Vaseline

My daughter-in-law is visiting and we have been discussing eye cream. She is young and beautiful and her skin is exquisite, however she is wisely considering what she needs to do now to help keep her complexion from prematurely aging. She has been using an eye cream that she got as a gift, but to replace it would cost $40-$50. I told her I keep vaseline on my bedside table and that it is my nightly ritual to apply generously around my eyes, neck, and mouth before I go to sleep. I remember when I lived in the brick dorms at Cal Poly and my neighbor used vaseline every night to remove her mascara. That friend is one of my Facebook friends and she looks fabulous. I would say that vaseline is a good budget alternative to the expensive eye creams. My daugher-in-law is a dietitian and she agrees that what you eat and drink over time is a more significant factor in keeping your skin healthy than buying an expense eye cream.
Miss Penny Saver Tip #27: Drink lots of water and eat fruits and vegies to keep your skin healthy. Use vaseline as that extra hydration you need at night and wake up looking young and refreshed!

Make Cookies

I have one dessert that I am famous for and that is my chocolate chip cookies. I have the recipe memorized and I always have the ingredients on hand, so I can make them at a moment's notice. I have 3 social events this weekend and I am bring the cookies to all of them. They are an easy and inexpensive treat.
Miss Penny Saver Tip #26: Have one signature recipe that you are known for. It makes it so easy to know what to bring ...everyone will ask for it and you can save on the expense of buying something.

Start a TailGate...I Mean a Band!

A warm night, good friends, and the best country singer around made for an excellent evening under the stars last night. Since I did so well on saving $ on the ticket to see Brad, I splurged and paid the extra $20 bucks for the VIP parking. We got there early enough to have some appetizers and sandwiches in the back of my truck before venturing into the amphitheater to be entertained. Since my friend and her daughter are of German ancestry of course we had to do some beer tasting-sharing 3 beers between the 4 of us . Our total cash spent for the evening (on top of the tickets) was $50. Pretty good for an amazing night of music with 3 great celebrity singers. When the concert ended, we were to our car and out of the lot and home in 30 minutes...the parking expense was a good investment.
Miss Penny Saver Tip #25: Know the best way to park before you go to an event. Ask questions, plan ahead, and have a good time.

Clarence and Mrs. Spitzer

So today I had my house cleaned. It was the best investment of $ that I have spent in the recent past. I am working over full time and have very little free time to do the things I love...like write this blog. My mother, a woman who was never extravagant, had someone clean our house even when I was young. She also had a gardener, Clarence and Mrs. Spitzer did our ironing. We were not rich, by any sense of the word, but my mother knew what was important. She always had time for me and I grew up feeling loved and appreciated. I think this is due to the fact that my mother was not over stressed and was able to keep up with her responsibilities.
Miss Penny Saver Tip #24: Time is worth more than we realize, so hire out whenever possible!

Vinegar

I love wood floors. I have them in every room of my house except the bathroom. The clean, elegant lines are so easy to live with. Wood goes with any color scheme and they can be dressed up or down depending on your decorating style. The best part about wood floors is that they are so easy to clean. I have always used a mixture of vinegar and water to get them shiny and new looking. This is an economical way to clean and also according to Manuel, an expert on the subject of cleaning, vinegar also keeps away the termites.

Miss Penny Saver Tip #23: Use vinegar and water for all you wood surfaces. It smells good too!

White Tank Tops

It was really hot today but I still went to my exercise class. Since I turned a certain age, I have noticed my middle getting less svelte and more expansive. In order to wear many of my more skimpy work-out tops, I need some additional midriff covering. This is where men's white undershirts from Target come to the rescue. The three pack is economical and the beauty of them is their length. They may be narrow but they are long and that works perfectly for my purposes...covering the belly under my cute workout tops. And just in case you were wondering, I got the Target undershirt idea from my twenty something daughter...so age is not an issue here!
Miss Penny Saver Tip #23: Don't get rid of too small tops, underwrite them!

Doggie Treats

Toby is my yellow lab. I got him in June the day after school got out and I have been wrestling with him ever since to help him become the AMAZING dog that he is destined to be. Despite his ups and downs (no pun intended...he does jump up occassoinally) I like to get him toys and treats once in a while. After mistakenly going to the "quote-unquote" doggie discount stores, I discovered that Walgreens has a pet section with considerably less expensive price tags. They have a great $2.oo section that has chew sticks, toys, and other assorted doggie treasures. Toby is a purebred lab, but his anomaly is that he has a curly tail. I guess that explains why he is perfectly happy with the less expensive treats; no designer labels required here.
Miss Penny Saver Tip # 22: Only buy the best when it is absolutely necessary...dogs don't know the dif!

Go to the Box Office!

