Image via AARP

    

Today our nation is in the grip of the worst price inflation in decades. The average price of gasoline is about $5 a gallon and stores of all kinds are facing product shortages, pushing prices higher. In these times, frugality is so important more than ever.  AARP put together their annual list of Great Ways To Save. I've listed my favorite ways to save from their list below. Check out their complete list here.

1. Plant edible perennials. Many herbs and spices — among them garlic, rosemary, thyme and oregano — will grow back year after year, making them a great value. Plus, they are often easy to grow because deer and other critters won’t eat them. Several of these also do great in pots outside the kitchen door, so you don’t even need a garden.

2. Have an “eat me first” spot in your fridge. Designate a shelf or bin in your fridge for all of the leftover food bits (think nubs of cheese, a half serving of pasta,a lemon wedge) or overly ripe foodstuffs that should be eaten before fresher items.

3. Pay with the right card. Many credit cards offer cash back today, but the amounts often vary by category. Search the Internet for cards that offer the most cash back for groceries; you might find a card that will give you 5 percent back on food purchases. Websites like CardRates and NerdWallet let you compare your card with others.

4. Check gas prices by phone. Several phone apps are available to give you the current cost of gas in the area where you’re driving. For example, search “gas” on the Waze app, type “Geico gas” into your browser for the same result, or check the GasBuddy app.

Image via AARP 

5. Buy (or sell) used bulky items. People often turn to Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist to sell larger items like furniture, exercise gear or play sets they’re no longer using.

6. Have your holiday weekends on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Most resorts and inns offer lower rates on weekdays than weekends, so you can save more by going midweek. Some resorts offer better prices on Sunday-through-Thursday packages.

7. Switch to phone auto pay. Some providers, including Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T, give users discounts for setting up automatic payments. Bonus: You’ll never get hit with a late fee again.

8. Stop paying for subscriptions you forgot you had. The free app Truebill gathers information on all of your subscriptions and presents them to you. That makes it easy to see what you're already paying for. Decide you are done with a subscription? Truebill will cancel it on your behalf.

9. Keep your cash working. Consider moving your bill-paying money from a no-interest checking account into one that pays interest. Put the rest of your cash into a money market account or high interest savings account.

10. Free haircuts. Sign up to be a hair model at SalonApprentice.com, where aspiring stylists find people on whom they can practice their craft.

​Summer is almost here and it's the perfect season for picnics - whether you are heading out to a park, the beach, an outdoor concert, at a game, even your own backyard. 

Picnics are not only a fun way to spend the day, but it's more frugal than eating at a restaurant. A good rule of thumb when packing your picnic basket - the easier to eat the better... like appetizers and finger foods. Drinks are of course essential to any summer picnic, make sure to bring plastic drink cups or glasses!

My friends and I went to the Hollywood Bowl this week to see a concert. Each couple brought food to nosh on and to share with others before and during the show. I wanted to make something that was easy to prepare and easy to pass around to share. The best way to save money is make most everything yourself at home.

Here are 10 essential tips and ideas of what to pack in your picnic basket. Watch out for Yogi Bear!!

PICNIC BASKET OR BAG - Depending on your preference, pack your goodies in either a basket or bag. Although I love the look of picnic baskets (especially vintage ones), I prefer an insulated bag to keep the drinks colder. Some people also use a big cooler or just recycled bags.

PICNIC SUPPLIES - Essential to any picnic basket whether you opt for paper or plastic goods are: plates, utensils, cups, napkins. Pick some up at your local dollar store or grocery warehouse store. Make sure to also bring a separate bag(s) for trash.

BLANKET - If you are heading out to the park or beach where they don't have picnic benches, make sure to bring a picnic blanket or tablecloth to spread out on the grass or sand. Bring an extra blanket if it's gets cooler to bundle up in. You may also bring pillows to sit on if you will be sitting on a hard surface, like we were at the Hollywood Bowl.

MINI SANDWICHES - You can make mini sandwiches with cold cuts and cheese. I used Kings Hawaiian Bread rolls (yum!) and ready made chicken salads from Trader Joe's. I used curry chicken salad and cranberry chicken salad inside the rolls. I brought these at the Bowl and they were a big hit with everyone. You can make 24 mini sandwiches for less than $15... very frugal.

FINGER FOODS - Easy to eat appetizers that you can pass around to the gang is key. Great examples of finger foods are: chicken poppers, cheese varieties, wraps, etc.. For a fancier option - how about sushi.

CHIPS AND DIP - A simple, frugal yet delicious dip to make is guacamole! All you need are avocados, lime and tomatoes. Or, you can opt for ready made inexpensive dips from stores like Trader Joe's. Pick up a bag (or two) of your favorite dipping chips too.

SALADS - Make the classic potato salad or macaroni salad. These are simple and inexpensive to make at home. Other easy salad options are pasta salads or herb salads (possibly picked from your herb garden).

