Frugal Friday

Okay, so I fibbed yesterday. I told you I wouldn't talk about money today, but since this is the subject that is on my mind - you're getting another post about it! Sorry!

I'm going to share with you some of my tricks to being frugal, and I hope if you have any to share with me, you'll leave them in the comments!

• Public Library - I love being a card carrying member of the local library. Not only do I get a great selection of both books and movies for free, but also they are not due back for 2 weeks. That works out well for me as it sometimes takes me well over a week to find time to watch a movie!
• Kroger Card - I'm not a couponing savant by any means, but I load digital coupons to my Kroger card and try to find the best deals while I'm grocery shopping. The biggest perk using the Kroger card is the discount on gas - since gas prices are climbing higher and higher all the time!
• Lunch at home - Having Lucy is a great excuse for me to go home every day during my lunch break. Someone in my office is ordering food for lunch every single day, and if I joined them, that could add up to a lot of money each month. Eating at home during lunch saves me tons of money, plus you know I love having a little quality time with my favorite pooch.
• Plan weekly dinners - Most of you know I am the poster child for the Type A personality that loves to make my lists. But planning out our meals each week really does save money and time. I don't know about you, but stopping by Kroger everyday after work because I need an ingredient for dinner does not sound like fun to me. I plan for what we will eat, buy exactly what I need on my weekend grocery trip, and then stick to the plan. (Sticking to the plan is the key!)
• Make old things new - Whether it is painting an old window shutter to use as a new mail sorter or paint an old ladder and use it as a shelf, upcycling is fun and a lot easier on the wallet than buying something new. Pinterest is your friend when it comes to great, inexpensive DIY projects!
• Open your windows - With this beautiful spring weather, we have yet to turn on our air conditioning. When we are home, we open the windows and turn on the ceiling fans. Not only does the breeze feel great, but it airs out the house and makes it smell like spring! And when we're not home, we pull our curtains to block out the sun, so it doesn't get too hot. 

Though this won't help you, I have to share another way I'm currently saving money. We're getting free Science Diet dog food because my generous neighbor dropped off a few bags on our doorstep the other day. He works at the Hill's dog food plant in town and just wanted to be nice and neighborly. Or maybe he's trying to win over Lucy who barks at him every time she sees him! He told us anytime we need more to just let him know. What a nice guy!

I hope you can benefit from some of these tips! I would love to hear how you save too!