I know conventional wisdom is that spring cleaning is when you strip a room and clean from top to bottom, but I really think it comes down to a little bit at a time and re-organizing for another year.
Sure, it’s important to do some neglected chores (I need to wash the tile on the hearth, dust cobwebs, clean the blinds, etc.), but with 15 minutes to spare, I can accomplish one task — and that’s a drawer.

The other day I did our junk drawer, which actually is the drawer we live out of. You know it, the drawer that has the pens, the notepads, the car keys, the sunglasses (it is California, after all) and basic items for my business (my lock box key, my MLS code fob and business cards). About four years ago, I invested in these modular organizers at Lowes, and they are wonderful, but still the drawer gets overloaded.

So a few days ago, I took 15 minutes and cleared out the kaka that accumulated over a year. It was amazing, and now here is the result! Ta-da!

So, the suggestion today is instead of tackling those projects that seem overwhelming, take 15 minutes and do a drawer. That’s all.

You will enjoy such a sense of accomplishment that it will make the bigger tasks so much easier. I think everyone needs to look behind them and say, “Yeah, I did that, and now I can get this done.” We all need a sense of encouragement and accomplishment.

So, in 15 minutes what can you do today? I am going to do the drawer packed with printed out recipes — and I might just get to that fireplace hearth today!

Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, but with just one stone at a time.

I was chatting with my Mom on the phone yesterday, and the conversation came around to the economy. I told her what I was doing to save money and she encouraged me by applauding my achievements.

But then we went around to the opposite end of the coin — those people who are also facing financial problems, but have no idea how to deal with the situation. I strike it up partially because many adults nowadays don’t recall the inflation of the early ’70s or the rotten recession of the early ’80s because they were just too young or insulated.

My Mom and I both agreed — and my best friend concurred this evening — that people nowadays feel a sense of entitlement. They feel entitled to live a certain lifestyle. They feel entitled to buy this or that brand. They feel entitled to enjoy this and that luxury — not as an extravagance, but what they deem a requirement of life.

Want some examples? My friend’s relative is three months behind on their mortgage payment, but has no problem getting a manicure not only for herself, but also her 5-year-old granddaughter! Another friend had her husband’s hours cut at work but still insists that her daughter must have this brand of shampoo, even if it costs $5 a bottle. Yet, in nearly the same breath, she complains to me that money is tight.

I want to slap them both.

My Mom was born in the midst of The Depression and grew up as a sharecropper’s daughter. Her family — of 11 kids! — had hardly any money, but she always adds, “I never went hungry and we were always clean.” To her, that was success in those times.

I wonder if the American public — and many people I know — now think they are entitled to have more than food to eat, a place to sleep and to be clean. (Note manicures and expensive shampoo are not included in this list.)

I am not saying everyone should lead a monastic existence; we all spend money on luxuries. But realize that’s what they are — luxuries, and not requirements of life. But guess what? In tough times, even some of those must go. It’s not permanent. It’s being malleable to the amount of money coming in — or not.

I’ll give you an example. I got a $700 refund on our property tax impound account because the value of our home dropped (and because I applied for it — a savng-money tactic). The bulk of it will go to pay off a charge card bill (when normally I am used to paying it off monthly), but I am taking some of the money to have our white sofa cleaned. To me, that’s a luxury I’ve had to do without for nearly 2 years. I would love to have the carpets cleaned, but I can rent a machine and do it for 75 percent less. I would love to have the gardener come in and do a manicure of the yard, but I can do it myself and not spend a dime. By those two sacrifices I will save $200 and be able to pay off that credit card, thus, increasing our monthly income.

(And, to give you a point of reference, in January 2006, we went on a 15-night round-trip cruise to Hawaii in a mini-suite on the Coral Princess, for which I paid cash, so yes, I know luxury. Oh, and this was one of three cruises we went on that year. But the times have changed, and we need to adapt.)

