Living Life the Frugal Way

To Be Continued.....

2011-02-01T14:57:00.000-08:00

This blog is being continued over at HappyAndersons.com

I'm still living a frugal lifestyle and working my family out of debt, but I'm incorporating other aspects of my life into the other blog.

I'm so thankful you're here and that you take time to read my blog. Please use it as a reference for great coupon sites, recipes and natural cleaning products.

If you have the time, I'd love for you to pop on over to my other site and have a look. Thanks again for all your love and support!

Much love and hugs,

Andie

p.s. I'm using my other Twitter Account more: @HappyAndersons.

Don't Cry

2010-09-15T11:09:00.000-07:00

Here's a fancy trick that will make you cry!

Next time you buy a bag of onions, go ahead and dice them all up at once. I like to use my food chopper it's quicker in the long run. After all onions are diced, I bag them in 1 cup measurements.

Label and date the bag with a permanent marker and store in your freezer.

It took me about 15 minutes to do 8 onions. I now have 6+ cups of diced and frozen onions, ready for me the next time I need to cook.

Frozen onions can be placed directly in a hot pan, no need to defrost first.

Super Quote Wednesday

2010-08-25T21:32:00.000-07:00

The safe way to double your money is to fold it over once
and put it in your pocket. Frank Hubbard

We get excited when we buy things on sale; but it's good to remember that if we use the extra money we saved to buy more stuff, we will never get ahead.

Instead we should put that extra money in savings or towards an emergency fund.

Friday Find

2010-08-20T10:10:00.000-07:00

Today's Friday Find is Saving Cents with Sense. This is a great site "dedicated to helping families find the best deals, store savings, and more."

Her Coupon Resource page can help you get started or succeed in the couponing world. She also has coupons and tips for those of us striving to live a more Organic lifestyle.

Her posts are practical and useful, I hope you take the time to hop over and look around, I'm sure you'll find her tips and coupons useful!

Happy Friday!

Follow Melissa on Twitter here.
Follow her on Facebook here.

No Impact Man

2010-08-19T22:31:00.000-07:00

I recently watched No Impact Man from Netflix and I was totally inspired. Colin Beavan, along with his family, go on a year long journey to see if it’s possible to make no net impact on the environment. In other words, no trash, no toxins in the water, no elevators, no subway, no products in packaging, no air-conditioning, no television, no toilet paper, no diapers, etc. He swears off plastic, goes organic, becomes a bicycle nut, and lives by candle light for an entire year.

I suggest all my frugal friends out there watch it! Now, of course I'm not at all suggesting we take the approach that he did, however, he's radicalism brought awareness to the issue of reducing our waste and can further positive change for our plant and our lives.

Here is a trailer for the movie.

A Few Short Answers from Colin:

One thing to remove from your home?
Beef
One thing to bring into your home?
Water filter
One thing to stop doing?
Flying
One thing to start doing?
Phoning our representatives.

"It’s easy not to waste." – Michelle.
"Make sure that what you use really makes you happy." – Colin. courtesy re-nest.com

He also has a book out: No Impact Man which I plan on renting from library to read in the coming months.

There is a bit of skepticism out about Mr. Bevan and his attempts to make serious change as opposed to simply living a crazy life for the publicity of his book. Nonetheless the exposure he has brought to the rawness of our all-too-powerful consumption society is definitely valid. Whether or not you agree with his radicalism and his way of processing his convictions, is beside the point. We as a society must continue to take action and be progressive in living a healthier lifesytle.

Some of the things I took away from the movie are:

Be more mindful of my waste
(ie: I will use reprducible bags when shopping)
Continue to shop at Farmer's Markets
Join and/or support a Community Garden
Watch less TV - spend more time outside
and being with my family
Continue to make my own cleaning products
and laundry soap
Become more involved in my community.

Groupon

2010-08-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

I love Groupon, it's my all time favorite coupon site for practical deals near me.

