Name Brand vs. Store Brand: Putting them to the Test

We are mostly just using what we have for Easter this year.  I will buy potatoes for 99 cents for a bag and broccoli for 79 cents per pound.  Other than that, we are just going to use what we have on hand.  If you don't have a lot to spend this year, just think outside the box.  No one said that you have to have ham for Easter.  Think of other things like an Easter brunch with omelettes and hashbrowns and fruit, an inexpensive cut of chicken with rice from the bulk section of the store, or have spaghetti with a veggie and some inexpensive fruit.  Think of having friends over and have a potluck.  Don't let the tight budget make you feel like you can't have a nice meal for the holiday.  The most important thing is to celebrate the real reason we have Easter and to spend the time with family and friends.  Think outside the box and be creative.  Remember, no one said you have to have ham!

Do you have some ideas for a very frugal Easter?

Usually there are great sales around Easter each year:  eggs for 39 cents a dozen, and lots of other lost leaders that you could stock up on.  There were a couple of good prices today, like potatoes at one store for 99 cents.  But, there is hardly anything that I saw that was a really good deal.  Have any of you noticed that there just isn't a lot out there this year?

 Easter will be here in a week.  Instead of buying all of the candy and seasonal stuff that ends up being clutter a few days later, try something different.  This year I am getting my husband a basket full of sauce and pickled things that we usually don't buy on a limited budget.  He will have barbeque sauce, steak sauce, gourmet mustard, pickled beets, pickled asparagus, etc.  For my daughter, I can put socks or healthier snacks like raisins, crasins, etc.  Instead of buying easter baskets, I can find some kind of container in the house and put their stuff in it temporarily and then return it to where it belongs in the house when the holiday is over.

What are some alternative ideas you have for Easter Baskets?  

 I use a foil ball instead of dryer sheets to keep static from clothes.  It works pretty well.  I also use half as much detergent as they suggest so the laundry soap lasts longer.  What ideas do you have to save money on laundry?

 I am only spending $25 per week for the next two weeks.  I had a friend who had an unexpected expense come up and her husband will give her $100 if she can do this challenge.  So, I am doing it with her to support her in her efforts.  I can use anything I have in the house already, so it should be pretty easy.  I do miss buying some things I want for the family, but two weeks isn't that long.  What are some things you do to save money that I could share with her?  Would you like to join me?

 We have tried to do several things to cut down our waste and live a greener, more frugal life.  I am sending things in containers for lunches instead of using a few plastic bags for each person each day.  We use lunch boxes instead of bags.  We eat our leftovers and don't waste food.  I am buying less and using what I already have.  We are using the library for books instead of buying them.  We buy songs from the internet instead of buying CD's and then recycling them or having them become clutter in our home.  What kinds of things are you doing that save money and help you live a greener life style?

 If you had an unexpected expense, where would you cut back to get the money?  Do you have an Emergency savings?  

My daughter has a birthday on St. Patrick's Day.  Every year we start the day with green pancakes.  This year we are making Yoda pancakes with a Star Wars mold.  Sometimes we have had green shamrock cookies or other sugar cookies with green frosting or green dough.  One year in college, I made green chicken stew, but won't make that again!  One year we had green eggs and ham.  Do you make any green food on St. Patrick's Day?

We tried the name brand vs. store brand dried cranberries this week.  The name brand craisins were a little smaller and more red than the store brand.  They had 26 grams of sugar compared to 28 grams for the store brand.  What did we think?  Well, I honestly liked the store brand better.  I don't know if if was because it was sweeter, but my husband also picked the store brand without knowing which was which.  So, save yourself some money this time and try the store brand.  If you don't like it, you can always get your money back since their store brands are guaranteed.   The store brand was $1.48 and the name brand was $1.88. 

 I saw something recently that said that the average American family wastes 1200-1300 dollars in food each year.  This clip made me sick to see how much food this family wastes.  You wouldn't believe it.  Do you waste a lot of food in your home?