Yep, we’re sacrificing, but in the end, I feel like I am winning. I made that property tax win fall go as far as possible and make the biggest impact.

So, the next time you or someone you know is complaining about money being tight, ask yourself: Do I have food to eat, a place to put my head at night and clothes to wear? Then, you are indeed winning — nearly everything else is a luxury.

Quick post, but one that can save you money.

If your car registration requires a smog or vehicle check, and you don’t have the time to take care of it, go ahead and send in your registration payment. The DMV won’t charge you late penalties, even though you did not include the required smog or vehicular check.

You won’t get your tags, but you will avoid the hefty late fees. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done this. A little tidbit of knowledge to stick in the back of your brain.

I just had to use this graphic again for this post — Super Chicken! Yes, he is the cook’s dream, but, as we know, he can lead to a multitude of bacteria in the kitchen.

So I thought I would pass along a trio of less-known coping mechanisms when preparing chicken:

Hope these tips come in handy next time you are prepping chicken. I got breasts for 87 cents a pound today, so I am cooking them all up and will then dice to use later in a multitude of dishes. Let me tell you, that one tip will save you tons of time in the kitchen, and I hope these others will keep things safe.

Oh, this is a post I’ve been looking forward to since yesterday because it offers a lot of tips that will save you money at the grocery store. And the title is right on the money — buying one item for 25 cents knocked $5 off my grocery bill.

This post relates to a new marketing tactic grocery stores are pulling out in force — the “buy 10 items, get an instant $5 off.” Yeah, it’s a good deal, but you can make it so much better.

First off, most of the time, I don’t think the prices are rock bottom with these type deals. It’s a way the stores get you to buy more products at a rather run-of-the-mill sale price. However, if you use coupons on the items you buy, you certainly turn the tables more in your favor. Using the directory at Couponmom makes this a cinch. Just look for the products with the greatest percentage off.

That is the first of the strategy.

Next, is to use these loss leaders in your favor. What do I mean? I got two of the $5 back rewards on Sunday, which translates into buying 20 items. I walked out of the store with a total of 25 products. So I only bought five other items — two were the loss leaders for which I got rainchecks from last week (Peter Pan peanut butter for 99 cents and Smithfield bacon for $1.99), another was a loss leader for a screamin’ price on 32 ounces of cheese - $4.99 (or $1.50 for that standard $2.50 bag of 8 ounces of cheese-it freezes great!) and two gallons of milk (for $1.99 each). The store wanted me to be drawn in with the “Buy 10, get $5″ offer (which I was), but they expected I would fill my cart with lots of other items not on sale. Uh-uh. Use these marketing strategies in your favor. This is turning the tables. By the way, I walked out Sunday for a little less than $25 — 60 percent off.

Finally (and this is where that one 25 cent product comes into play). With these “Buy 10, Get $5″ deals, you’ve got to keep track. That means, as you put the sale items in your cart, count how close you are to hitting the magic 10 mark. The easiest way I find to do this is put these products into one corner of the cart, and count. I wish I had a dollar for how many customers in the store had bought 7 of the items but were not savvy enough to throw in three more cans of vegetables to get that $5 off. The store is counting on that.

But here is what I did — I had 19 of the special products (but they were out of the Reynolds foil I planned on rounding out to 20). So, I had a backup coupon for a single Fuse fruit drink-thing for 25 cents after the coupon. That one, measly quarter item netted me the second $5 cash back. If I had not had the coupon, I can tell you I would have raced back and got another box of Rice a Roni for 50 cents to get Mr. Lincoln. (Oh, and you know I got a raincheck for that foil special.)

I look at grocery store shopping as a game, and the more you know, the better you’ll be at it. Check this link for additional grocery store tactics I’ve learned over the years, and please feel free to share yours! Happy shopping!

Yes, it’s true — “Couponmom” was on the “Today” show this month, and she takes the reporter to the store and gets $100 in groceries for 25 cents! (The video link is at the end of this post.)