Here's How It Works:

Each day they feature something cool to do, or places to eat at an unbeatable price.
Just click "BUY" before the offer ends at midnight. If the minimum number of people sign up, they'll charge your card and send you a link to print your Groupon. If not enough people join, no one gets it (and you won't be charged), so invite your friends to make sure you get the deal!
Once you're charged, you'll receive an email with a link to sign in and print your Groupon. The Groupon has redemption instructions and a map right on it!
Check back the next day for another awesome Groupon!

Rocky Road Popsicles

2010-08-19T10:16:00.001-07:00

As I've posted before, making Popsicles from scratch is not only fun but frugal. You can save a lot of money by making them yourself, plus you know exactly what's going in them; and bonus, if you have kids, it quickly becomes a fun time of math/home ec/creativity!

5 hours later, they were frozen and ready! The kids played outside with dad when he came home from work and so a frozen treat was a perfect way to cool off.

1/3 c. peanuts, opt.
2 1/2 c. milk
1 pkg. instant or regular chocolate pudding mix
3/4 c. tiny marshmallows
1/2 c. chocolate chips

Crush peanuts inside a plastic bag. Add milk to pudding mix and stir. Put in microwave for 3 minutes on high; stir. Then cook for 2-3 more minutes on high until slightly thickened. Stir again.

Stir marshmallows, chocolate chips and crushed peanuts into the pudding. Pour about 1/3 cup of mixture into each 3-ounce paper cup (you'll need 12 cups). Put filled cups on a baking sheet and chill in freezer for 15 minutes.

Put a wooden stick in center of each cup. Chill 5 hours or more. To serve, peel off paper cup. Serves 12. Courtesy of cooks.com

A new scrambled egg

2010-08-16T15:26:00.000-07:00

The other day I stood with my refrigerator door open wondering what I could make without having to go to the store. It's a fun-sort-of challenge to use up what I have before we go shopping again. Sometimes the meals turn out amazing and go on our list of regulars; other times it's not quite a success, but that's the beauty of the trial and error journey.

So back to my open refrigerator, as I looked inside I noticed we had eggs, tofu, some veggies and other misc. items; not exactly the best combo for an omelet which is what I was craving. So being the learner I am I decided to google the foods I had to see what would come up. And low and behold I found Scrambled Egg with Tofu.

Now wait before you knock it you must try it....or at least read the ingredients.

Directions

Blend egg, tarragon, hot sauce, salt and pepper in a small bowl with a fork. Heat oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add tofu and cook, stirring, until warmed through, 20 to 30 seconds. Add egg mixture and stir until the egg is set, but still creamy, 20 to 30 seconds. Serve immediately. Recipe courtesy of KitchenDaily.

It was definitely an above average meal even for the hubs, who is an all-cheese man. For this egg dish to be above average and NOT have cheese was a big deal folks! I did however add some leftover bacon pieces we had saved, which added a nice salty crunch to it.

The tofu created a creamy texture but didn't muddle the taste. I trippled the recipe because it's actually a single serving recipe; also, I used Louisianna hot sauce, which is my absolute favorite for any egg dish.

And from watching too much Food Network, I know that if you don't have dried tarragon, you can substitute dried rosemary and dried basil. So the next time you're out of cheese or milk but have eggs and tofu I suggest you give this recipe a try. ;)

My new friend

2010-08-13T23:17:00.000-07:00

So I currently have a new best friend, her name is Sarah, and she is over at Thrifty Decor Chick! I can't say enough "neat'o'ness" about her. Sarah shares simple, inexpensive ways to decorate your home, and I'm so glad I found her since I'm moving in the next few weeks.

My home has been quietly whispering to me it's need for a face lift and what better time to do that then when you're moving. And what better way to do it then with budget friendly ideas.

I can't remember exactly how I found her, either Twitter or another blog...not sure; but the source doesn't matter as much as my new found love for her site. She has amazing ideas that seem practical and simple and best of all CHEAP! Who doesn't love that?

Read all about Sarah, here.

And then I do hope you take a few moments to browse through her site, you will not be disappointed!

Desperate times call for desperate measures

2010-08-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

So as most of you know, our family has been trying to get ourselves out of debt. It's been quite a slow and painful process. We've read Mary Hunt's Debt-Proof Your Marriage and attended Dave Ramsey classes and so we're now making drastic measures to get out of debt...

