Garage Sale Tips

Spring cleaning will probably involve getting rid of a lot of things you no longer need or want. If you're thinking about having a garage sale to remove as much of it as you can, remember the following tips:

Advertising
In addition to making lots of signs consider posting an ad on places like Craigslist and your local newspaper(s), both online and print. The more exposure the better.

Pricing
People are looking for bargains. They don't care how much you paid for it, or that it's brand new still in the box. Don't expect to get at least half or more that you originally spent, or you'll probably be sticking it back wherever you'd been storing it. Price your stuff low, after all, the whole point is to get it out of your house.

Unsold Items
If you still have things after the sale you really don't want anymore, look into posting them on Craigslist or Freecycle.

Good luck!

No more pizza delivery

Cut corners by making your own pizza instead of ordering. You don't have to buy a pre-made pizza shell, try one of the following recipes to make your own custom pizzas in a variety of ways. You might even discover a new favorite.

Tortilla Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 package of flour tortillas, any size


• 1 can or jar pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce, any flavor


• 1 8oz pkg shredded mozzarella cheese


• Optional - pepperoni slices, black olives, small can of drained mushrooms, chopped onion, diced ham, small pineapple chunks

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Line a baking pan or baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Arrange tortillas in baking pan and spread sauce on each thinly.
Sprinkle each tortilla with mozzarella cheese and add any optional toppings.
Bake for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Yield: ? servings
Prep Time: About 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5-10 minutes


Taco Cornbread Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. corn muffin mix


• 1 lb. ground beef


• 1 pkg. Taco seasoning mix


• 1 8 oz. pkg. shredded cheese, divided (Cheddar or Mexican blend)


• Optional - lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, salsa

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a 12" pizza pan with cooking spray and set aside. Prepare the corn muffin mix as directed on package. Spread batter into the pan. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until lightly brown.
Brown meat and drain. Add the seasoning mix as directed on package.
Sprinkle 1 cup cheese over baked crust. Top with taco meat, and then the remaining cheese.
Bake for 4 - 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Optional - top with taco favorites such as lettuce and tomato. Try using sour cream and salsa as dipping sauces.

Yield: About 4-5 servings
Prep Time: About 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12-15 minutes


English Muffin Pizza

Ingredients

• 6 English muffins, split in half


• 14 ounces pizza sauce, any kind


• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese


• Optional - pepperoni slices, mushrooms, black olives, chopped onion

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Line a baking pan or baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Arrange muffin halves in baking pan and spread 2 to 3 tablespoons pizza sauce on each.
Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and add any optional toppings.
Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

You can also use bagels instead of English muffins.

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: About 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes


Pizza on a Hamburger Bun

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef


• 1 jar or can pizza or spaghetti sauce, any flavor


• 1 pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese


• 1 pkg. 8 count hamburger buns


• Optional - mushrooms, black olives, chopped onion

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Separate buns and place halves on baking pan. Heat buns for 5 minutes.
Brown ground beef and drain. Add pizza sauce to the ground beef.
Spoon the ground beef mixture onto the bun halves and top with mozzarella cheese.
Add any optional toppings.
Bake for 10 minute or until cheese is melted.


Yield: 16 pizza burgers
Prep Time: About 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Family adventures on a budget

If the warmer weather is inspiring you to get outside but your budget isn't allowing theme park trips, get creative and make your own adventures. Don't just drag your kids along a nature trail in the park, take the camera and search for exotic animals on a safari. Take a picnic with you and add an extra bag for collecting plants and flowers (if allowed) to press at home for lasting memories. Or go out at night to star gaze and imagine you're on a distant island, rather than just stepping out into your own front yard to look up at the sky. You'll probably have a better view in a park anyway.

Flavor Your Coffee

Following the coffee post, it occurred to me that making your own flavored coffee is another way to save some money. So I've compiled some recipes for mixes to premix, shake well, and store.

Mocha Mix

• 1 1/3 cups sugar


• 1 cup non-dairy creamer


• 2/3 cup instant coffee


• ¼ cup nonfat dry milk


• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Cinnamon Spice Mix

• 1 1/3 cups sugar


• 2/3 cup instant coffee


• ½ teaspoon cinnamon


• ½ teaspoon nutmeg


• ½ teaspoon allspice

Vanilla Mix

• 3/4 cup sugar


• 3/4 cup non-dairy coffee creamer


• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Amaretto Mix

• 3/4 cup sugar


• 3/4 cup non-dairy coffee creamer


• 1 teaspoon almond extract


• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Add a teaspoon or so to taste in your coffee for an inexpensive alternative to store bought brands. Enjoy!

Coffee Break

When you're trying to stretch your budget, you're willing to make sacrifices in several areas. You'll cut back on ordering pizzas or eating out so often. You'll switch to cheaper versions of brand-name items. But some things you just won't touch. If you're one of those people who must have coffee in the mornings, you probably haven't even thought of any ways to try to save some money there. But even with something you love and feel you can't live without, there are always ways to cut costs here and there.

Try blending your favorite brand with a cheaper version. You can still have enough of the flavor of your favorite while stretching it out, saving money and making it last longer.

