Blizzards and Alternatives

We have had 2 major blizzards in the last week. I have been able to save about $70 in gas since I didn't commute to Baltimore for 6 work days! I have also had to use items in my pantry while we were inside and the snow raged or roads were just poor. We also had the power go out for almost 12 hours! That's a big savings on heating oil and electricity. For the record, that is one I could do without.

While I was inside, I came up with an alternative way to repurpose an item and not have to buy something. I also found a way to use a cheaper alternative for another item. As I type this, I have our laptop on top of a wire rack with folding legs for cooling baked goods. We frequently leave the computer on all day and it gets very hot underneath the computer. Not good for the compuer or for what it rests on. I even heard of a hot laptop starting a fire on someone's bed. Instead of buying a stand that you can put it on, I decided to try one of our cooling racks. It works well! Savings $25+.

My other alternative is getting a non-skid mat for under a rug. We recently bought 2, 5' x 7' rugs for $40 each. They were quite the bargain. However,our dog decided she loved the one that we put in the living room. I would often find the rug on the other side of the room. The dog likes to throw herself on the rug and it skids away. I went to Home Depot in search of a non-skid mat to put under the rug. I found the correct size for $39, which is almost what we paid for the rug. I just couldn't spend that amount of money on a mat. Instead, I bought 2 mats measuring 2' x 5' each for $13 each. I put both of these down and they work well. That saved me $13.

I keep looking for alternatives and cheaper ways to do things. I often find other ways of doing things and feel very proud when I do. Keep looking out for alternatives and you will be surprised what you come up with. Write a comment on how you came up with some great, money saving, repurposing or alternatives.