DRINKS - Pack sodas, water and whatever favorite drink you like from a discount grocery or big box store. Several of us brought bottles of wine to the concert - just make sure you pack the bottles securely or in a separate wine cooler or bag - don't forget the corkscrew!

FRUITS -  Pack easy to eat fruits like grapes, strawberries, bananas, cherries, blueberries or pre-cut fruits such as pineapple and the classic picnic fruit - watermelon. 

DESSERT - Select easy to eat pick-up desserts such as cookies (I brought Snookies Cookies - yum!) and brownies or cupcakes.
​

     

Even though it's ultimately more frugal and cheaper to eat in vs. going out, sometimes it's a nice treat to get together with friends or just eat something that you normally won't make for yourself or your family at home. You really can have your frugal cake and eat it too! Here are 15 frugal food tips for anyone to use in order to save money when going out to eat at restaurants. Bon appetite!

1. Set A Budget: Allocate a certain amount of money when going out. For example, if you limit yourself to spend only $15 - then you won't be tempted to order anything higher than that.
   
   
2. Just Appetizers: I just did this the other day at one of my favorite French restaurants. I ordered the appetizer version of one of their main entrees. Not only was the appetizer portion enough, but any bigger would be too much food.
   
   
3. Cash Back From Restaurants: Maximize your dining experience by getting cash-back from your favorite local restaurants. You also have a chance to win monthly jackpots. This program from MOGL is currently available in California only, but are expanding nationwide soon.
   
   
4. Split Your Meal: Save money by splitting an entree with or without an appetizer or salad with another person. The bonus is that you won't be tempted to overeat.
   
   
5. Snap Up Deals: Be on the lookout from daily deal sites such as LivingSocial or Groupon. Redeem restaurant deals that you know you will really take advantage of.
   
   
6. Eat Your Leftovers: Often times, you or someone in your group have leftovers. It's quite wasteful to throw away perfectly good food that you already paid for. Ask for a doggie bag, make something creative with your leftovers the next day, chances are it will taste better too.
   
   
7. Coupons: Take advantage of restaurant coupons you get in the mail or in Sunday papers. Clip out coupons you know you will actually use.
   
   
8. Order Takeout: If you are in the mood for your favorite restaurant cuisine, place your order to go. You not only save money on the service tip, but you don't have to order drinks since you already have something at home to drink with your meal.
   
   
9. Restaurant Vouchers: Get discount vouchers to your favorite restaurants at Restaurants.com. Most $25 gift certificates or vouchers cost only $10 or even less when they have special promotions!
   
   
10. Membership Discounts: If you have a membership with AAA or AARP, you can get great discounts on restaurants such as Mimi's Cafe, El Torito, Denny's and more.
    
    
11. Order Water: Instead of sodas, coffee, tea, or juice drink water – it’s free and has zero calories.  Try adding lemon or a slice of cucumber in the water.
    
    
12. Yelp It First: Before going to a restaurant I've never been to, I always check it out on Yelp first. I read the reviews and check out their menu for entree selection and prices. Often times, you can get a sense of if this is a restaurant you want to try. 
    
    
13. Skip Dessert: Although this is very tempting, often times your main meal was more than enough. You don't really need that plate of chocolate cake a-la-mode! But, if you have to have dessert, split it amongst the group you are dining with.
    
    
14. Earn Rewards: Research which credit card offers the best percentage back when you use that card when paying for going out to restaurants. You can earn 5% quarterly on purchases at restaurants from certain credit card companies.
    
    
15. Potlucks: A slight take on "going out to eat", host a potluck party outdoors with friends. It’s more fun, saves you money, you can be loud and you don’t have to tip.

      

      

Happy Frugal Friday! If you are like me, I love to eat but I'm not exactly a gourmet in the kitchen. But, I love to save money, so I've been experimenting with how to make delicious meals at home. 

One of my favorite frugal meal(s) is buying a cooked rotisserie chicken from a local grocery store. Not only is it yummy, but it usually only cost less that $8 for a whole chicken. We eat it fresh from the store, I especially love the skin and dark meat. Afterwards, pull apart the left over chicken and set aside for later.

Most people would throw away the bones, but they are what makes the best chicken soup! If you don't already have one, I highly recommend investing in a slow cooker or crock pot. We found ours in a thrift store for just $10. Throw in the rest of the chicken - bones and all in the crock pot, add water. Let it cook until the bones falls apart. Once cooked, make sure to remove the bones then add seasoning, veggies and anything else you want.

I've stretched an $8 rotisserie chicken into 4 different meals for 2 people. Now that's frugal eating!!
Meal #1 - Chicken wings, drumsticks (mostly dark meat)
Meal #2 - Stir fry chicken (1/2 of leftover white meat)
Meal #3 - Chicken salad (other half of leftover white meat)
Meal #4 - Chicken soup (makes up to 4 bowls of soup)

I'm sure, there are a hundred more ways to get creative with leftover rotisserie chicken. Bon appetite!