If you drink lots of coffee, don't be afraid to buy larger quantities of your favorite brand. Take advantage of sales and stock up, or buy bigger packages than you normally do. Coffee can stay fresh for awhile unopened.

Get a thermos and take the rest of your pot of coffee with you to work, rather than tossing it down the drain. That can also help save money if you have a habit of stopping by Starbucks on your way to work.

When your budget is tight, you have to get creative to save money without giving up too much. Look for other ways to stretch your money you haven't tried before.

Those of you lucky enough to get a tax refund this year may be planning to use the money for a trip. European countries rich in history and unique experiences are an ideal destination any time of year. There are so many locations to choose from, and Cheaper Than Hotels.co.uk can help keep you within budget so you can do more.

London is known for many famous people in history. Visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum on Baker Street, or the house of Sigmund Freud at Maresfield Gardens. The Charles Dickens Museum on Doughty Street is also worth a stop to step back into the Victorian era. Enjoy your time in London visiting these sites and more by saving money booking a room with Cheaper Than Hotels.co.uk - London.


Love and fashion in the bustling environment of Paris. Walk the endless maze of streets to see the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame, stopping at boutiques and shops along the way. Booking a room with Cheaper Than Hotels.co.uk - Paris can help save some money for all the things you'll want to buy.





Explore the beautiful architecture and get your fill of history while in Berlin, with the Crown Prince's Palace and Brandenburg Gate among the the beautiful sites. The Botanical Gardens in Steglitz are also worth a visit. Use Cheaper Than Hotels.co.uk - Berlin to book a room for cheap.




Barcelona is the place for a wide variety of interests all in one location. For medieval flavor explore the lanes of the Gothic quarter, then enjoy the Art Nouveau architecture at the Eixample. Indulge your appreciation of fine art at the Picasso Museum, featuring more than 3,500 works by the artist. View the entire city from a tower in the Sagrada Familia Cathedral. Stop by Cheaper Than Hotels.co.uk - Barcelona to book your room and you're on your way.

A vacation in Europe is fun and exciting, with something new to experience at every turn. Plan your trip with a money and time budget to be able to see everything you want.


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Following New Year Resolutions - Organizing Important Papers

Sorry for the long time in between posts. A lot of upheaval and changes pushed many things aside for awhile.

When the new year begins, most people think about their resolutions. Lose weight, get healthy, maybe even get organized. By this time, most of those are probably already forgotten. But one thing that can be done any time of the year can help with staying on top of your budget and be really useful during the tax time is organizing important documents and throwing away unnecessary things.

There are several varying ideas on how long you should keep important papers such as back statements and tax returns. Some things you obviously never throw away, like birth certificates, social security cards, military service records, and divorce papers (if applicable). Through research, I've come up with my personal plan for keeping track of other documents.

Things to keep until sold:
Vehicle titles
Service contracts and warranties
Home purchase and improvement records
Receipts for large purchases

Things to keep until updated:
Loan agreements
Insurance
Credit card account numbers
Contracts

Things to keep for one year:
Paycheck stubs
Bills

Things to keep for 7 years:
Credit card statements
Tax returns

I'm going to clear out a lot of things I've been hanging on to without having a good reason to do so. It should reduce my paper stack significantly.

Candy Cane Outdoor Christmas Decorations

Another outdoor Christmas decoration can be put together quickly and fairly cheaply. Candy Canes made out of PVC pipes and red duck tape are durable and weatherproof.

Materials

• PVC pipes, white, about 2-3 foot lengths


• Red duck tape


• Scissors


• Optional - Christmas lights

Instructions
Wrap the pipes with the tape to create the swirls.
Cut the tape and add pieces to the ends of the pipes if you choose.

You can connect the candy canes with Christmas lights or just line your driveway or walkway with them.

Wrapped Candy Outdoor Christmas Decoration

Save some money on your electric bill this year by decorating your yard with festive items rather than stringing Christmas lights and keeping them on all night. One quick cheap project is making oversized wrapped candy to hang or place in your yard.

Materials

• Heavy duty white paper plates


• Clear packing tape


• Colored cellophane


• Scissors


• Twine or thin weatherproof ribbon

Instructions
Tape two plates together with the bottoms facing outward.
Set the taped plates in the center of a large rectangle of cellophane and fold over the 2 long sides of the cellophane like you're wrapping a present. Tape the cellophane together
Twist one end of the cellophane like a candy wrapper and tie it with the twine or ribbon, then repeat with the other end. You may want to tape the ends before putting the twine around them for extra security.
Add a length of twine or ribbon across the back or a loop at the top of the candy with tape if you want to hang it.

Use different colors of cellophane for a bright display. You can also color the plates like peppermints before wrapping them in the cellophane.

Practical Christmas Gift Idea - Gas Gift Cards

When you just can't think of something to get for someone on your list, try something practical. Though gift cards are viewed by some as a way to get out of actually putting effort into gift-giving, with the way gas prices are these days, an opportunity not to have to spend money to fill up the tank would be welcome.

Gas gift cards are available online at SVM Cards for Exxon, Texaco, and Shell gas stations in various amounts. Local stations offer them as well. The cards are often good for not only gas but non-fuel items too.

So when you're stuck trying to figure something out for someone who's hard to buy for, consider a gift that will actually be used and appreciated.