To give you a brief history, after our son was born, I decided to stop teaching. Travis then needed to make enough money to support us and thus came to Orange County. He began doing Home Loans for a few companies out here. At that time we were living in Yucaipa and the commute of about 4 hours round trip was just about killing us. So we moved our small family of 3 out to OC to be together. But then the tsunami of foreclosures and bankruptcies was in the very near future and he knew home loans was not going to be the industry to work in, so Travis quickly went back to Web Design for a company in Newport.

It's been 4 short, yet long years in OC and our quest to be completely debt free has been a challenge to say the least. It's become a mountain of questions, unending phone calls, stress and at times, depression. We're the first to admit our past decisions have cost us a lot (literally and figuratively). Looking back, I don't think our decisions were bad or wrong, I think they were made in haste and not in proper timing. Had we been a bit more patient we might not be in this situation today. However, it's been this difficult season in our life that has taught us the most unforgettable life lessons on money, marriage, family, and faith - funny how that works.

Has it been hard? Yes. Have I cried many a nights to Travis out of stress and frustration? Yes. Would I change it? No. I can't change my past, no one can. But I can (we can) change our future.

So as we prayed and prayed some more, we talked to our families and before we knew it we were getting boxes off Craigslist. We have been given an amazing opportunity (to say the least) to move back to the place our family began, we will be renting a place for an amazing price!

As a result, we will be saving an incredible amount of money, not to mention our families are there. With our new financial savings we will be paying off our debt at lightening speed! Our plan is to have 3 - 6 months worth of savings in an Emergency Fund, along with paying down our van and ultimately, simplifying our life.

I'm sad to be leaving Orange County and the friends I've made out here, but thankfully it's only 30-45 minute drive. As I stated earlier, desperate times call for desperate mesures.

So we are entering a new season of life and yes, we are all very excited about it!

Facebook Fast

2010-08-10T12:41:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in the National Facebook Fast on Wednesday, August 25th. On this day, I will refrain from Facebook, Twitter, texting, and email and I will spend time getting face-to-face in the relationships that matter most to me. Will you join me?

Feel free to copy & paste this text to your Facebook or Twitter profile to let your friends know that you are participating. http://www.facebook.com/loveatlastsight

Can you do it?!

Pardon our Dust

2010-08-09T13:02:00.000-07:00

We are in the middle of making many new changes to the blog! Thank you for your patience as we create a more user friendly frugal site that meets your everyday needs! Have ideas for the site? Things you want to see more (or less) of? Let me know, frugalandie@gmail.com or leave a comment below!

...now back to work...see you soon!

Redbox Free Movie

2010-08-02T09:45:00.000-07:00

Many of you already know about Redbox, but for those of you that possibly haven't heard of it, it's wonderful! You can reserve your $1 movie online, choose your location and pick it up. It's only a 24 hour rental, your debit card will be charged an extra $1 per day it's late, so be sure to return it the next day, or have your spouse drop it off on their way home from work.

If you sign up for an account, they will text you on the first Monday of the month with a personal code to get a free movie! Sure a $1 is about as cheap as you can get, but FREE is even better.

Look for the nearest Redbox rental here.

Sign up for your account here.

Find Garage Sales Easy this summer

2010-07-04T11:23:00.000-07:00

This summer will bring with it many fun things to do with our families! With kids out of school, many times we need extra money for fun things to do with them.

My solution?

Why not hold a garage sale?!

It's a win-win since you'll be getting rid of items you don't need plus you'll make extra money for fun and memorable times with your kids!

I have the perfect site for those of us holding or wanting to find Garage Sales: garagesalestracker.com

Garage Sale Tracker will help you find local deals including flea markets, consignment shops and garage sales. They also now have an iPhone app to make searching even easier.

I HIGHLY recommend this site as a way to help us all save money. I posted a Super Quote about Saving money, and garagesalestracer.com is definitely a way to help us all do that!

