frugal

Cave Quest VBS Frugal Crafts: Glow Bracelets

Cave Quest VBS Frugal Crafts: Glow Bracelets

This is a sponsored post and may contain affiliate links.  All opinions shared are completely my own. Welcome back to another of my Frugal Cave Quest VBS Craft Ideas!  Make sure to check out the other ideas here.  All great spelunkers need to be able to see while inside the cave!  These glow bracelets are easy and cheap to make {pennies per child}.   This craft is one that could be a great filler if you have extra time in between activities!   These were inspired by Not Consumed. Supplies: Glow in the dark bracelets {only…Read more …
Cave Quest VBS – Frugal Craft Ideas

Cave Quest VBS – Frugal Craft Ideas

  In the past few years, Group Publishing has transitioned from crafts over to “science-y gizmos”.  According to a blurb in this year’s curriculum, it was a move to cut down on the little junk that kids took home and eventually trashed.  My issues with this are that (a) their science-y gizmos are just junk that kids take home and trash…. and (b) we like crafts, doggonit!  The suggestions from group are pricey and not impressive {in my opinion}.  I recently shared the things I love & don’t love about Group’s curriculum and…Read more …
Cave Quest VBS Frugal Crafts: Spelunker Helmet

Cave Quest VBS Frugal Crafts: Spelunker Helmet

Welcome back to another of my Frugal Cave Quest VBS Craft Ideas! Make sure to check out the other ideas. All great spelunkers need their caving gear! This cute helmet is super easy and VERY cheap to make {pennies per child}. Supplies: Blank helmets Black construction paper Aluminum foil Round jar lids Scissors Glue and/or double stick tape Permanent markers Foam stickers, regular stickers, feathers, sequins, other crafty items for embellishments {optional} Okay, so the beauty of this craft lies in the fact that I found these helmets for $.60 per dozen {yes,…Read more …
Cave Quest VBS Frugal Crafts: Bible Verse Activity Sheets

Cave Quest VBS Frugal Crafts: Bible Verse Activity Sheets

I’m not really sure whether these should be called bible verse activity sheets or coloring sheets or puzzles… they can be anything you want them to be! I designed activity sheets with each night’s bible verse on it. There are 4 options for each night – coloring book font 9 piece puzzle, bold font 9 piece puzzle, coloring book font 20 piece puzzle and bold font 20 piece puzzle. The blank puzzle templates were from here and the daily bible buddies from Group are featured in the background of each day’s activity sheet.…Read more …
Vacation Bible School: My Love/Hate Relationship with Group Publishing

Vacation Bible School: My Love/Hate Relationship with Group Publishing

You may have read last week that we’re using Group Publishing again this year for our vacation bible school curriculum.  I chose the curriculum because it works really well for our church, but there are pros and cons to every curriculum out there. LOVE: MUSIC Group has great music!  Our church is also super blessed to have a fun couple that writes and leads music every year.  Even if you don’t have tons of musically inclined people, it’s easy to follow along with the Group songs.  They include a music CD as well…Read more …
Refinishing our Kitchen Cabinets – The Good, The Bad and The VERY Ugly

Refinishing our Kitchen Cabinets – The Good, The Bad and The VERY Ugly

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click through and purchase something I get a very small percentage.  For more information on how I use affiliate links, visit sponsorship & disclosure. You may remember that I refinished our dining room table as practice for the kitchen cabinets.  We’re DIYing our home renovation and didn’t have it in the budget to buy new kitchen cabinets.  Armed with Pinterest and HGTV, I set out to conquer refinishing the cabinets myself.  Boy, was I in for quite the adventure! CABINET DOORS The first thing I…Read more …
Refinishing a Dining Room Table with Polyshades

Refinishing a Dining Room Table with Polyshades

This post may contain affiliate links, where I earn a very small percentage of any purchase you make.  Thank you for supporting Borrowed Blessings! When we bought our house, it had oak builder grade cabinets.  They were still in good condition and {more importantly} our budget wasn’t going to allow for new cabinets.  No worries though - I’d done hours and hours of very technical research {ie a cocktail of Pinterest and HGTV} so I was ready to take on refinishing the cabinets! Because I know myself and because I had never refinished…Read more …
Become an Amazon Product Reviewer: The Basics

Become an Amazon Product Reviewer: The Basics

Writing reviews on Amazon is a great way to earn free or nearly free products.  Wait, earn?  Yep, you read right.  Before you jump right into reviewing Amazon products, please educate yourself on the process and what an Amazon review should contain. Let’s be real here for just a minute.  If you’re thinking you’re going to get thousands of dollars of products for free with no effort and minimal time, you’re sadly mistaken.  This isn’t one of those “too good to be true” scenarios, but an honest way to work and earn free…Read more …
Become an Amazon Product Reviewer with Tomoson

Become an Amazon Product Reviewer with Tomoson

I recently shared with a group of frugal friends that I am an Amazon product reviewer and they wanted the inside scoop.  Last year when we bought our house, I started contacting companies directly on Amazon.  I offered to write a review of their product on Amazon and on my blog… in exchange, they would provide me with the item free of charge.  Several companies wanted me to review their products {you can read my surprised post on that here}.  Sometime last fall, I figured there had to be a better way for Amazon…Read more …
Tips for Planning a Frugal Wedding

Tips for Planning a Frugal Wedding

Last July, Hubby and I got married.  Our wedding was fantastic and romantic... and cheap!  I've been talking to a few ladies who are planning their weddings lately.  I thought this would be a great time to share some of the ways we managed such a shoestring budget frugal wedding {and, of course, take a little walk down memory lane}! My tips for planning a frugal wedding: 1. Be prepared to think outside the box! Get creative with your ideas.  You’ll save lots of money by NOT buying things labeled “wedding”.  This includes everything…Read more …
Transform Your Kitchen in One Day!

