Getting the most from your transit pass

If you are a mass-transit user and you have a monthly pass, you may not enjoy plunking down money every month for it, but you also may not realize all of its perks. It's a little known fact that you may be eligible to use your pass to take other family members along with you for free on Sundays or holidays. Who knows, there may be other perks too.

When working actually costs you money!

Finding a good job may seem like the end of any financial worries, but sometimes, going to work can leave you worse off than staying at home.There are a number of ways that being in employment can eat away at your pay, and not all of them are as obvious as you might think.
Getting a well paid job is a great achievement but for most people, it won't be on their doorstep. Traveling to get to work lengthens the working day but also costs extra cash. Whether you drive, carpool or take public transportation, expenses can add up, especially with the rising cost of gas. In the long run, finding a lower paid job closer to home may leave you with more money at the end of the month. Working from home is the most cost effective option of all and if you have the right environment – and enough self-discipline – asking your boss if you can work at home one or more days a week may be received well. You could find that without the hustle and bustle of other workers around you, your productivity actually increases.
Another indirect cost is the need to maintain a working wardrobe. Individuals who work at a place with a uniform are less affected by this, but may still need to shell out for a decent pair of shoes. Unfortunately, it is hard to get round this expense unless, of course, you work in your PJs or yoga pants at home. You can reduce costs by wearing layers; your work clothes will be suitable for all seasons as you can simply add or remove extra clothing as the weather dictates.
Food is another problem area and yes, it's far easier to buy lunch than to make it. But even $8 a day – which will barely cover the cost of a sandwich and a coffee – soon adds up. Additionally, when you have been at work all day, the last thing you may feel like doing is standing and cooking a meal. This can lead to either more take-outs or reliance on convenience foods – both far more expensive than home cooking, but admittedly much quicker. Taking lunch to work can seem dull, but buying your favourite foods from the supermarket can help brighten up the prospect of a packed lunch. If you have access to a microwave you can bring your own meals to warm up, a lunch to look forward to on cold winter days. Cooking large batches of food and then freezing them in portions is a great idea, as it means you simply need to defrost and warm them up at the end of a long day. Alternatively, using a slow cooker on timer can mean a healthy, delicious meal is ready and waiting for you when you get in from work.
Ultimately, no matter the savings, you may find you shell out more when you work than when you stay at home – especially for families who need to pay for childcare. If this is the case, it may be worth exploring how else you can save money, such as finding a better deal on your mortgage or finding alternative ways to make up for some shortfalls.

Kids and money habits - start today!

According to Money Talks News, our subconscious is almost completely formed by the time we are six years old, and it is around this time when most of our notions about money are formed. Here are some tips to get your child started down the path to responsible fiscal habits:

Feed the piggy bank Show your child that a penny saved is a penny earned. Save for a rainy day together.
Set personal boundaries Can you really afford this? Is it worth it? Think twice before spending money that you may not have - like putting the purchase on a credit card!
Set an example Make sure your child has a healthy view on finances. Discuss the importance of generosity, being grateful for what you have and that you can't buy happiness.
Rise above the pleading Don't give into begging at the store; kids need to learn that money has to be earned and that they simply can't have something just because they ask for it - even if they ask "nicely!" - that's their secret weapon - you gotta stand strong!

Like, who does this?

Tightwad has a confession. The other day at the grocery store she was picking up some broccoli and thought to herself why pay by the pound for all of those woody broccoli stems? She knows that they are great for stocks, soups and stirfrys - even broccoli slaw - but she doesn't use them. So she snapped them off and just bagged the florets. Is this really bad, or what?

Monday funny

Repurposed ideas from the bloggersphere #20

Tea drinkers rejoice - pretty use for all your cans! Source: iForm

Tightwad's guide to cheap reads

As everyone knows, reading is entertaining and educational. Without getting preachy and all, the benefits of reading include: subconsciously improving knowledge of grammar, language and writing, vocabulary acquisition, expanding horizons, providing a sense of perspective and the ability to see more than one side of a situation, and improving overall reading comprehension skills. Here are some Tightwad tips to cheap reads:

Library Every town and city has a public library system. You’ve already paid for the resources offered by the library, so may as well use it. Most library systems very up-to-date and offer the latest bestsellers and new releases in a variety of media.
E-books Free e-books are easily available from a variety of sources. Most free e-books are classics that have entered into the public domain as a result of expired copyright. Libraries also offer free access to thousands of new releases and bestsellers in e-book and audio-book formats through their websites. A good source for free e-books is: Book Glutton
Friends of the library book sales Most libraries have a friends group that collects donated books and organizes regular sales to raise funds for the library. These book sales often sell old, used, like-new and sometimes even new books for incredible prices. Even when there isn’t a sale, many libraries have a cart or shelf near the entrance where you can pick up books and deposit the money into a collection box or pay at the check out counter. The Book Sale Finder website is a great place to search for and sign up for notifications of book sales in your area.
Thrift stores typically have a book section with awesome prices. You can search for thrift stores near you at The Thrift Shopper.com.

