My husband and I renovated a barn into a new home. We wanted a simple, small, but roomy space that we could customize according to our needs without breaking the bank. And in keeping with the spirit of thrift and originality, I decided one of the standout features would be a kitchen made of cinder block.I'm not 100% sure why I chose this. Maybe it was the cool cinder block gardens I'd seen on Pinterest, or perhaps it was the fact that trying to understand IKEA's online kitchen planner made my head want to explode.Regardless, something about stacking up cinder blocks like Legos and … [Read more...]
Laura Williams
Building a Prefab Home – Types, Cost, Pros & Cons
Don't let the term "prefab home" scare you away - today's prefabricated homes (also termed "building systems" by the National Association of Home Builders), are downright fabulous. Not only do they provide home buyers with a custom, energy-efficient building solution, they're also typically more affordable than traditional stick-built homes. While the total cost of a prefab home is highly variable based on size, amenities, and location, you can expect to pay between $180 and $220 per square foot - an amount that often includes the home's interior fixtures and amenities.Essentially, prefab … [Read more...]
How Long Does Makeup Last? – When to Throw Away Old Cosmetics
If you're like most women, chances are you have a drawer full of cosmetics bursting at the seams. Lipsticks, facial creams, sunscreen, and even hair products have a tendency to accumulate - but when was the last time you considered clearing out your cosmetics drawer for any other reason than to free up space?The fact is, cosmetics expire. Creams, gels, and liquids are particularly prone to spoilage - they become hotbeds of bacterial activity, they stop working correctly, and they can even negatively affect your skin, leading to breakouts or rashes.As much as it might pain you to throw … [Read more...]
10 Frugal Lifestyle YouTube Channels Worth Following
YouTube is currently the second largest search engine worldwide, ranked just below Google. It may be best known for cute cat videos and embarrassing viral bloopers, but if you're looking for information on practically any subject, it's safe to assume there's a channel for it.The trick with YouTube is finding worthwhile content. If you search "cheap makeup," you'll end up with 616,000 videos, which may or may not be what you're looking for. One thing I've learned is that when you're looking for information on a general topic, such as frugal lifestyle, it's helpful to search by channel. You … [Read more...]
How to Declutter & Downsize Your Home Effectively – 9 Essential Tips
In 11 years of marriage, my husband and I have moved 10 times. We're not in the military, and there's no good explanation for all the moves, except that they just made sense at the time. Most of our moves were from a smaller dwelling to a bigger one, which meant there wasn't much downsizing that needed to take place between moves - we just loaded everything up and carted it along with us.The last two moves have been different. The first move downsized our space from roughly 2,000 total square feet to 1,500 square feet (including respective storage space), and our most recent move took us … [Read more...]
What Is myRA – What to Know About The New Retirement Account
According to an August 2014 report from Bankrate, more than one-third (36%) of American adults are not currently saving for retirement. Worse yet, more than a quarter of Americans nearing retirement age (50 to 64 years old) have yet to save anything.While the stats are staggering, they're somewhat understandable - it's easy to de-prioritize retirement savings when you're struggling to pay those monthly bills. Excuses such as, "I love my job, so I'll just keep working until I die," or, "As soon as I finish paying off credit card debt, I'll open an account," are easy to come by.Sadly, … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Save Money When Building a New House
When my husband and I moved back to Texas almost two years ago, the plan was to build a separate home on a shared five-acre property with my parents. However, as is often the case in life, things did not go according to plan. Unexpected expenses arose, jobs changed, and one thing after another prevented us from starting an immediate build. And yet, as time passed, it became clear for everyone's sanity that we needed a place of our own - and soon.We wanted to be able to build a home quickly that fit our personal aesthetic, and yet was inexpensive enough to pay off in five to six years - it … [Read more...]
How to Get More Followers on Pinterest – 5 Crucial Tips
According to a November 2014 TechCrunch report, Pinterest is the second-fastest growing social network in terms of active users, and the fastest growing network in overall member growth - about 70 million users as of June 2014. The network's image-focused online pin boards are highly engaging, particularly among females, which account for 80% of its member base and 94% of its pins and re-pins, according to MediaBistro.While these user statistics are compelling, the really interesting statistics come down to business. Pinterest users buy, and they buy a lot.According to data compiled by … [Read more...]
How to Make Decorative Push Pin or Thumbtack Art
I'm always looking for easy and inexpensive ways to add art to my walls, and because I tend to be a bit fickle, I'm drawn to projects that I can complete multiple times with different motifs. After seeing some cool-looking push pin art projects on Etsy that cost between $20 and $30 to buy, I decided I'd try my hand at making a few of my own for a fraction of the cost.Luckily, the skill level is minimal - you just have to be willing to try - and the time commitment is small. It took me about 45 minutes to complete each of my projects.While push pins are the cornerstone of pushpin art … [Read more...]
How to Get More YouTube Subscribers and Increase Video Views
YouTube is currently the second-largest search engine in the world, boasting more than one billion unique visitors per month and more than 100 hours of video uploaded to the site every hour. And while the sheer volume of content and visitors may make you feel like the market is saturated, limiting the reach of your own channel or content, think again. According to YouTube's statistics, millions of people subscribe to YouTube channels every day, with daily subscription rates quadrupling year-over-year.That means if you have high-quality content - and you're willing to put in time and effort … [Read more...]
6 Ways to Handle Gift Giving on a Tight Budget
While it may be better to give than to receive, sometimes, giving hurts. If you've ever looked at your bank account just before the holidays (or right before a slew of family birthdays), you know what I'm talking about. Even the most generous of people can feel a pinch when the expense of giving ends up eating into next month's grocery bill.The reality is, most people have been there. If your college years were particularly tight, or if you've known the ache of trying to care for a family after losing a job, chances are your family and friends have been through something similar and … [Read more...]