Super Quote Wednesday, by Jim-Bob

2010-07-04T11:07:00.001-07:00

I know it's not Wednesday but this is one I just couldn't wait to share.

This quote is brought to you by Jim-Bob Duggar from their book, The Duggars: 20 and Counting (I highly recommend it as a summer read, it's great on issues regarding family and frugality; I picked up a copy at my library).

You make your money when you
buy your item at a good price,
not when you sell it.

So often I'm of the mindset that I can just resell items and make some money, but according to Jim-Bob Duggar (who's quite the business man if you read their book!) you'll make (aka: save) your money if you buy things cheaper up front.

This requires some searching before we just buy an item. Or it may suggest we buy it gently used from Garage Sales, Craigslist, Ebay or Amazon. Keep this in mind next time you're out shopping, your bank account will thank you later!

Popsicles: healthy for you AND your wallet

2010-06-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

How to Make Healthy Popsicles | eHow.com

Why spend money this summer buying box after box after box of Popsicles, when you can buy the molds and reuse them over and over.

Molds can go from $1.99 - $9.99 depending on the quality, shape and quantity you desire. Check your local 99 Cent store, Target or Bed Bath & Beyond.

Once you have your molds, bring the kids in the kitchen with you and try out some new recipes to see what they like.

Anything from Fudge Pops, Watermelon Pops or try a Rocky Road Pop, ummm. It'll be a "cool" way to get an extra dose of fruit in their growing bodies!!!

I like these Popsicle molds from Bed, Bath and Beyond, fun!

My good friend over at Tipnut.com has 50+ Homemade Popsicle Recipes!

Another great site!

2009-11-14T17:57:00.000-08:00

Home Ec 101

This is a great site for tips and info
on everything pertaining to homemaking!

Saving Money Tips

2009-11-11T21:29:00.000-08:00

This is from my friend over at Kim's Shopping Blog! Soo sooo true - thanks Kim!
Check out her blog, she has some great info!

We’re all guilty of spending a little bit too much every now and again…so how can we lower our expenditure and stay out of debt?

1. Coupons

Coupons and coupon codes are all over the internet. They often offer up to (and sometimes more than) 50% off at your favorite high street retailers.

You may find that some retailers actually offer you coupons after you have purchased something. If this is the case, and you don’t need to buy anything else, then let one of your friends have the coupon – help them save money, and they may return the favour!

2. Don’t be tempted to buy things you don’t need

If you find that your expenditure is too high each month, then it may be because you are buying things you don’t need.

We all get tempted to buy things, but before you get your money out, have a think about whether you really need the thing you are buying. In most cases, you won’t! The only reason you want it is because it looks good – remember, the shop will want to sell you items, so they will strategically place things around the store to influence you to impulse buy.

3. Stick to a strict budget

Create a strict budget, and stick to it! If you don’t stick to a budget, how are you going to lower your expenditure? Write down everything you spend each month and take a look at where you are spending too much. If you can, make cut backs – it should lower your expenditure considerably.

4. Try shopping online

If you haven’t already tried it, then why not give online shopping a go? Most supermarkets have their own ‘online shop’ where you can do your weekly grocery shopping – and what’s more, you will get it delivered to your door!

Online Shopping should help you lower your expenditure quite a lot – this is because you can’t be tempted to pick things up, as you won’t actually be in the store. In addition, you won’t be walking down every aisle to get what you need – you will be able to find it by entering it into the search box.

5. Cancel any subscriptions you don’t need

Do you really need that magazine subscription? Or how about that satellite TV subscription? Think about how much you could lower your expenditure by if you simply cancelled these. If you really can’t do without them, then at least try and cut back…for example, instead of having two magazine subscriptions, just have one!

John Brisbane is a personal finance writer with 15 years experience writing in the personal finance industry.

Fun facts about Apples

2009-09-21T20:03:00.000-07:00

Since it's now Fall, apple picking is upon us!
Here are some fun and interesting facts about apples!

