Frugal Gift Ideas: Gift of Your time and help

No matter what type of gift you need to give, many of us frugalites (whether frugalites by nature, or frugal due to necessity - ie: while paying off our debts) worry about the cost of a nice gift.

With that in mind, here is a great gift idea that costs you absolutely NOTHING, not one single penny. Instead of purchasing a gift that your recipient might or might not even need, why not give them some of your time instead?

Ideas for Gifts of Time include:

1. A free night of babysitting (or petsitting)



2. Watching their favorite movie together, when they choose. There's nothing better than a movie night!



3. Coupon for a 'heart to heart' conversation over coffee. Make it more frugal by having your pal over to your place and making the coffee instead of splurging on takeout coffees.



4. Coupons for a free errand service - offer free grocery shopping service, free drycleaning pickup, etc.



5. Free car wash - you'll come and clean their car when they choose!



6. And...with cleaning in mind, why not offer your friend or family member a day of housecleaning service for free? :) I know I'd LOVE if a pal gave me a day of their cleaning services. What a great gift that would be!

Use your imagination and come up with a valuable gift of your time that your loved one will really be able to use and appreciate. You might find this to be an easy way to take care of gifts without spending any money, but just offering a bit of your time.

Frugal Meal Ideas: Pancakes for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner

Pancakes are a Frugalite's Friend - Pancakes are a Fantastic Frugal meal

What could become a simpler meal than a delicious, steaming plate of pancakes? Basically just a batter created from flour, eggs, milk and maybe sugar and some leavening (baking powder or baking soda) can create a meal for any time of the day - breakfast, lunch or supper. Pancakes are not just for breakfast anymore! (Although, I sometimes crave pancakes for breakfast, I cannot deny this...)

Pancakes for Breakfast
Pancakes for breakfast are delicious when topped with fresh or thawed frozen fruit, such as strawberries, blueberries or a mixed fruit blend. Make a plate of pancakes delicious with a pat of butter and some real maple syrup. (Sure, the frugalite's choice of syrup might be those corn syrup laced concoctions, but try to buy a larger jug of real maple syrup when it's on sale or in big box stores like Costco...I think it's one of those ingredients that it's worth splurging on.)

Pancakes for Lunch or Dinner
Pancakes of any sort - the typical fluffy type, or buckwheat pancakes - make a great starchy choice for lunch or dinner too. Top with savoury fillings you would use to fill crepes, or use thin pancakes to make alternative tacos or burritos.

Freezing Pancakes
Whenever you make pancakes, make a large batch with the intention of freezing extras. Freeze with sheets of waxed paper in between so that you can just pull out as many flapjacks as you need. You can quickly re-heat frozen pancakes for a quick and delicious meal anytime!

Frugal Life - 10 Ways the Internet Can Save (or Make) You Money

No, the Internet is not all just a waste of time...it's an incredible collection of resources that can help you either save or make money!

10 Ways the Internet Can Save (or Make) You Money

1. Make Money with Online Surveys - There are some scammy survey companies out there that really won't pan out for any extra money for you in the long run. BUT, I've had very good success with these Canadian online survey companies: Ipsos I-Reid and MySurvey.ca. You earn points for each completed survey (which I, in fact, find fun to fill out!) and gather those points up for free gift cards, or even cheques in the mail. Lovely! Fill out some fun surveys and then get gift cards to treat yourself to a nice new book, or at least that's how I spend mine...



2. Save Money on Travel - Oh man, how did we ever travel cheaply back in the days before the Internet? Travel research is a breeze online, and you can quickly compare prices with different companies and sites. Everything from airline tickets, to hotel rooms are marked down and revealed on the Internet - all you have to do is find the bargains and snag the deal quickly, before it's gone.



3. Make Money with Blogs - Blogs and websites are an incredible way for anyone who loves to put pen to paper (urm...fingers to keys, rather) and express themselves. Blogger.com makes setting up a blog a breeze even for those of us who feel technologically inept. Google Adsense and other types of advertisers make it easy to monetize your blogs. And it's a fun hobby - instead of shopping online, blog online and make a few extra dollars. (It was my websites and blogs that landed me a book deal...so very interesting things can happen when you set your mind to it. That little blog of yours might very well turn into your full-time job.)



4. Save Money on Groceries - I believe every major supermarket in Canada and the US has a major online presence. So, even if you don't get all the flyers delivered to you, you have no excuse but to check the grocery store's websites and create a list of all the deals to stock up on when you head into the store. And, by joining frugal forums and websites, you can network with other Frugalites and find even more best deals.



5. Make Money with Articles - Again, this is a way that writers can earn some more moola - you can find newspapers, magazines or major websites that are looking for fresh content, and email them a query letter. It's easy - in another post another day, I'll share some tips on how to write a simple yet effective query.



6. Save Money on Furniture and Home Stuff - I adore Kijiji. I used to be a lover of Craigslist, but I've had great success recently with Kijiji. I've gotten a $700-value solid wooden armoire (in which we hide away our TV and stereo) for only $180. And recently, a solid wooden table and chairs set (and lovely striped tablecloth to boot! In all my favorite colors...) for only $180 as well. Hey, that seems to be a good number for me. lol You can save incredible amounts of money by purchasing good quality second hand furniture items through Kijiji or other local classified ads sites. * Note: Please be careful when purchasing items this way. If you have a 'funny feeling', just let the so-called deal go. There are con artists out there, and weirdos. *



7. Make Money on eBay - Getting rid of clutter and junk in your home will make YOU feel great, will make your home look great, and will help your bank account bulge greatly! It's unbelievable how one man's junk is truly another man's treasure.



8. Save Money with Coupons - Certain retailers have online printable coupons you can use in-store or online when purchasing. Plus, coupon groups are a handy way to stock up on a few extra coupons, while getting rid of coupons you don't need. eBay is another source of coupons, surprisingly.



9. Make Money by selling your crafts - Whether you're a painter or create beautiful paper crafts, you can create a simple website to sell your handmade items, or else use Etsy or eBay to sell on.



10. Save Money by going online...and not relying on RETAIL THERAPY. Remember, you can get carried away spending online, too! Instead, use the Internet as a way to stick to your frugalite goals, whether that be reducing debt or saving money, or possibly paying off a mortgage early. By using the Internet for financial prudence and motivation, you can prevent shopping as a form of therapy. Retail therapy, huh? More like retail scare-apy! Oh, wow, that was bad...