Best painless "stretching things" budget tips?

[minnie1928]

How about changing your printer settings to default to the lowest ink setting? Unless I'm printing a coupon or something that needs to be scanned, I use the lowest ink setting. It really helps make your ink cartridges last.

 

[KKB]

How about changing your printer settings to default to the lowest ink setting? Unless I'm printing a coupon or something that needs to be scanned, I use the lowest ink setting. It really helps make your ink cartridges last.

LOVE this idea!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

How about changing your printer settings to default to the lowest ink setting? Unless I'm printing a coupon or something that needs to be scanned, I use the lowest ink setting. It really helps make your ink cartridges last.

Yes! I've been doing this for years. I've also heard that when your printer 1st starts telling you that ink is running low, just remove the cartridge, shake it a little, and put it back in. You'll get more out of it. myth??? who knows but it can't hurt. I let it stay until it completely runs out unless I need to print something that looks nice.

I also have my printer set to print on both sides of the paper and usually click on 'print preview' before printing just to see how many pages will print and if I really need all of them. Sometimes just a little blip prints on the last page with nothing useful on it so I opt to not print that one. Such a waste of $ and trees.

 

[smiller]

For leftover bread I've done the bread crumb thing, but how many bread crumbs can you have????????? We always buy fresh loaves of bread each week - white & wheat - even if the previous loaf is not gone. I hated throwing it away because it wasn't moldy or anything - just not fresh. I began freezing the leftover bread each week & now use it for french toast or grilled sandwiches when we have them.

I use old bread from the freezer for breakfast casseroles - it doesn't matter if it's a little dry, since it gets soaked in egg.

I like the French toast idea - I haven't made French toast in ages!

 

[semo233]

I use old bread from the freezer for breakfast casseroles - it doesn't matter if it's a little dry, since it gets soaked in egg.

I like the French toast idea - I haven't made French toast in ages!

I did this yesterday morning with leftover Thanksgiving rolls!

 

[punkin]

I made about 2 gallons of turkey broth with leftover carcasses that would have just gone into the garbage otherwise. I will have enough for soups for several months. It cost me the price of 2 onions a bunch of celery and a bunch of carrots (Oh, I also put in leftover thyme, rosemary, and sage that I did not use up for Thanksgiving).

 

[Bastiansmom]

I "whip" store bought icing/ frosting with my hand-mixer before I use it.
It increases the volume by (I'm guessing here) 25%, is easier to frost with, and I think tastes better because it is lighter. BTW, you have to put it into a bowl first!

 

[IluvKingLouis]

I have been buying the big bag of potatoes (I prefer Yukon gold, but russet would work too). I pick out all the smallish ones, bake them. Scoop out the pulp and reserve for mashed potatoes.

Then I spray the skins with pam, fill with a bit of cheddar and turkey bacon crumbles. You can add sliced black olives and jaleps too. Bake until the cheese gets melty.

It's a good way to make use of the potatoes that are too small for baked potatoes. And much cheaper/healthier then the fried potato skins in the frozen food section.

I do leave some of the potato filling around the edges so it's not just skins and filling.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I "whip" store bought icing/ frosting with my hand-mixer before I use it.
It increases the volume by (I'm guessing here) 25%, is easier to frost with, and I think tastes better because it is lighter. BTW, you have to put it into a bowl first!

We do this too but use an electric mixer. Add a little whole milk first.

 

[minnie1928]

I "whip" store bought icing/ frosting with my hand-mixer before I use it.
It increases the volume by (I'm guessing here) 25%, is easier to frost with, and I think tastes better because it is lighter. BTW, you have to put it into a bowl first!

I love this idea!

 

[pampam]

I have been buying the big bag of potatoes (I prefer Yukon gold, but russet would work too). I pick out all the smallish ones, bake them. Scoop out the pulp and reserve for mashed potatoes.

Then I spray the skins with pam, fill with a bit of cheddar and turkey bacon crumbles. You can add sliced black olives and jaleps too. Bake until the cheese gets melty.