There are over 7,000 varieties of apples all over the world.
When choosing an apple, select firm and bright colored ones with smooth and shiny skin.
Avoid bruised, soft or shriveled fruit, and it should have a fresh scent.
If you like your Granny Smith apples extra tart, choose the ones with pale speckles and red patches.
Tough apple skins means a harder winter
A bushel of apples will make slightly more than 3 gallons of cider.

Applesauce

4 Servings

8 apples (Gravenstein are a good choice) peeled, cored and cut into eighths
1/2 cup water
Sugar, to taste
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

COMBINE APPLES AND WATER in a deep pan or pot.
Place over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally. When apples begin to get tender, add sugar to taste but be sparing until apples mash easily--that's when you can tell just how sweet you want the applesauce.
Add lemon juice and cook until applesauce is ready to be mashed with fork.
Remove from heat and add lemon peel.
Mash with a fork, leaving some coarse texture.
Serve warm, over ice cream!!!

Rich Baked Apples

12 Servings

12 whole peeled cored apples
1-cup chopped walnuts
1-cup sugar
1/4 cup seedless raisins
1 to 2 slightly beaten egg whites
1-cup finely ground dry breadcrumbs
1/3-cup light brown sugar
1-teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup melted unsalted butter

Combine walnuts, sugar, raisins, and egg whites-mix well spoon into the cavities of the apples. Combine breadcrumbs, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a shallow bowl-mix well.
Moisten apples with melted butter.
Coat evenly with the breadcrumb mixture.
Place into individual buttered ramekins or custard cups bake @ 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot, topped with whipped cream or with cream!!

Source: TJ Hill - Appetites Catered

allaboutapples.com
Oldfashionliving.com

Free Pillow Makeover

2009-09-02T07:41:00.001-07:00

Spruce up your couches or your bed by taking old tablecloths and silk scarves and tying the corners around throw pillows.

It'll bring personality to the room and be easy on your wallet. Courtesy of Righ@Home

Vinegar and a sunburn

2009-08-27T12:52:00.000-07:00

When you get a sunburn the products out there to help soothe and prevent blistering or peeling can be quite costly. Believe it or not, a natural and cheaper remedy lies just in your pantry.....it's vinegar! I'm not kidding. I've actually used this and it works.

"To soothe a sunburn spray white distilled vinegar on skin, repeating as often as you like. Let it dry naturally, do not rub off. Ice-cold white distilled vinegar will feel even better, and may prevent blistering and peeling." Courtesy of Vinegar Tips

Thanks to a friend of mine who teaches science I learned that vinegar is made of water and acetic acid, so it will moisturize and soothe your sunburn. Acetic acid is called an NSAID (Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drug), which helps reduce the swelling of the damaged tissue and relieves the pain.

You can also pour a complete small size bottle of white vinegar in a bath of luke warm water and soak in it for about 15 minutes or longer if desired, it will relieve the pain of sunburn immediately and the redness that comes the sunburn and helps prevent peeling. You can also apply vinegar before going out in the sun and you will lessen the chances of getting sunburn! Courtesy of The Vinegar book.

Here are a few other helpful tips for sunburns
Clean and Simple Sunburn Remedies
eHow: How to Treat a Sunburn with Vinegar

Easiest Egg Drop Soup

2009-08-26T14:48:00.001-07:00

Egg drop soup is so easy, here's one recipe that I use.

2 cups of Chicken broth
1 egg
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped spinach

Heat the chicken broth in a small pot. Stir the eggs, basil, parsley and s/p in a separate bowl.

When the broth is hot, slowly add the egg mixture into the broth stirring gently with a fork. After about a minute, turn heat off and add chopped spinach.

Serve immediately!

Flea Market Finds

2009-08-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

Heard the saying: "One mans junk is another man's treasure...."
Well I came across these neat ideas from the
Better Homes and Garden Website, they took things that
were basically junk and turned them into neat storage ideas.

Here are a few:

Mount a section of iron fencing on the wall as a coat rack. The curled ends of this fence section are just right for holding coats, towels, robes, or leashes.

Salt and pepper shakers are easy to find at flea markets.
These glass ones now hold bath salts and look charming when grouped
together and displayed near the tub.

To read the entire article, go here.