Transform Your Kitchen in One Day!

  As part of our kitchen renovation, I am refinishing the kitchen cabinets.  When we bought our home, the kitchen had standard builder's grade honey oak cabinets.  Since our renovation budget is somewhere between we're-working-overtime-to-pay-for-this and whoa-no-I'm-not-cleaning-that-buy-a-new-one, we're DIYing most of the work.  We found a simple, free way to transform your kitchen {and it's easily accomplished in one day}! In my deep and thorough Pinterest research, I came across a few kitchens with cabinets raised to the ceiling.  I liked the look of the cabinets raised and Hubby agreed that he liked…Read more …
Appliance Deal: We Got a $900 Stove for Under $600

Appliance Deal: We Got a $900 Stove for Under $600

Remember that great deal we got on our new fridge?  And how my goal was to spend $1000 for all of our new kitchen appliances? Our new house came with used appliances, but they were mismatched and not what we wanted.  We sold all of them and set a goal of new appliances for under $1000.  Originally the plan was to purchase used appliances, but we found a killer deal on our fridge and microwave at Lowe's and decided to try and find good deals on the stove and dishwasher new as well.…Read more …
The Best Black Friday Shopping Secrets

The Best Black Friday Shopping Secrets

As of right now, there are 26 days until Black Friday - WOOP WOOP!  Black Friday is one of my favorite shopping seasons - yep, you read that right - SEASONS.  While it used to be the case that Black Friday was a one day shopping extravaganza, times have certainly changed!  Sales start long before the clock strikes midnight and last long after the day is done.  Here are my best Black Friday shopping secrets! 1. Money, money, money. Okay, so this isn't a secret so much as a tip.  It is SUPER…Read more …
My Favorite Things: October 2015

My Favorite Things: October 2015

As you know from our last post, we're starting a journey to minimize and organize our STUFF.  The KonMari program doesn't mean you can't have nice things or that you can't ever buy new things though {uh, hence why I'm okay with it}.  Today I have some products I've purchased recently that spark joy for me... my very own favorite things!  This isn't a sponsored post, nor does it have affiliate links - I am just excited about these items and want to share them with you. 1. Corelle Dishes Since before Hubby and I got…Read more …
Menards 11% Rebates

Menards 11% Rebates

If you shop at Menards on a regular basis, you have seen the 11% Menards rebate sale.  If you're not familiar with the sale - about once per quarter, Menards has the 11% rebate sale.  Anything and everything you buy during this sale {which they typically run for two weeks} is eligible for an 11% rebate.  {Menards rebates are issued as an in-store credit and mailed to your home after a long and grueling 6-8 weeks.}  I have a love/hate relationship with the 11% rebate {I both love it and I hate it}.…Read more …
Yard Sale Price Tag Printables

Yard Sale Price Tag Printables

Earlier I shared my best yard sale tips for success.  I promised to share the custom yard sale price tags I made with you.  When we're tagging, we usually keep all the tags for each size sorted in small ziploc bags.  I have also used a small tackle/organizing box {as pictured}.  This worked really well for me! I am so excited to share these free printable price tags with you!  They're super simple - you can use with any paper you want.  I usually use colored copy or cardstock paper.  You can cut…Read more …
Keys to Yard Sale Success

Keys to Yard Sale Success

Every year at church we have the Parkview Annual{ish} Mega Sale... well, almost every year {hence the "ish" in the sale name}.  I've organized the sale for several years and I have many, many years under my belt as a seasoned yard sale shopper.  As Michael and I are preparing for our move, we're trying to pare down our unnecessary "stuff" as much as possible.  I am a big believer that physical messes create mental messes, and vice versa... but I'm a horrible homemaker.  I think it's easier for me to keep my…Read more …
Our $2,500 Budget Wedding

Our $2,500 Budget Wedding

Hubby and I have been married just over a year now… we got married on July 4, 2014.  We joked that we picked a holiday so neither of us could forget the anniversary… but seriously.  Also – how fun is it to have an extra day off work and fireworks every single anniversary?! Score! From the day we got engaged to the day of the wedding was 2 months and 3 days {yes, we are certifiably insane, thanks}.  We dated for about 4 months before getting engaged… I would not normally suggest that…Read more …
Bargain Hunting at Kohl’s {with Insider Secrets}

Bargain Hunting at Kohl’s {with Insider Secrets}

So, in case you've been living under a rock or haven't visited our blog before, my husband and I are purchasing and renovating our first home. It's super fun... sometimes.  The renovation process can be tough at times though {uh, like when you have to scrape your just stained kitchen cabinets}.  I've found that shopping for decor is a fun way to break up the tough moments - and it's a great way to get design ideas!  As I'm shopping, I'm trying to only buy the things I really LOVE... we're trying to minimize…Read more …
Target Clearance {Tips to Get the Best Deals}

Target Clearance {Tips to Get the Best Deals}

Normally, I wouldn't be so insistent.  However, you need to listen.  This is important.  Check the bank account, clear out the piggy, go check out Target's clearance section!  Before you go, though, make sure you check out my tips and ideas below!   Tip: Hunt down the deals! The clearance items were not centrally located when I shopped this week {and they typically aren't}.  In some spots, there were end caps or aisles of clearance.  The exciting finds {and often the best deals} were still in their normal location.  The end caps with…Read more …
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