Used books online A wonderful online source for used books is abebooks.com. Prices start at $1.00, even for some new books, and there is a huge selection from booksellers all over the world. Amazon.com is a good resource for used material too.

Book crossing It's awesome! Read on - here.
Speaking of affordable reading, why not enter Tightwad's monthly book giveaway contest? All the deets are here.

Getting out of the supermarket, somewhat intact

Avoid the TKO at the supermarket. Lured in with the promise of coupons, weekend sales and of course, necessity, it's hard to get through the routine of picking up groceries whilst keeping to your list... and budget. Here are some Tightwad tips to keep in mind the next time you enter the doors of your local store.

Don't be seduced by the smell of fresh baked bread

Don't shop on an empty stomach

Don't be distracted from your goal - if it's the dairy aisle, you know it's at the back of the store for a reason!

Don't even glance at the "end-caps" - they are designed to seduce you! Often higher priced items are placed on the end-cap because most people would rather just grab and go rather than head down an aisle to more price selection.

Don't pick the most obvious item; you have to work for it! Cheaper products are at the top or bottom of the shelves; the big ticket items are right there, at arm's reach.

Don't grab the first item you see in the interest of time. Take a moment to scan the entire shelf and make sure you're truly getting a good deal.

Don't be fooled by the loss leaders scheme; the supermarket is willing to take a loss on basic groceries but make up the difference in other ways. Make loss leaders work for you and shop around!

Don't be to quick to buy bulk - it's not always the best deal. Check the unit price for competing products and select the one that truly offers the best deal.

Don't go thinking that bigger is better. Manufacturers often increase package sizing to make you think you are getting more bang for your buck. Check out the volume and weight before putting that box of cereal in your cart.

Keep your hands at your sides at the check out stand. That's the supermarket's last chance to take advantage of your potential for impulse buys.

Give yourself a pep talk, review your grocery list and shop with purpose - you can do it!

Reining in everyday spending

These money-management sites will help you get your daily cash flow in check:

billshrink.com Audit your cell phone bill and find a cheaper and more suitable plan
cardtrak.com Compare credit cards to find the best one for you
ecoupons.com Swap unwanted grocery coupons for ones you'll use!
freeshipping.org Score free shipping codes 2,000+ e-commerce sites
gasbuddy.com Helps you find the cheapest gas in your area
priceprotect.com Alerts you if you are entitled to a price adjustment on a recent purchase
restaurant.com Buy gift certificates to local businesses for less than their redeemable value
retailmenot.com Find discount codes and coupons for 50,000+ stores, plus free shipping codes

What to stop spending your cash on

Let's face it, it's nice to treat ourselves to stuff. We deserve it! But there are many things we spent money on with little benefit. Here are a few:

Alternative flu remedies There is no scientific evidence that any herbal, homeopathic or other folk remedies have any benefit. Exception: chicken noodle soup
Unlimited cell phone minutes The average family uses about 735 minutes of talk time a month, which is close to a family plan threshold of 700 minutes
Bottled water Stop it people! You are paying about $1 per gallon for tap water!
Lottery tickets The odds of winning? About 1 in nearly 2 billion. Yes, it's nice to fantasize about winning, Tightwad realizes this.
Credit card payment insurance This protection can cost a few hundred dollars a year; and with so many restrictions, chances are you won't see a dime.

Repurposed ideas from the bloggersphere #19

More wonderful ideas for repurposing and giving things new life. Source: iFind.

Tips learned from Jamie, the genius

What's not to love about Jamie Oliver? He's a passionate advocate of healthy meals for all, he's not all caught up in fame and fortune; seemingly very approachable, and he makes food that is exciting, fresh and fun. Tightwad has recently become addicted to watching Jamie's Meal in Minutes. Here are some great tips that she picked up from him that she loves, and thinks you will too!

- Use your food processor as much as possible to save time; slice 'n' dice everything from potatoes to ginger in there, it's a miracle worker
- Grow herbs in pots in at your kitchen window for fast, fresh deliciousness (plus they pretty-up your kitchen)
- Don't ever catch yourself without extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, cracked black pepper, garlic or lemons
- Embrace fresh veg and fruit; unexpected combinations work well and with the right seasoning and cooking methods, everyone will love them
- It's easy to elevate "boring" food to something unexpected
- Roasted is always good
- Being organized in the kitchen will help you to create fab food in much less time than you think
- Haunt thrift stores and garage sales for large, sweet serving platters to present your gastronomic masterpieces on, family-style.

Growing a cottage garden

A few things to consider when moving your perennials around this month (depending on where you live, sooner rather than later!):

There are no rules, except grow what you love Cottage gardens are typically jumbles of fav plants or the result of "orphan planting" - shared cutting from friends that just had to have a home and some TLC. Plant in masses for maximum appeal. Most gardens of this type of a kind of wind swept appearance and shambles-crowded sort of thing going on as plants scramble for space and light.
Plant enough, more than you need "Average" three quarters of a foot or so for each plant to get that massed, crowded look. You can divide them once they are established.
Be patient A garden planted in masses of grouped varieties will start to come into its own and look great in its second year; definitely by its third.
Be generous, keep the cycle going By year four you will have to start dividing, moving and sharing plants when you figure out what works where and which are your "spreaders" and which are you "stayers".
Don't be afraid to divide/move perennials Perennials like to be moved. If a plant isn't doing well in one area, it's telling you to move it. If stuff is getting overgrown, divide it.
Texture/colour combinations Cottage gardens are all about loving plants and abundant blooms - you'll see what you like and move things accordingly.