Brad Paisley is coming to town and even though I have been to two of his concerts....I LOVE HIS SHOW and couldn't resist going. I have been contemplating buying the tickets since they went on sale in June, but the concert is this Friday, so it was now or never. I went on-line this am to check the prices and saw that the box office at the venue was open and the service fees are waived on Sundays. I saved $22 dollars($11 per ticket) by driving 15 minutes (no traffic...remember it is Sunday) to the Amphitheater where the Paisley gang will be on Friday pm. I am so excited...and "I thought I loved you then!"
Miss Penny Saver Tip #21: Buy directly from the source whenever possible to avoid middle man fees.

Out Damn Spot!

I learned this amazing trick when my children were babies and they would stain just about everything (especially when they ate bananas). We are taking my 90 year old mother (remember one of the origninal Miss Penny Savers) to Disneyland to celebrate the entering into her ninefold decade. Since she is someone who never throws anything away, she has a sweatshirt that she got the last time she visited "The Happiest Place on Earth" in 1991. There is a stain on the sleeve and she wants it out, so she can wear it on our upcoming adventure. The secret recipe: 1/4 c. bleach, 1/2 c dishwashing crystals to 1 c. water-soak until stain is gone! I ususally work my magic in the bathtub so if needed I can work on more than one stained garment at a time.
Miss Penny Saver Tip #20: Be your own stain remover and save $ on cleaning bills and clothing expenses.

Take the Train

Tonight was the preseason opening game for my SHARKS. Since the traffic was unbearable on Wednesday, and it took twice as long to drive down, I decided to take the train tonight. I usually walk from my house to catch the train and then walk to the Arena from the destination station. This whole adventure saves on gas and nerves. I arrive relaxed and much happier that when I have fought the rat race of road rage. I usually read or grade papers while I travel down the Pennisula which is an additional bonus-more free time this weekend And because I did all that walking I can justify the spicy hot fries that I am bound to comsume!
Miss Penny Saver Tip#19: Use public transportation whenever possible...saves time, money, the environment, and maybe even the figure.

School Send Off!

My youngest child left today for her last year in college. I realized that since 1989 I have been sending kids off to school and now...this is it! Yes someone might decide to do grad school, but that is different. Going "Back to School" only counts up to grade 16 and I should know since I started my own school career in the fall of 1960 and then my first teaching job in 1978! What can I say, Back to School means new clothes, school supplies, books, a lunch box and a backpack. Even for college, Jen wanted all these things. She will buy the books at the UCLA bookstore but the rest she was able to either order on-line or find at Forever 21 and Target. I feel validated as Miss Penny Saver when I see that I have passed on to the next generation the skill of shopping for bargains and saving money. TIP #18: Teach your children well. Have a great year Jen!

Take Advantage!

I am a huge hockey fan. Tonight was the opening team scrimmage game at the ice arena where my team plays. It was an open invitation so even though we only have 2 regular season tickets, 4 of us were able to go. We sat in better seats and got free team bling! It was worth the effort to drive in traffic to see our team for free and to bring friends!
Miss Penny Saver Tip #17: Take advantage of free offers. GO SHARKS!

Drink Water!

Going out to dinner can be such an expensive investment that one might be tempted to never do it! Some tricks that I have applied to family dinners out....
1. Don't order drinks, just have the complimentary ice water.
2. Assess how hungry you are and consider sharing a plate.
These two simple Miss Penny Saver Tips can save you lots of money over time.
FYI some of these ideas and suggestions come from not doing them. I ordered a glass of wine last night without really looking closely at the menu and it set me back $14 bucks! I was sorry when the bill came...but I have to say, it was an excellent Cabernet. I did share a pizza with my daughter however, so that helped soften the blow of the total expenditure.

Go To The Movies

Having fun and saving $ don't have to be mutually exclusive. To make Monday more interesting, my daughters and I decided to have a girl's night out. If we had gone to the movies by 5:45, we would have gotten the early bird price and still had $ left over for dinner. Unfortunately that didn't happen tonight but it is a goal for next time. It is so not crowded at the theaters on Mondays...a good reason to make the early bird special on Monday a regular event.
Miss Penny Saver Tip #15: Find the Early Bird Specials and be sure to get there in time in order to cash in!

Know Where the Discounts Are!

Yesterday I went to JoAnn's with my daughter and her college roommate to buy Fall decorations for their apartment. Everything was on sale and they give a teacher discount, so the savings were considerable. Today we went to my mother's to help her with grocery shopping, housework, etc. She lives near an outlet center, so afterwards we went to the J. Crew Outlet store. Again we bought what was on sale and got the teacher discount on top of that!
Miss Penny Saver Tip #14: Shop the sales and know where you can get an extra discount if you are a teacher, military or other!

Shop Around

My daugher's roommate was coming for dinner and I wanted to cook something special. I knew that the salmon was no longer on special at the local market, so I decided to try Whole Foods. Their fresh fish section is large and often offers more options than other stores. Sure enough, there was a salmon selection on special, so I bought it! After getting some cooking advice from the butcher, I prepared the fish and was very pleased with the results.
Miss Penny Saver Tip #13: It pays to shop around for the bargains!

