One of the best ways to save money in the home is to insulate. Power bills can go through the roof if we have air leaks around doors and windows and poor insulation in the attic and walls.

Eliminate cold air in winter and hot air in summer around windows and doors even if it's just with paper or cloth. Gaffer tape will even block out cracks and gaffer tape does not leave sticky residue or become glued to the surface. Gaffer tape is used by professional movie makers to hold down wires and equipment. Although not necessarily "cheap" to purchase, it pays for itself in the long run by cutting power bills. It comes in 2" wide and 4" wide.

"Our home is our castle."

Professional interior design is costly; but getting tips and tricks from the profession is cheap. We can establish good looks and great style by taking advice from people who know.

For less than $1 per day, we can have access to a huge collection of upscale designer home photographs and be able to ask questions of a professional designer about OUR home issues. If you're into decorating and are on a budget, we recommend taking advantage of the offer in Interior Design Advice.

Perhaps you already have some nice furniture and just want to re-decorate. Consider slip-covers.

LIKE TUSCAN? The Tuscan flavors are warm and inviting. If this is your style, we found a wonderful guide to creating a Tuscan look in our own homes. Step-by-step instructions are included for any budget -  even the small ones, like people living the cheap life. We can have our dream homes! Tuscany, here we come.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder", the saying goes.  Along with the Tuscan theme comes Roman and Greek with Design Toscano. They have wonderful decorative sculptures for inside and outside. Gorgeous fountains and garden decor, plus interior accessories.

Design Toscano has a CLEARANCE section - up to 70% off. I bought a beautiful piece there a number of years ago, then resold it on EBay after it was no longer available in the Toscano catalog. I sold it for MORE than I paid for it! Now that's a DEAL! Design Toscano Estate Sale - Savings on Furniture, Home Accents, Garden Decor and more!

Clutter is one thing we can do without. After we've liquidated our closets and cabinets from the excess junque and cashed in from our own garage sales or taken possessions to the consignment store, let's ORGANIZE!

We found a super online store with an OUTLET section for all kinds of household goodies for every room in the house! Buy Cheap at Stacks Clearance Outlet . We love clearance sections because you never know what you're going to find. And, because every day can be different, every day can have a new surprise. Prices in the Outlet sections were starting at $2.99 at the time of this writing.

If you can afford it now and you want to SAVE MONEY later, consider investing in a SunSetter awning to cut down that blaring summer heat that's coming in your house. You've probably seen their commercials on TV. With an awning on the back side of your home, you not only protect yourself from the heat, but you give yourself shade to enjoy the back patio. This area can be up to 20% cooler with the use of an awning. Think how much your power bill can shrink!

A SunSetter awning is quick to install and easy to use. Watch the video to see how it can help save money for YOU.

3 Great Ways To Beautify Our Yards On A Budget . . .

 

Irrigation. Mulching around flower beds and trees will keep the moisture in where it's most needed. Mulch can be made by creating compost with everyday kitchen scraps and shredded newspapers as a starter. Collect leaves and grass clippings from around your neighborhood. (get permission from the homeowner). Basically anything that absorbs water while still letting it drain through is perfect. I've even used old carpet scraps from a dealer and then covered them with leaves. Old carpet scraps are perfect to line between your flower and vegetable beds. Recycle water. Using rain water for irrigation has been around for ages. As a child, our family had a rain catcher. Use a drip irrigation system which uses 50% LESS water than conventional sprinklers. If you do use a sprinkler, also use a timer with it.   **TIP:  Water early in the morning when the dew and humidity is higher. The water will remain and soak longer.

Aethestics. There's nothing more relaxing than sitting beside a waterscape. Build a cheap pond by using a black plastic liner and gathering rocks from the roadsides. I built a little pond off my deck in two week-ends. With shovel in hand, the dirt I dug out went in a mound as a waterfall foundation. Small pumps are very affordable. Throw in some 50 cent goldfish and VIOLÁ.   **TIP:  Buy one water lettuce plant or one water hyacinth plant (about 50¢ each). The plants will reproduce very quickly, giving you a very pleasant retreat.

Flowers. Use native plants. They are cheaper than hybrids that have to be imported from growers. Plant seeds instead of buying bedding plants. Seeds are CHEAP and will give you a broad range of color in your garden year-round, depending on where you live. Often we wait too late and end up buying bedding plants because we failed to plant seeds instead. SAVE MONEY by getting seeds first. Tending to them is good for the soul. Get the kids involved, too! Gurney's seed company has ongoing sales.   **TIP:  Planting clover into our lawns will help feed the grass. Clover is high in nitrogen and provides a soft carpet for walking and playing.

We found a wonderful downloadable book that will give us a lot of ideas for landscaping our yards. Pick the ideas that work for you, according to your budget.