Cheap ways to insulate old windows

If you live in a house with double hung wooden windows you might love their classic look but not love the amount of cold air that seeps in between the upper and lower window or at the bottom of the window. I experience this problem even with the storm window in place, sometimes to the point of having frost. I wanted a way to decrease drafts without something ugly that mars the look of my windows (like foam, caulking or felt strips that always come off. I realized that if you simply take scrap paper or newspaper, tear it into strips and fold it longways two or three times (depending on the width of the gap) you can really cut down on the amount of cold air getting into your house. Simply fold so that it is perhaps a quarter inch wide. Slip into any gaps where your bare hand can feel cold air getting in including along the sill but most importantly the line between where the upper and lower parts of the window meet, where the lock usually is. You will probably find that each window needs three or four different pieces of paper because some places will be tight, some will need just a double folded piece and some require more. It seems too minor to make a difference but your house will be more comfortable, less drafty and you will save on your heating bill. Remember that one 3 foot wide window with just an 1/16th gap is the equivalent of a 2 inch square hole in the window letting in cold (if my dusty math skills are correct). The advantage to this system is it is free, uses supplies you have on hand and works. The disadvantage is that once you crack the window open in early spring... all those pieces of paper flutter out. It usually takes me less than an hour each fall to do my whole small house.

Grow your own cat grass

If you have a cat, you likely know their penchant for chomping on houseplants. I just tried growing a pot of cat grass and it was so easy I am now starting trays for all my friends and family that have cats. To start, just cut down a waterproof container to a few inches deep or use a pot that you have sitting around. I cut the top parts off an almond milk container and a pint of ice cream. Put in soil to near the top. Add the seeds to the top (I used oats from my local Farm Service bulk seed section. They were $.50 a lb. You could also use wheat or rye seed). Give it enough water to feel moist but not saturated. Cover with a clear plastic bag to keep the moisture in. Look daily to be sure the dirt still appears moist (again not wet). Add a few sprinkles of water if it looks dry. Mine took 3 days to sprout. Once it sprouts you can take off the plastic bag and within two more days it was as high as you see in the picture. I just used old potting soil and reused containers so it cost maybe $.05 for the seeds. You routinely see these at pet stores for $5 or more. My cat nibbles on it whenever he passes it and started chomping as soon as I gave it to him! Also makes a great gift for cat lovers!

Check out these three new Thank You cards! Just paper, an old book and colored pencils.

Homemade cards from old books

Here are some ideas for more easy diy greeting cards. Quick to make but adorable. Just use an outdated book and scrap paper for a individualized, one of a kind card. People love them!

Make your own pocket tissue pouch

We all have those frugal pet peeves. The things that even though they may be cheap... we know that they are way overpriced and it bugs us. One of the things that bugs me are the pocket or purse size tissues. I can get three name brand packets for only $1 at the dollar store which seems cheap until you realize that there are only 10 tissues per pack. So you are paying $1 for 30 tissues or 3.3 cents each. I can get three big boxes of the same name brand at Target for $5.99 for 480 tissues or 1.2 cents each. That is a considerable markup for a flimsy, single use plastic pouch. But if you have kids or work with kids those packets are super useful when you see a runny nose. So here is my easy, basically free solution. First get 10-15 tissues. Fold each one longways then do a trifold like a wallet. They need to be folded individually. If you try to do the whole stack you won't be able to pull them out of the pouch without ripping. Make a neatish stack. Next take some pretty and lightweight scrap fabric. Cut out a rectangle that will wrap around your little pile of tissues. Make a hem on either end. Next, wrong sides together, you want to wrap around your pile so the hemmed ends overlap a bit. Pin both hemmed ends together. Sew both non-hemmed ends with a zigzag stitch. Turn inside out and insert your pile of tissues. Took me maybe 2 minutes to fold the tissues and a half hour to sew 2 pouches. Could also be cute in a get well basket! Much prettier than the plastic pouches and one third the price!

fabric you know deep down you will never use

Got fabric laying around that you suspect may be buried with you when you die? Despair not! If you know how to knit get out some wide gauge knitting needles and cut the fabric into a continuous strip about 1.5-2 inches wide. Knit that into a trivet, hotpad or if you have a lot of material you can make a small throw rug. My rug below is far from gorgeous but its perfect to set wet boots on near the door and used up a ton of old fabric I was unlikely to ever use for anything else. You could also use old clothes.