Even I can’t do that (so far). (But I do pretty good sometimes — the photo is my personal best — $124 for $18. 85 percent off).

Stephanie — who owns my favorite money-saving site, Couponmom.com — does explain in great detail how to master the art of coupon shopping and the strategies to take.

This post came to mind, when I read Farmer’s Wife’s blog about doing fantastic at the store this past week, with a total of $56 in coupon savings alone (not counting store specials) — that’s $50 people! But even in her joy, someone posted a comment on her blog, saying, “Are these items you would normally buy or just because you have a coupon?”

No offense, but that comment ticked me off. I read between the lines, and that was someone trying to find an excuse as to why they don’t use coupons. In the video (and the tips posted on the “Today” site), Couponmom explains away all those standard objections.

But let me tell you this, other than feminine products, there ain’t nothing I won’t buy if the price is good enough, and especially if it’s free. Tomorrow’s food shop is an example, I plan on buying one pouch of Betty Crocker cookie mix. Would I normally buy it? No. But for 70 cents, this is a cheap way to have some sweets in the house (and good ones, to boot) and by combining it with the “buy 10 get $5 off” offer, it rounds out the nine other products I would normally buy that are also part of the special. So, yep, it went on the list.

At any rate, take the time to either watch the video or read the tips for a refresher course or a new tutorial on coupon shopping. I’m hitting the stores tomorrow!

Click here for the video — don’t worry, it’s short: How to get $100 in groceries for 25 cents!

Tonight, I found out that we will have unexpected guests tomorrow. My pal Karen will be stopping here on our way to enjoy to celebrate her 40th birthday at one of the nearby casinos. We’re heading out for dinner, so I just need to whip up some appetizers (hot bean dips and chips, and some Hickory Farms sausage) but for drinks, I am already covered — Cosmos in the fridge.

So this post bears repeating, because I call on it so often:

One of the best hints I follow from Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa fame is when you have guests coming is to make one cocktail — this is a simple tip for dinner parties.
Instead of playing short-order bartender, offer your guests one type of cocktail (and of course a non-alcoholic one).

Yesterday, I served Cosmopolitan Martinis — one of my favorites, because they are chic (and you can prepare in advance. A martini pitcher was the in the fridge before my guests arrived — easy-peasy!) If they are too strong, just top with more cranberry juice.

So here is the perfect Cosmopolitan Recipe:

Cosmopolitan Martini Recipe

Ingredients

4 parts Vodka
2 parts Cointreau or Triple Sec
2 parts Cranberry Juice
1 part Lime Fresh Juice

Mix all in a cocktail server, and serve. Or chill, and stir and serve later.

I did the math for you, and this is if for 4 people:

Ingredients
1 cup vodka
1/2 cup Triple Sec
1/2 cup Cranberry Juice
1/4 cup Lime Juice

Enjoy — and enjoy having people over!

I was watching TV last night (nursing this cold/flu) and noticed something. Over and over, there was a promo at the end of a commercial to visit the product’s website “for money-saving offers.”

I also noticed that some of these are pretty darn good coupons. What comes to mind is this coupon for $1 off two Campbell’s cooking soups. Normally, in the newspaper you get 30 to 40 cents of three cans, but $1 off two? That’s darn good.

I also found this one for $2 off Snuggle fabric softener off a click-thru ad on People Magazine online, I think it was.

So just a tip to keep an eye out for those promos on the Internet and TV.

Now, back to nursing this stupid cold/flu.

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day (and knowing how the Irish are known for potatoes), I gave you a plethora of potato pointers (hope you appreciate the alliteration):

Hope these tips (and links) help you to use the cheap potato more often. Ralphs has 5 pounds for 97 cents this week (should be the same price at Krogers on the East Coast). I’m sick, so I am gonna have dinner and plop on the sofa, but had to make sure you guys had a usable post.

P.S. Thanks Ginny for emailing me the Gilligan’s Island potato-peeling video!