com (this site will give you every incentive to return)

The more I understand couponing, the more I question why anyone wouldn't give it a try. I, for one, am not of the coupon-worship variety, but I will certainly save a penny if it is possible.

In my next coupon post, I will show you the system that has made a world of difference for me.

More really good stuff to come soon. Stay tuned!

Money, Money, Money, Mo-ney!

Photo by sushi♥ina

Money really does grow on trees.

If you consider that coupons are made of paper and paper is made from trees ...

September is National Coupon Month, and as such, I am going to take 10 days this month to discuss how coupons can positively impact your home. Please feel free to leave a comment with your own experiences. I know several of you are coupon mavens in your own right.

I always get a little green with envy when friends of mine post a photo on their blog of everything they bought for the incredibly low price of nothing. Ever seen those photos? "I bought 18 rolls of toilet paper and 12 cannisters of cookies and 9 packages of paper and the clerk owed ME money!"

Well. Couponing is a growing trend and each of us can experience the benefits if we take a little time to do our research.

Today's tip is simple: Manufacturers and grocery store chains will often post coupons on their Web site which you can print and take with you when you shop. No need to buy the Sunday paper. Additionally, many stores will actually accept expired manufacturer's coupons. Don't be so hasty to throw out the stack!

Something like $4 billion in coupons are printed every year in this country.

Time to start clipping?

Making Cents

Photo by j_rodenhouse

Have you ever jumped the gun?

I sure have. And today, though it might turn out to be a positive thing, the HouseHoncho team found itself off to the races before we even knew we were at the starting line.

Let me explain.

One of our HouseHoncho team members has a knack for pinching pennies...and I mean a total ability to reach into his pocket and find money that wasn't originally there. (And I'm fairly sure he's no pick pocket.) Recently, we started tossing around ideas for ways he could communicate his many ideas to you...so that you, too, could make cents.

This morning, after logging on to Twitter and playing with a househoncho account...voila!...e-mail invitations were sent--inviting you to "follow us." We were as surprised as you were to open our e-mail this afternoon and discover the invites.

Because many of you choose not to "twitter," (and truly, we can't blame you for that!), we have now created a category on our website entitled, "Making Cents" so that you, too, can follow househoncho's quick and easy tips for pinching pennies.

Maybe tomorrow we'll launch a magazine...