Homemade Baby Wipes

2009-08-17T13:24:00.000-07:00

Homemade Baby Wipes

Baby wipes can be expensive. Here’s a little trick on how to make your own:

1 package strong paper towels
1/4 cup baby oil
1/4 cup baby shampoo
2 cups water

Cut paper towels in half (cut through the whole roll so there are two smaller rolls) and remove the cardboard center. Put 1/2 of the roll in an old baby wipe container (standing so the center hole of the roll is facing up).

Mix together the oil, shampoo and water, and pour 1/2 of the solution over the paper towels. You may wish to turn it over to let the roll soak up the mixture.

Wipes should easily dispense from the center of the roll. This makes two containers.

Don't throw mushy fruit away!

2009-08-12T15:50:00.000-07:00

I bought these peaches and didn't eat them all before they grew very soggy and mushy; you really would not want to bite into them.
But being frugal minded I knew I could do something with them
instead of just throwing them out.

So I turned this mushy fruit into.....

this!!!

Don't forget you can save money and be creative when it comes to old fruit: jams and jellies, sauces and salsas, smoothies and pies
can all benefit from old very ripe fruit!

Peach and Berry Crumble

Homemade Laundry Soap

2009-08-08T18:40:00.000-07:00

I recently made a new batch of laundry soap, but this time it's all powder and I LOVE it! Here's some pics; it's a very simple and basic recipe -
the "hardest" part was grating up the two bars of soap.

12 cups Borax
8 cups Baking Soda
8 cups Washing Soda
8 cups Bar soap (grated) This came out to two bars of soap, I use Ivory.

Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub.
Use 1/8 cup of powder per full load.

To read my original post, go here.

Super Easy Laundry Powder Recipe

2009-08-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

I've been out of laundry soap this week and wanted to find a different recipe. My original Laundry Soap Recipe wasn't too complicated, but I found it to be clumpy (very normal by the way).

So I thought this time around I'd try a powder and boy do I love this! Most of the ingredients can be purchased at Smart & Final, all except the Washing Soda.

Washing Soda by Arm & Hammer is a highly alkaline chemical compound which can be used to remove stubborn stains from laundry. It is NOT to be confused with Baking Soda.

Many stores carry Washing Soda, typically with other laundry products. I find mine at Albertson's (or Kroger if you're not in CA). You can also call 1-800-524-1328 and give them the UPC code 33200-03020. The service will ask for your zip code and then tell you places in your area that sell Washing Soda.

Anyways, on to the recipe. It's very simple, the hardest part is grating up the bar of soap - but even that's not really that hard!

Powder Laundry Soap
(courtesy of tipnut.com)
12 cups Borax
8 cups Baking Soda
8 cups Washing Soda
8 cups Bar soap (grated) This came out to two bars of soap, I use Ivory.

Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub.
Use 1/8 cup of powder per full load.

Believe me, this recipe is so easy and it makes a TON! I hope you have the chance to make it. I took some pics while making it, I can post them tonight!

Friendly Frugal Reminder:
Make time to save money.
It's worth it!

Make-It-From-Scratch-Mondays - Chai Tea

2009-08-03T14:40:00.000-07:00

Chai Tea is something we either like or don't like, the taste is unique! For all you Chai lovers out there here's a delicious recipe that I know you'll enjoy. Sip it over ice to cool you down!

Chai Tea Mix

Courtesy of 2passthetorch.com

*1/2 cup instant tea
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup dry milk
* ½ cup dry creamer

Spices:

* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger

* ½ teaspoon salt
* ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (careful, careful!)

Spoon a couple of heaping teaspoons into a mug of hot water, stir, and Voila. Or pour this over a glass of ice and enjoy it cold!

Frugal Reminder:

It's always cheaper to make
rather than buy!

2009-08-03T14:37:00.000-07:00

Hi Frugal Friends,

I apologize for the sporadic postings lately. I'm pregnant with baby #3 and this time around I'm exhausted. So my blogging has slowed way down, not to mention laundry, vacuuming and dusting....ahh well as is life!