Scrapbooks

My daughters came home from a month in Kenya with over 1,000 photos. They did some bargain shopping today and found some very nice albums at discount prizes. Next they went to the boutique scrapbook store in town and bought fun paper and stickers to make their books look unique and fabulous. After some comparison prizing we determined they saved about $25 each by doing thier shopping this way.
Miss Penny Saver Tip #12: Shop the discount stores for the basics and save your $ for the fun, show off stuff!

Buy a Scarf!

I feel kind of silly talking about being Miss Penny Saver when I have just spent three days with my 20 something daughters who are home for a visit. Whenever they are here we LIVE IT UP and money seems to fly out the door. As I reflect over some of our favorite shopping spots...I see a $ tip emerging. H&M is a great spot for the young to purchase inexpensive clothes. For those who might not fit into the narrower styles of the hip generation, it proves to be an excellent accessories resource. Whether you want a new scarf to perk up an outfit or earrings and a necklace to give as a gift, the choices are many and the $ tag affordable. Last year I bought a colorful scarf and wore it to a wedding. It made my outfit!
Miss Penny Saver TIP #11: Shop H&M and buy accessories(P.S. The price tag has never been over $15).

Get a Massage!

So this will be brief since I am totally relaxed and ready to catch some "z's" after having one of my quarterly massages. My youngest daughter started the tradition of getting a massage at the end of every quarter during her Junior year in college. The tradition has continued and I love it. I feel better, stay more active, and have more energy for work and play.
Miss Penny Saver Tip #10: Invest in a massage every 3 months...try it, you'll like it !

Care Packages From Home

Since I have had all three of my children go away to college, I am an expert at sending care packages. In addition, my son is in the Air Force and has been deployed twice, so sending goodies has become a regular part of my life. I have found that using the self service station at the local post office is the best. I can go any time, day or night, with no line, to send things. I have the system down to a science, so I am very quick. I also send things the least expensive way and they always get there and expediently to boot! I reuse packing boxes whenever I can, so I really cut the cost...the best part
Miss Penny Saver Tip #9: there is nothing better than getting a box of mom's cookies when you are far from home.

Optimize Opportunity

In keeping with the last posting...make the most of whatever you are doing and extend it into the future. Make extra of whatever you are cooking and freeze the leftovers. Buy more than one of what you love on sale and give the extra as a gift. These Miss Penny Saver Tips will save you time in the future and as the old saying goes...Time is Money!

Two For The Price Of One

So yesterday was not such a good day. I was exhausted, and did not have the energy to write my blog entry...so today will be 2 for 1. This is a good Miss Penny Saver tip as well. This morning I went to my usual Saturday a.m. workout, but since I was already there, I decided to stay for a second class that started immediately following the one I just completed. I saved the time and fuel to drive to the second class, since I did the two back to back. I also made cupcakes to welcome my daughters home from their month long volunteer trip to Kenya. Since I made the mini-size, I had enough to take to a work party that I was attending later in the day. Again, two for the price of one. It is a good philosopy that is worth doing whenever possible. Miss Penny Saver Tip # 6 & 7.

Pay Attention

I just spent 10 hours or so driving to see my mother and helping her with errands etc. At 90 years of age, she is still a go-getter. She has never really gotten over living through the depression of the 1930's, so she is very careful with her $. She still looks for bargains, prefers to shop at the less expensive stores, and always, always, watches the cashier and checks the receipt when she buys something. When I was growing up, this obsession with the fine details of money would bother me. Now, as I see the whole picture, I realize that for those who lived without in their childhood, they will never forget. For those of us who did not, we can appreciate their sacrifice and learn from some of their careful habits. Penny Saver Tip #5: Always check your receipts and count your change!

Recycle and Reuse

In 21 days, my youngest daughter will turn 21. As I am wrapping her 21 assorted gifts, I am reminded of the thriftiness of Miss Penny Saver and her friends. Having lived throught the Great Depression and WWII, they learned from necessity, how to recycle things and get along with less. So, using previously used wrapping paper is a good place to start. Cutting the front off of cards and using them as a postcard style note is another excellent way to reuse. My compliments to the generation before me for being the first to really be green...Miss Penny Saver Tip#5: May we learn from those before us how to conserve and Go Green!

Day 4-Specials

Tuesday is the last day of the specials at our local market. The new ones come out on Wednesday, so I always make it a point to shop on Tuesday afternon. I learned from my mother(another member of the "penny saver generation") to buy the less expensive cut of meat or the special, to conserve on the food budget. So today I decided to purchase the featured fish since it is always best to cook fish the day you buy it. This was an especially good choice since everyone knows that we should eat more fish and poultry and less meat. Fish is the best fast food. It takes very little time to prepare and cook and yet it is so good for you. Fresh Petrale Sole dipped in salted milk and bread crumbs, baked at 500 for 10 min and Viola! A great, healthy meal....Penny Saver Tip #4