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Erin's Frugal Living Blog

By Erin Huffstetler, About.com Guide to Frugal Living

Harry Potter and the Half-Price Tickets

Tuesday July 14, 2009

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince hits theatres tonight at 12:01 am. If you'd love to go, but don't want to fork over $8.50 (or more) for a seat, I've got a great suggestion for you: head to a drive-in theatre.

At my local drive-in, adults are $6, kid ages 5-12 are $3 and kids 4 and under are free. So, that's $15 if my family watches Harry Potter at the drive-in or $30 if we watch it at the theatre. Would you like to guess where we'll be?

Share Your Thoughts

Do you plan to watch the new Harry Potter movie? Tell us what you're doing to keep the cost down.

Kids Eat Free

Monday July 13, 2009

Planning to take your family out to eat this week? Then, you may want to check out one of the many restaurants with a kids-eat-free promotion.

Donna Montaldo, our Guide to Coupons/Bargains has put together a list of national chains where kids eat free. Check it out:

Related Reading:

Do You Use Rain Barrels?

Friday July 10, 2009

As the rain pours down outside, I am reminded once again that I could be collecting rain water, if only I had a few rain barrels.

Looks like it's time to double up on my savings efforts, so I can get those barrels off of my wish list and into my yard.

Photo © Flickr user dane_brian

Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes

Thursday July 9, 2009

Salad makes a great cheap and healthy meal – especially when you grow your own ingredients. Whip up a different salad dressing each time, and you'll never tire of eating it.

Here are several dressing recipes to try (I'm partial to the Buttermilk Dill, minus the garlic powder):

Do you have a special dressing that you like to make? Please share the recipe.

Photo © Flickr user LDHNY

Featured Reader: Lynn, CO

Wednesday July 8, 2009

Name:

Lynn from Colorado

Your Favorite Source for Bargains:

Yard sales

Your Best Bargain of All Time:

A vintage pair of jeans from the 50's in great condition that I purchased for 5O cents and resold for $5OO.

View the rest of Lynn's profile

Repair It and Save

Tuesday July 7, 2009

Repairing your broken belongings is a great way to save money – especially if you do the repair work yourself. Why not grab a tool box and put your fix-it skills to the test?

What have you repaired recently? Share your "I-Fixed-It" story.

Photo © Flickr user geishaboy500

Save Money with Sweepstakes

Monday July 6, 2009

The recession has caused a lot of people to give up vacations, trips to the movies and meals out. If you're sorely missing your bit of fun, sweepstakes could be a way to bring it back.

Set aside some time each day to enter contests (30 minutes should do it), and you may just score some fun money, movie tickets or even that much-needed vacation.

Sandra Grauschopf, our Guide to Contest & Sweepstakes, has the advice that you need to get started:

Related Reading:

Cold Food and Drink Recipes

Thursday July 2, 2009

Hot kitchens are great in the winter, but miserable in the summer. Work more cold meals into your menu, and you'll be rewarded with a cooler kitchen, a cooler you and a smaller utility bill. Score!

Related Reading:

Photo © flickr user House_of_Sims

Featured Reader: Rachel, WA

Wednesday July 1, 2009

Name:

Rachel from Washington

Your Favorite Source for Bargains:

Grocery Outlet has awesome prices on fancy cosmetics and organic shampoos and toiletries. When the season is right the farmers market is a cool place to get fresh organic produce while supporting the local economy.

Your Best Bargain of All Time:

Anything free! Someone's trash could be my treasure.

View the rest of Rachel's profile

Frugal Summer Grilling

Tuesday June 30, 2009

Have you gotten your grill out yet? If not, the Fourth of July weekend is the perfect time to do it. Keep your grilling costs down with these frugal recipes:

Meat Seasonings and Tenderizers
Make Your Own Marinade
Homemade Meat Tenderizer
Top 10 Barbeque Sauce Recipes
Top 10 Rub Recipes

Buns
Homemade Hamburger Buns
Homemade Hot Dog Buns

Condiment Recipes
Homemade Steak Sauce
Tomato Ketchup
Mayonnaise

Desserts
Ice Cream Recipes
Popsicle Recipes

Photo © Flickr user giffconstable

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