Category Archives: Saving Money

Cheap Paleo at Big Lots + 20% off Coupon!

I don’t go to Big Lots for too many things, but I always make it in for their 20% off Friends & Family sale. It’s exactly what it sounds like… 20% off everything at Big Lots on top of their already-discounted prices! You can print the coupon here, but when I went into the store, they had plenty of coupons sitting at the register. Hurry! It ends today 7/10! There were some great cheap Paleo food items that I wanted to share with you. Here are a few things that I found during my Big Lots trip:

Cheap Paleo #1: Dang Coconut Chips (Savory Bacon) $1.25

dang coconut chips savory bacon imageLet me just start by saying… I love these things! They’re crunchy and has a great texture. It satisfies your craving for potato chips and makes a great Paleo snack. No bad oils here: the only oil listed is coconut oil (not soybean or canola oil). Also, it has very plain and clear ingredients with the most questionable being “bacon flavor” listed towards the end of the ingredient list. Whether or not you follow the Paleo diet, you should try it!  I ended up paying $1 per bag with the additional 20% discount. If this isn’t cheap Paleo, I don’t know what is! Quantities were extremely limited but I snagged eight bags of these. I’ll be sad when I run out because I’ll have to pay $4 per bag again so I’ll definitely savor it! Continue reading

Fabulous & Frugal Healthy Finds at HomeGoods

In one of my previous posts, I mentioned stepping outside of the box and finding healthy and awesome deals somewhere other than a supermarket. Paleo living is not cheap so getting the best prices on good quality stuff is pretty important. Yesterday’s trip to my local HomeGoods store is proof that I need to do it more often. Look at the cache of healthful, organic treasures found!

Organic and Paleo Products on sale at HomeGoods

I usually shop at Thrive Market or Amazon for spices and cooking oils and such. But I was in desperate need of coconut oil and sea salt. Can’t cook without those two things! With no time to factor in for shipping, I decided to go the old school route and actually go to the store. Since today was a Monday holiday (yay!) I decided to go on a leisurely trip to HomeGoods. Continue reading

Ways to Reduce Your Paleo Grocery Bill

imageI used to coupon all the time, stocking up on things we use a lot like mustard, chicken stock, cans of beans, pasta sauce, and gluten free pasta. I would get them all while they were Buy One Get One at my Publix, then throw coupons right on top of the BOGO to get a super great deal. I’d research carefully, print coupons, go shopping, and come home feeling like a winner! But my life has drastically changed since my Hashimoto’s diagnosis so I’ve been putting things into perspective and trying to figure out what it means to save money while purchasing high quality foods. Continue reading

Healthy Grocery Deals this Week! 6/28/16

Since this blog is about being fab and frugal, I think it’s time to post some of the best deals I found this week! Lots of organic fruits this week, which is perfect to eat fresh now and freeze some for smoothies in the near future.  Continue reading

A Frugal + Fabulous Alternative to Paper Towels

Paper towels are not only costly, but it’s very harmful to the environment. Most obviously, it takes up lots of space in landfills. Less obvious factors include deforestation, global warming & carbon emission from paper production facilities and energy usage. Very un-frugal and un-fabulous on all fronts.

If you’re looking for a hassle-free paper towel alternative, I really recommend the Skoy cloth! I first came across them on amazon.com purely by accident. These cloths and I are now very good friends. Here are some highlights of the Skoy Cloth:

  • Biodegradable and compost-able
  • Super absorbent yet dries fast
  • Easy to sanitize in the microwave or dishwasher
  • Can be used anywhere, all over the house!
  • Very affordable — around $6 to $7 for a pack of 4
  • Lasts for months! (The one pictured below is at least 6 months old.)
Skoy Cloth

My well-worn Skoy cloth still does a pretty good job after 6 months of use.

I use my Skoy cloth to clean all surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen, and also use it on mirrors with good results. In a pinch, I have even used it to clean areas of the kitchen or bathroom floor if I don’t have time to deep clean. The best part is, magically, the Skoy cloth stays very clean. I’ve used it to sop up spilled red wine, ketchup, and pasta sauce. It rinses clean. After many months of use, all my Skoy cloths are white and bright.

I’ve tried limiting paper towels in the past. I’ve tried those checkered blue-and-white reusable towels as well as a variety of sponges. However, it always gave me a feeling of germi-ness. There is something eerie and disgusting about a wet sponge or towel that takes forever to dry. It’s a bacterial breeding ground! I’ve also tried using wash cloths. They just aren’t sanitary enough and not absorbent enough to be a paper towel replacement.

Luckily for me and my Skoy cloth, it dries very quickly. I give it a quick rinse under warm water and leave it near the sink. Once dry, I throw it under the sink. And each time I run the dishwasher, I throw my kitchen Skoy cloths in. The bathroom cloths go into my washing machine with my towels. So easy!

These days, I still use some paper towels. I would say that we go through about 1 roll every 2 months or so. Not bad, considering it used to be about 1 every other week! Beyond the cost savings, it just makes sense to use the Skoy cloth. It’s the perfect eco-friendly paper towel alternative so you feel good while using too!

Where to buy: They carry it at the Container Store as well, but there aren’t any of those in my area. I ended up buying mine on amazon.com