Summary advice

Summary advice from September

September 1	Make charitable microloans
September 2	Cheap water/exercise is healthier than costly soda/videogames
September 3	Make tool hangers
September 5	Cut toothpaste tubes in half
September 6	Sort clothes into one-week piles
September 7	Pull good stuff out of trash piles
September 8	Volunteer
September 9	Label coat hooks and light switches
September 10	Set aside "special toys" for special times
September 12	Make homemade bread
September 13	Decorate soap dispensers with children
September 14	Hand-me downs come with a story
September 15	Consider adoption (or don't)
September 16	Have patience before buying furnishings
September 17	Make storage containers from boxes
September 19	Store travel mugs with other travel items
September 20	Take family pictures instead of school pictures
September 21	Invest in the grocery market
September 22	Share what you don't need with those who do need
September 23	Mommy dollars can change kid's behavior
September 24	Ask around before you buy something big
September 26	6 ways to spend less money on clothes
September 27	Decorate a cake with toys and buckets
September 28	Frugality gets a bad rap in the press
September 29	Share status

August Summary Advice

Here's a summary of advice from August.

August 1	Make gazpacho with fresh vegetables.
August 2	Choose many mentors for the many parts of your life.
August 3	Get your free annual credit reports (yawn).
August 4	Compare yourself to the world, not to your nearby neighbors.
August 5	Turn restaurant eating into an adventure.
August 6	How to think about what the neighbors think.
August 8	Use cloth napkins (plus napkin rings).
August 9	Throw a no-trash party.
August 10	Used shoes are not bad for your feet.
August 11	Save charity requests and deal with them all at once.
August 12	Answer "are we there yet?" at the children's thought level.
August 13	Canning food is as easy as boiling the jars.
August 15	Locally grown produce can be good for the wallet.
August 16	Sing silly songs about morning sickness.
August 17	Shopping takes time, whether at yard sales or malls.
August 18	Automate your charitable giving.
August 19	Make shopping lists for children's clothes.
August 20	Bend the tip of the spout on salt containers.
August 21	Bargain politely at yard sales.
August 22	Beg, borrow, or buy a copy of the "Tightwad Gazette"
August 23	Know when enough stuff is enough.
August 24	Organize things by how you use them, not by what they are.
August 25	Question your own lifestyle, not your neighbor's.
August 26	There a big difference between vital and urgent.
August 27	If it's not dirty, don't clean it.
August 29	Use a seam ripper.
August 30	Make a master information form to give to school and child care.

July Summary Advice

Here's a summary of advice from July.

July 1	Check out how much electricity your appliances use
July 2	Figure out how much money your appliances use
July 4	Keep track of electric use on line
July 5	Store water jugs in the back of the refrigerator
July 6	Energy use is almost invisible, but not inexpensive
July 7	Make wax-covered pinecones for fire starters
July 8	Teach your children to make t-shirt bags for money
July 9	Pack ID, Credit Card, and Meds (plus trail mix)
July 11	Have your children pack their own suitcases
July 12	Make a backpack out of old jeans
July 13	Organize family activities with a three-choice list
July 14	Buy durability wisely, even if it costs more
July 15	Pack a lunch with precycled bags
July 16	Pre-pack your suitcase with those things you always forget
July 18	Make granola
July 19	Hide the "to do" pile; just show the list
July 20	Make lists to help with repetetive decisions
July 21	Seek out shade trees
July 22	Make hummus
July 23	Decline plastic bags (if possible)
July 25	"Fry" an egg with a cardboard solar cooker
July 26	Use a black hose to heat water outdoors
July 27	Start a Mommy Dollar Bank Account
July 28	Brushing well is more important than using toothpaste
July 29	Encourage friendships between your kids and your own friends

Summary advice

May 23	Be ready to help others by spending less on ourselves
May 24	Avoid costly breafast cereal; eat toast, oatmeal, or hot rice instead.
May 25	Make quick waffles and pancakes (no refrigerated ingredients)
May 26	Save time baking by organizing a baking center
May 27	Where to look for the best yard sale experiences
May 28	Yard sales teach you what never, ever to buy.
May 30	Pay your kids with fake money ("Mommy Dollars")
May 31	Make the fake money yourself
June 1	How to earn and how to spend Mommy Dollars
June 2	Stop arguments by holding auctions with fake dollars
June 3	Teach real life lessons with fake money
June 4	Make muffins in 6 minutes of hands-on time
June 6	Fix heels on shoes with household materials
June 7	Save space and energy by clearing clutter
June 8	Clean a room by leaving the mess and clearing out the drawers
June 9	Keep a house cooler with "pop-in"s and passive solar cooling
June 10	Prevent wilted greens with a damp towel
June 11	Focus on spending less, not on "saving" more
June 13	Turn old t-shirts and bathrobes into useful cleaning rags
June 14	Clean quickly by using a large pile of rags and a small bit of water
June 15	Turn t-shirts into pants or carry bags
June 16	Preserve memories with a t-shirt quilt
June 17	Make a braided rug from old jeans (and why you might not want to)
June 18	Be as cheap as my dad
June 20	Yard sales are way, way cheaper than thrift stores
June 21	Teach kids early independence by drawing on their shoes
June 22	Start seatbelt races with your kids
June 23	Make simple meals fun: the No-Hands Dinner
June 24	Cultivate gratitude by playing "I like"
June 25	Stay with friends when you travel; host friends when they're in town
June 27	Full trash can = empty wallet?
June 28	Pre-cycle before you re-cycle
June 29	Toss the disposables; use the re-usables