FREE!!! My favorite word.

One of my favorite things is finding free things that are actually useful. The usefulness of the item is actually the most important part of the deal, as we all know that it is an easy thing to find free things that nobody wants. Today I'll share some of my more recent finds. Perhaps they may spark some new ideas for you.

Wallpaper and fabric samples
I have a completely bare wall above the couch in my living room. I hang stuff there for Christmas, but the rest of the year it's just a full, unused space. It has been this way for the two years we have lived here because I couldn't come up with anything that seemed to fit the space. Yesterday I had an epiphany and began looking for free wallpaper samples on line.

Wallpaperdirect.com allows 2 free samples (shipping included), no questions asked.

Bemz, a company that specializes in Ikea furniture updates allows fabric samples that ship overseas at not cost. The plan is to use the wallpaper and fabric in frames to fill in the space. (Now just to find free frames!) I will be sure to update this project once it is all in place.

Gardening
As you know if you have read previous posts, I have begun trying to supplement our grocery supplies by growing a few things at home. I already have cilantro and basil growing well from seeds that I purchased on the cheap. I also have green onions and ginger growing from store purchases. It is a good start, but I want more. After searching, I found several sources for free seeds.

Groundswell International was the most impressive source that I found. They have a goal, it seems, to feed the world. Therefore, every spring they give away thousands if not millions of seeds to promote ending world hunger. Definitely worth checking out even if you don't have a green thumb.

Gardens Alive will send you a free catalogue, and that contains a $25 coupon with no minimum purchase. I haven't received the catalogue yet, so I can't promise there is no fine print, but other testimonials I have read point to it being true to its words. The exciting thing here is that they offer equipment and other gardening supplies.

Feed a Bee has a lofty goal in mind. They want go grow 50 million flowers to help out dwindling new population. To that end they will send packets of 200 wildflower seeds for free. No, it's not food for us, but we rely on bees for a majority of our food. In my book, this type of gardening is even more important than any of my plant endeavors.

This isn't the end of my quest for freebies, but it is a great start. If you have any good sources, please share them in the comments. I, of course, will report on the outcome of everything I tried here today. A little searching can pay off in a big way!

Money crunch!

This week I bought an almost new car. It is only a year old, has very few miles, and has all the fuel saving perks a frugal girl could want. While I got a great price given my credit situation (thank you recession), it still is a lot more money than I spend on things. Of course after the purchase, I panicked about money. So today, I am looking for ways to save even more money around the house. I already use dish soap, baking soda, and vinegar to do most of my cleaning (especially the floors) and shop sales for commercial cleaning products. I buy the store brand or equivalently priced item for nearly everything else. I also take advantage of various store perks and programs such as Wal-Mart Savings Catcher and grocery store member cards but still think I can do more.

Another step I have taken is to start an indoor herb and scrap garden. It's been slow going since I have been quite busy lately, but I have basil and cilantro going strong. I started them from those small $1 kid's growing sets. The containers are recycled tea cans. I also have onions, both green and yellow, growing from what was purchased from food we bought. Apparently this can be done with a number of produce items. I have some ginger that will find itself in a pot before the weekend is over as well. The most expensive part of this venture was the potting soil (yes Mom, Miracle Grow). Recycled containers help, but even the ones I purchased were only $1 from Wal-Mart.

This is a beginning, but by no means the end of this quest. Feel free to comment below on some of your container gardening adventures, and I'll keep you updated on my progress.

My herbs and green onions. 

Hard to see, but a small yellow onion plant is popping up here.

Reuse, reduce...

Because money is harder to come by than ideas, I have decided to use the latter to make the most of what I have or can get for very little cost. That is fortunate, because I have a desire to lessen my carbon footprint and I love to make things. Finding unique solutions to everyday issues comes naturally to me. My bedside wastebasket is made of old magazines and hot glue. I based it on an idea I found here. It has lasted a year, and a little less trash went to the dumpster that day. I save jars for storage of small items, etc. and use soft drink caps to elevate my dish drain to help with water flow. I know this makes me sound a bit like a hoarder, but trust me - many things do end up trashed. The key is to keep a few items (jars, empty water jugs) on hand, then toss the rest until some have been used. So now that I have shared a few ideas, it's your turn. Please share some of the unique ways you reuse items in your homes. I will continue to share ideas I find with you... complete with instructions and photos.

Theses  jars were re-purposed for avocado plants. Nothing happened, but I tried!