Your garden will never be complete. That's part of the fun!

Tightwad has a thing about perennials. For more gardening goodies, visit the "cloud" on this site under gardening. Here's a post on guerilla gardening, too.

Monday funny

Another joke circulating on Facebook...

Happy Thanksgiving

Canada. Celebrating Thanksgiving since 1578.

Repurposed ideas from the bloggersphere #18

What a great idea! Finally, guilt-free reason to drink vino. Give yourself a foot massage when you step out of the shower! source

Frugalicious weekly web crawl

Yahoo! Finance 5 Tips from Early Retirees
The Family CEO Get Rid of Debt by Changing Your Attitude and Habits
$5 Dinners Pumpkin Pecan Granola
Gail Vaz Oxlade Your Personal Debt Ceiling
Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op Considering Staples in the Garden
All Women Stalk 7 Ways to Spot Fake Designer Shoes

Tightwad book giveaway!

It's that time of the month again - time for Tightwad's monthly book giveaway. So far four lucky winners have received books. Wanna win? See the contest rules at the end of this post.

This month's book giveaway is... drum roll please... Laura Laing's Math for Grownups. Ever wish you had paid more attention in Math class? Especially when you are staring at a shiny new washer dryer combo and can't figure out the percentage of sales tax on the purchase price? Or worse, figure out the sale price? This book is an adult refresher and real-life context – with examples ranging from how to determine how many shingles it takes to re-roof the shed to the formula for resizing Gramma’s pomodoro recipe for your family reunion. This book is well written and the case studies are very realistic and helpful.

Win this book! How? It's easy!

1. Leave a comment on this post
2. "Follow" Tightwad's blog
3. Tweet this post
4. Commit to setting your books "free" after you've read them so they get passed on to others

Good luck!

Such a pretty wreath idea!

This is so pretty Tightwad had to share this... for the full instructions visit Jaime over at Prudent Baby. Mix things up this Thanksgiving with this live show stopper as your centrepiece! It would make a wonderful hostess gift too!

Oh Jamie, you're the best

Watch Jamie Oliver cook up Thai green curry on his series Jamie's Meals in Minutes. Tightwad is. Ready in under 30 minutes? It's do-able! Pretty inspiring. Note to self: pick up some kaffir leaves. Tightwad loves this Jamie classic... salsa verde. Basically, Tightwad loves Jamie.

Want your kiddos to eat more fruit?

How fun is this? Almost too pretty to eat... almost. Never mind that your kids will want to eat them, they'll also want to make them.

Kitchen tips to make you say huh: part #2

More crazy know-how ideas from the granny file:

1. Put a few apples in with your potatoes to keep the potatoes from sprouting in storage.
2. Apples stored with green tomatoes will hasten the ripening process.
3. To ripen bananas, wrap them in a damp towel and place them in a paper bag.
4. Grease the threads on syrup bottles to keep the contains from running down the sides.
5. To get more juice out of a lemon, heat it in the microwave for a little while before squeezing.

Don't cry - it's an onion

"When an onion is cut, the ruptured onion cells release enzymes which break down nearby sulfur compounds into oxides and acids. These re-form to make a gas. This gas moves into your eyes and then mixes with your tears to form sulphuric acid." – Alton Brown

Tightwad has resorted to wearing her kid's swimming goggles when faced with the task of cutting white onions. Luckily however, there are other approaches.

1. Soak the onions in cold water for 5 minutes and keep them under the cold water tap when you peel them.
2. Place onions in the freezer before you slice them.
3. Place a small piece of bread on the tip of the knife before slicing onions.
4. Chew gum.
5. Rub vinegar on the chopping board.
6. Breathe through your mouth.

What do you do to stop the waterworks when slicing 'n' dicing onions?

Monday funny

This has been circulating on Facebook recently; Tightwad thinks it's pretty funny.

Repurposed ideas from the bloggersphere #17

How pretty is this? Why spend money and put stuff in the landfill if you don't need to? Just one idea for what you can do with used tin cans. For more ideas, see this previous Tightwad post. source.

Frugal fun day!

Yep, it's true. Today is International Frugal Fun Day so get outside and do something fun. The catch? It has to cost you less than $5. Bike riding, trail hiking, kite flying... what will you do to celebrate?

It's a mwrap!

If you are a frequently user of maps or like to pick them up when you are traveling, you will be pleased to discover that most maps are the perfect size for wrapping a variety of gifts - often scissor-free! This cuts the costs of buying fancy wrapping paper and besides, maps are more colourful and interesting. Added bonus: they store flat so no more unmanageable rolls of wrap. Tightwad calls this "mwrapping."