Free (or very cheap!) DIY Project written by guest blogger Lisa Lemble!

Free, Elegant-looking Photo and Art frames

Photo courtesy of diyhappy.com. 

For framing small photos, especially cropped 4"x6" prints, a beautiful alternative to buying photo frames is a CD jewel case. Every case has an insert--usually black or white--which can easily be popped out. Then you are left with a case that can both display one or two photos and store additional photos inside.

Here are some of the winning characteristics of CD cases reused as frames:

1. Beautiful. The simplicity of CD cases makes them instant classics. So many inexpensive frames sold in stores have designs or colors that clash with photos. CD cases allow the photo to be the focus.

2. Portable. CD cases are lightweight and fold up securely for travel or moving. This means they are the perfect gift for a family member who travels. Put several photos in each half (the tabs that hold in CD booklets are perfect for this) so they can be rotated occasionally. Just imagine mom or dad arriving in a hotel room and being to pop open their CD case photo frame and put it on the nightstand. The artwork of young children can be but down to size, or one side of the frame can be filled with an infant or toddler's handprint. (You're getting teary-eyed right now, aren't you?!). And if it is left behind by mistake it can be easily replaced.

3. Versatile. Opened up and propped on a shelf or desk with the sides at a 90-130 degree angle gives you a double photo frame. Because they are so lightweight, closed up they can be attached to a wall with that tacky blue stuff used for posters or with glue dots. Posting them on a wall in a series or a pattern can make an incredible display.

Since the cases are three dimensional, small works of art with depth to them can be displayed while being protected. Cut some thin cardboard to the size of the case, use them to make your own collages of found items, then arrange them on a wall. Use them in a narrow floor-to-ceiling spot in your room or apartment.

4 Free. Ask friends or put a request on your local freecycle site. People often have these and want to get rid of them, but can't stand the idea of just putting them in the trash. After all, they should be useful for something, right?

***Here's to another cheap and awesome week, readers! -Captain Cheap ***

Special Request: Dorm Living on the Cheap

Jen, a Captain Cheap reader, has asked for some tips on how to save a few bucks while living on campus.  Back in my undergrad days, renting just half a dorm room came out to about $800/month, which is hardly economical, so I do encourage you college-y readers to consider off campus living if you're really looking to save some serious money. But. For those of you who ARE living the dorm life:

Circus/magic themed
collage I made entirely
from pictures printed
from the Internet.

* Don't lay out hundreds of dollars at Target to deck out your half of the room like everyone else does. Instead, chances are good that, as a student, you have a certain amount of pages you're allowed to print for free every semester in computer labs on campus; use this to your advantage! Print off your own digital photographs to hang up, or print pictures from the Internet to use for collages.

* Research all your meal plan options before choosing one (I know, most schools require you to buy one if you live on campus). Choose the minimum plan that will fit what you absolutely need. Remember, you can supplement meals (particularly breakfast and snacks) with your own stash of food at a much lower price.

* Speaking of food, here are some things to stock up on if you don't have a fridge or microwave. Some can seem expensive to the average grocery store shopper, but trust me. All are WAY cheaper than food being sold on your campus, and don't forget -- you can use coupons!:  Trail mix, nuts, bread, peanut butter, honey, fresh fruit, toaster pastries, bagels, protein / granola bars, beef jerky, pudding cups (non-refrigerated kind), applesauce, banana chips, fruit snacks, sunflower seeds, crackers.
     
* Other campus tips: Join e-mail lists and/or Facebook groups for any clubs that you're even remotely interested in, so that you can hear about events that might offer free food. See if your student ID will provide you a discount at any local businesses, including museums and events (check with your card office.) For entertainment, your campus should be your first stop, since so many free things, like movie screenings and art events are offered on campuses. Check your school's website to see if you can find an events calendar for all clubs and departments.

Dumpstering: It Starts at Home

Dumpster diving can be an adventurous way to save money. The potential dangers affiliated with dumpstering, like getting into trouble with law enforcement, or possibly getting hurt somehow while immersed waist-high in trash, qualify it as something on "edge," and, in certain circles, definitely something cool. As someone who's gotten his fair share of awesome stuff from dumpsters, I totally get that. But dumpstering shouldn't begin behind the grocery store or across town: it should start with your own garbage can.
That's right. Your own trash. (And recycling bin, if you have one.)



Aluminum cans can hold
household stuff, like
office supplies



No, digging around in your own garbage bag is not nearly as glamorous as hoisting yourself over the rail of a five foot tall dumpster, but you still may be surprised at what you find, and what could potentially save you some money. How? First of all, you aren't leaving your house, so you aren't spending money on gas or on a bus ticket. Secondly, a lot of things you might otherwise get rid of can be revived for a second or third use, which saves you from spending money on new stuff.

The way this works is easy. Let's say you realize that you need something. Before you run to the store to buy it - or to your local dumpster to mine for it - take a look in your garbage and recycle bins first. For instance, the other day, I thought to myself, "Gee, I could use a headboard for my bed." 

Instead of rushing out to buy something (or trying to dumpster dive for a headboard), I looked around my house for what I could use for free, and after a five minute search and a little bit of sweat, here's what I came up with:

I used two panels of a cardboard box with fabric stapled to them. Then I attached the panels to my bed using metal hangers, like so:

And there you have it - a headboard made completely of what could be thought of as trash, without even a dollar spent on a bus ticket to get to an economy-sized dumpster!

Just remember, one man's trash may be another man's treasure, but your own trash can be valuable to you too!