Greetings!
 
Aprons aren't just for grannies anymore. A whole new generation is discovering all that is good about tying on an apron. Apart from everything aprons symbolize, they're also very practical. No more dusting floury hands on your clothes, just wipe them on the skirt of your apron. Save your clothes, and cut back on your laundry. 
 
There's a good reason why our grannies and great-grannies wore aprons every day!
So far I only wear an apron for kitchen work, but many of my friends wear them for cleaning, gardening, and even crafting. It makes perfect sense to me! Don't have an apron yet? Check your local thrift store. I've spotted many cute, vintage aprons at our local secondhand shop. Feeling crafty? TipNut offers links to over 100 free patterns or tutorials for making your own apron. Want to share a favorite apron photo with our readers? Send it to me at Editor@Econobusters.com.

These are three of my favorite aprons. Two belonged to a very dear aunt, and one I found at a charming little shop in Ireland. 

apron closeup

If you haven't visited my blog this week, you missed out on some great tips. Here are some of the items I posted this week:
 
- tips for organizing the laundry room in Room by Room

- how to organize your recipes online
 
 
- a Frugal Friday tip - Wedding Savings, part 2
 
 
More wonderful tips and ideas are coming next week, too!
This Week's Recipe
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This week's dinner idea was submitted by Annie, a reader. It's a super-simple supper for a busy night.

Ingredients:
- one Small pork roast or package of ribs*

- one 20-ounce can pineapple, chunks or crushed

- one 16-ounce bottle prepared barbeque sauce
 
- Have on hand: sandwich buns or rice

Place pork in slow cooker, pour barbeque sauce and pineapple (undrained) over top. Cook on low setting for 8 hours. Serve on sandwich buns or over rice, with coleslaw on the side.

*Molly's note: when I tested this recipe earlier this week I used 3 pounds of "pork butt riblets" at $1.29 per pound. The recipe easily fed six, served over rice. Remember to use a coupon for the barbeque sauce if you can! 

 
Molly's Money-Saving Digest
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Now that we're nearing the end of February, how are your New Year's resolutions holding out? One of my goals was to organize our finances once and for all, and work hard at staying on budget. I have printed out, and am using, the forms that were included in January's "Let's Get Organized for Fiscal Fitness" issue. So far so good. We're not where I want to be, but it's sure helpful to see a clearer picture of where our money is going.
 
Now we're using the planning form that was included in February's Digest to work on the budget categories where spending is a problem. I was also inspired to learn how one family saved for years, even living in a barn while they built their home, to be able to purchase their dream homestead. This just encourages me to keep working to get our finances organized!

I've also ordered free catalogs from some of the seed company links in February's Digest. Though the snow is blowing again today, the calendar tells me that winter can't last much longer! Planting time will come, and in the meantime, curling up on the couch with a comfy blanket and a stack of colorful garden catalogs is a pretty nice way to spend a chilly evening!
This Week's Tutorial
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I'd like to start something new in my weekly newsletter and share a tutorial with you each week.

Make Your Own Wall Decals 
Create some cool wall decals using contact paper from the dollar store.  

This is a super-inspiring project for those who live in apartments or dorm rooms, and aren't allowed to alter the walls permanently. It would also be a great quick project to spruce up a room if you are on a very strict budget. This would also make great decor for your office walls.

Contact paper, $1

Total cost: $1
Scissors or x-acto knife, on hand

This tutorial came from DollarStoreCrafts.com. If you have a project that you would like to share, feel free to send it to me at MollyGreen@Econobusters.com.
We Want to Hear From You
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Molly needs your help! Do you have a story to share? Have you achieved a meaningful goal through good financial stewardship? We want to hear about it! It's so encouraging to read about real families making real progress toward real goals. We feature these stories in our Molly's Money-Saving Digests each month, and our readers love them! Email Editor@Econobusters.com soon! 

 
Until next week! 
 
 Molly signature transparent
 
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Do you have something to share?  Write to us at MollyGreen@Econobusters.com.  All submissions become the property of Econobusters.com and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC ("TOS") and will not be returned.  Making a submission constitutes full consent to the Econobusters' Submission Guidelines and Release, and a grant of unlimited permission and continuing, non-exclusive rights for Econobusters.com and TOS, to print, publish, broadcast and use all portions of your submission, including without limitation your full name, on Econobusters.com and other Internet websites owned or operated by TOS, in Molly's Money-Saving Digest and all other electronic, digital and print publications produced, created or published by TOS in accordance with the Econobusters' Submission Guidelines and Release posted at Econobusters.  TOS will make reasonable efforts to withhold personal names if requested at the time of original submission.
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