Happy Frugal Friday! Do you know anyone who loves to eat? What if you can also save, earn money and donate to a worthy cause at the same time? If you live in California, there's an wonderful program from MOGL that not only gives you 10% cash back for dining at participating restaurants, but you also have a chance to win monthly jackpots! Plus, if you tell your friends and they sign up - you both make money! But, in my opinion, the best part about their program is every time you spend over $20 at a MOGL restaurant, they donate a meal to someone in need. 

Did you know that in California over 6 million people (1 in 4 children) don't know where their next meal is coming from! I was both shocked and saddened by this statistic, we are very blessed that we can afford a fundamental basic necessity such as food. 

For the month of September (which is Hunger Action Month) MOGL's partners Food Share Ventura, Feeding America San Diego and the rest of their network of food banks unite to take action against hunger. To participate, dine at a MOGL restaurant, use your linked card and spend at least $20 - a meal will be donated to your local food bank. Plus, every Friday in September is double meal donation! MOGL's valued partners are matching donations on their sponsored Friday. Let's do our part in helping others while we help ourselves. Click here to sign up for free! It's as simple as 1, 2, 3 ...

Happy Thrifty Tuesday! I wanted to highlight some of my favorite thrift store finds. These are items I've scored from thrift stores throughout the years and have proudly displayed them in my home. They were all in pretty good condition. I only painted the stool and table to coordinate with the color palette of the bedroom. I've acquired these items from Goodwill, Salvation Army, Disabled American Veterans, and others. Not only are these items frugal, but they are one-of-a-kind treasures!

    

Happy Thrifty Tuesday! I will be posting new blog tips every Thrifty Tuesday and every Frugal Friday. Here's the first Thrifty Tuesday post...

Even though it's ultimately more frugal and cheaper to eat in vs. going out, sometimes it's a nice treat to get together with friends or just eat something that you normally won't make for yourself or your family at home. 

Food for me (and for most people) is one of the life's greatest joy and pleasure! You really can have your frugal cake and eat it too.

Here are 15 frugal food tips for anyone to use in order to save money when going out to eat at restaurants. Bon appetite!

1. Set A Budget: Allocate a certain amount of money when going out. For example, if you limit yourself to spend only $15 - then you won't be tempted to order anything higher than that.
   
   
2. Just Appetizers: I just did this the other day at one of my favorite French restaurants. I ordered the appetizer version of one of their main entrees. Not only was the appetizer portion enough, but any bigger would be too much food.
   
   
3. Cash Back From Restaurants: Maximize your dining experience by getting cash-back from your favorite local restaurants. You also have a chance to win monthly jackpots. This program from MOGL is currently available in California only, but are expanding nationwide soon.
   
   
4. Split Your Meal: Save money by splitting an entree with or without an appetizer or salad with another person. The bonus is that you won't be tempted to overeat.
   
   
5. Snap Up Deals: Be on the lookout from daily deal sites such as LivingSocial or Groupon. Redeem restaurant deals that you know you will really take advantage of.
   
   
6. Eat Your Leftovers: Often times, you or someone in your group have leftovers. It's quite wasteful to throw away perfectly good food that you already paid for. Ask for a doggie bag, make something creative with your leftovers the next day, chances are it will taste better too.
   
   
7. Coupons: Take advantage of restaurant coupons you get in the mail or in Sunday papers. Clip out coupons you know you will actually use.
   
   
8. Order Takeout: If you are in the mood for your favorite restaurant cuisine, place your order to go. You not only save money on the service tip, but you don't have to order drinks since you already have something at home to drink with your meal.
   
   
9. Restaurant Vouchers: Get discount vouchers to your favorite restaurants at Restaurants.com. Most $25 gift certificates or vouchers cost only $10 or even less when they have special promotions!
   
   
10. Membership Discounts: If you have a membership with AAA or AARP, you can get great discounts on restaurants such as Mimi's Cafe, El Torito, Denny's and more.
    
    
11. Order Water: Instead of sodas, coffee, tea, or juice drink water – it’s free and has zero calories.  Try adding lemon or a slice of cucumber in the water.
    
    
12. Yelp It First: Before going to a restaurant I've never been to, I always check it out on Yelp first. I read the reviews and check out their menu for entree selection and prices. Often times, you can get a sense of if this is a restaurant you want to try. 
    
    
13. Skip Dessert: Although this is very tempting, often times your main meal was more than enough. You don't really need that plate of chocolate cake a-la-mode! But, if you have to have dessert, split it amongst the group you are dining with.
    
    
14. Earn Rewards: Research which credit card offers the best percentage back when you use that card when paying for going out to restaurants. You can earn 5% quarterly on purchases at restaurants from certain credit card companies.
    
    
15. Potlucks: A slight take on "going out to eat", host a potluck party outdoors with friends. It’s more fun, saves you money, you can be loud and you don’t have to tip.