It's a good way to make use of the potatoes that are too small for baked potatoes. And much cheaper/healthier then the fried potato skins in the frozen food section.

I do leave some of the potato filling around the edges so it's not just skins and filling.

This is a great idea. I'll try it tonight. My DH always likes this kind of snack while watching tv.

 

[The Princess]

II like the frozen potato idea. I'm gonna have to do that.

 

[MissMichelle]

Still loving this thread - thanks, everyone for keeping it going with such great info!

One thing I did this week that thrilled the socks off me - kind of inspired by the recent post about using multiple coupons on BOGO things (wow!) - was that I used three coupons on a three-pack of toothpaste at BJs! Result - virtually free toothpaste! (I think it ended up being 49 cents for the three pack.)

They let you use extra coupons there for the larger sized/multiple item packs of things. We love BJs - hate Costco...no longer a member there. They don't take ANY coupons!

Love the homemade Purell wipes idea!

Not enough people know about this....I am a manager at BJ's and I get so much stuff for virtually nothing. The only time the multiple coupons doesn't work is if you can't break up the packaging for resale (diapers, some toilet paper, cereal etc) but if you have the multi packs like bottles of tylenol cold, toothpaste, ink that a vendor could purchase from us and sell at resale we have to take the amount of coupons allowed per package inside. It works great when BJ's has their own coupon on the item or an instant rebate coupled. Happy Shopping!

 

[skw444]

Not enough people know about this....I am a manager at BJ's and I get so much stuff for virtually nothing. The only time the multiple coupons doesn't work is if you can't break up the packaging for resale (diapers, some toilet paper, cereal etc) but if you have the multi packs like bottles of tylenol cold, toothpaste, ink that a vendor could purchase from us and sell at resale we have to take the amount of coupons allowed per package inside. It works great when BJ's has their own coupon on the item or an instant rebate coupled. Happy Shopping!

Thanks for posting this. I didn't know this but now will be sure to use more than one coupon!

 

[disneyfan55]

Good to know about BJs. Costco doesn't take mfg. coupons (at least not the one we go to in Bridgewater, NJ

 

[smiller]

I'm baking banana bread right now - I always mix up my own buttermilk with vinegar and regular milk. I wouldn't even know if my regular grocery store sells buttermilk!

 

[MineMail]

Not enough people know about this....I am a manager at BJ's and I get so much stuff for virtually nothing. The only time the multiple coupons doesn't work is if you can't break up the packaging for resale (diapers, some toilet paper, cereal etc) but if you have the multi packs like bottles of tylenol cold, toothpaste, ink that a vendor could purchase from us and sell at resale we have to take the amount of coupons allowed per package inside. It works great when BJ's has their own coupon on the item or an instant rebate coupled. Happy Shopping!

That's a great feature of BJs - unless the inner items are marked "Not packaged for resale," you can use multiple mfg coupons. Yet, I've gotten arguments from the cashiers time and again. It's gotten to the point where I put those items on the belt first and hand the cashier my coupons saying "I've been a BJs customer for years and I know these coupons are allowed with this packaging. If you need to get a supervisor override, call now." It's annoying, but it gets the situation resolved quickly. As they have the policy explained to them, I always see the people behind me digging in their coupons to find more. I don't understand why the cashiers don't know their own policies - many of them seem to know what they're doing otherwise, so they're not new employees.

I also like it when there's a store coupon for an item and you can also use a manufacturer coupon. I've gotten things for free that way.

 

[Angel16]

What great information! I am going to pass this onto my DD. she shops B.J.'s. We don't have one where I live Thank you so much for sharing.

 

[DMickey28]

I LOVE BJ's for that reason!! I really need to get better organized with my coupons. I also need to make sure BJ's as our address correct on file because I haven't been recieving my booklets lately!!

 

[minnie1928]

I LOVE BJ's for that reason!! I really need to get better organized with my coupons. I also need to make sure BJ's as our address correct on file because I haven't been recieving my booklets lately!!

Many of the coupons can also be found on their website, so keep that in mind for multiple use.