Frugal Gardening: Can You Use Store Bought Produce for Seeds?

There is nothing more frugal than using what you have instead of buying new. That holds true for gardening, too. One of the great ways to save on gardening is to save seeds you already have in your pantry or refrigerator. Using store bought produce seeds can be done, especially if you are armed with some tips. Not all store bought produce will yield variable seeds. Some produce produced and bought in stores today is sterile due to commercial growing techniques. How does a seedless watermelon reproduce anyway? Your best success is probably with produce bought at local farm stands. … Continue reading

Free Seeds! Expiring Soon

Although we are in the middle of winter here in Pennsylvania, I am thinking about a pretty spring garden. This year I am really looking forward to having lots of flowers and veggies, mostly because we will be moving to a new home with two acres–plenty of room for planting. Currently, we have a backyard the size of a postage stamp. This first year, I’ll probably go very eclectic, trying out different seeds and plantings. Rather than spending a fortune, I started looking around for good gardening deals. Some of my favorite deals so far has been getting free seeds. … Continue reading

Growing Basil

Coming from an Italian background, I absolutely love basil. The sight and aroma of fragrant herb makes our kitchen feel warm and homey. When I am preparing meals, it is so nice to be able to just pluck a few fresh leaves whenever I need them. One of my favorite things to have for lunch is some lightly toasted Italian bread, drizzled with olive oil, topped with fresh mozzarella and whole basil leaves. It is so yummy and easy to make. In the middle of the day, while preparing peanut butter and jelly or chicken fingers for the kids, I … Continue reading

My Third Week in Review

Three times is the charm, right? I’ve had a lot of fun this week, celebrating Christmas, getting ready for the new year and blogging up a storm. Are you having a good holiday season? In case you missed any posts from my third week, here they are again. Reflections in A Dime Store Window: My first exposure with getting good deals happened early on in my childhood. Caught up in the holiday wonderland of Brooklyn, New York, the sort of magic that is captured by the song “Silver Bells, Silver Bells,” I would stare wide-eyed at the shops lining the … Continue reading

My Frugal New Year Resolutions

Whenever I make resolutions, they do tend to be frugal ones. Okay, with the exception of my one big one: spend more time playing with the kids. I always put that one on my list because it is so important. I don’t want to lose out on that time with them while they are young, and I have to remind myself that a frugal practice has to be frugal in time as well as money. Spending an hour doing something that saves a few pennies might not be worthwhile if it takes away time from my family. Of course, some … Continue reading