Anyways, just wanted to say I'm back and I plan on updating some fun frugal finds and Recipes that I've taken a liking to.

I hope you all are having a wonderful Summer!

Gift Cards Save U $$$

2009-07-24T13:04:00.000-07:00

My husband and I are now using gift cards as a way to stay in our Spending Plan when it comes to eating out.

At the first of the month, we buy gift cards to a few of our favorite lunch places. The amount of these gift cards can determined by looking at a few months worth of bank statements and tallying up how much you spend on eating out. We usually have personal cash each week so we take a little of that from each of the weeks and lump it into gift cards.

Now my husband has a gift card to Jersey Mike's, Flame Broiler, etc. and he knows that's what he can use for the month. It puts a limit on his spending, but it also gives him freedom to eat out whenever he chooses.

You can also do this with Target, Wal-Mart, Stater Bros., Albertsons, or wherever you shop regularly. Figure out your grocery bill for the month (or for every two weeks) and buy gift cards at the first of every month.

This really helps us stay on track and within a budget that's reasonable!

Who needs Starbucks?!

2009-07-21T15:13:00.000-07:00

Cappuccino Cream
Courtesy of Kraft.com

A very frugal thing to do is to make things from scratch - the more you make from scratch, the more money you save. I found this recipe off kraft.com and it is to die for!!!

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup brewed strong MAXWELL HOUSE Coffee, at room temperature

1/2 cup milk

1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

Make It!

BEAT cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add coffee and milk, beating until well blended. Add dry pudding mix and cinnamon. Beat on low speed 2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes or until thickened. Gently stir in 2 cups of the whipped topping.

SPOON into serving bowl or 10 dessert glasses.

REFRIGERATE several hours or until ready to serve. Top with remaining whipped topping just before serving.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Substitute Prepare as directed, using PHILADELPHIA Cheese and COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping.

Substitute 2 tsp. MAXWELL HOUSE Instant Coffee, dissolved in 1 cup hot water, for freshly brewed coffee

Leftover Rice

2009-07-14T20:13:00.000-07:00

Whenever I make rice I seem to always have leftovers and I hate to throw it out. The other day I was watching Robin Miller on the Food Network and she likes to morph one meal into the next using leftovers, and this is her cure for the extra, cold, clumpy rice we all have after a delicious night of Chinese food!

1 cup cooked rice
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup dried blueberries, plus more for garnish

Directions

In a medium saucepan, stir together all ingredients and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently until the pudding is thick and creamy. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish, as desired, with additional blueberries or a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Andie's alternative:

Omit cardamom and use 1/8 tsp of nutmeg; or omit cardamom altogether.

Use dried cranberries, they're usually cheaper, but taste just as great!

Free bowling this summer

2009-07-01T19:55:00.001-07:00

2 free games of bowling every day, all summer long!

How it works is you purchase a Family Pass starting at $23.95, this includes the two games PER PERSON PER DAY!! The Family Pass also

covers up to four adult family members.

It is a one-time payment good for the entire summer.

It's a great deal if you and the kids enjoy bowling! Have a picnic lunch before or after and it's a Free Day of fun. If you go two times the pass pays for itself, but remember you can go EVERY DAY!!!

To find the bowling alleys in your area that are offering this program, go here.

Savings Reminder

2009-06-30T14:48:00.001-07:00

Right now a lot of items from Spring are on sale. This is the time to buy the kids' rain boots for next year along with any spring planting items: spades, rakes, pots, etc.

I ran into some great deals at Target as well as Old Navy!

Happy Savings :)

No Spending...Can you do it?!....continued

2009-06-24T14:34:00.001-07:00

I received an e-mail today from a friend about the NO SPENDING Challenge and she made a good point. Here's some of her e-mail:

...If I stay home for 2 days and don't spend, what about my husband who goes out and buys something.....

That's a really good point, I'm still mulling it over. I would like to think in a perfect world that I could pack my husband a lunch for work and then afterwards, he comes straight home to eat dinner here.....ya right.

So my thoughts are possibly a Saturday of no spending? Might be hard, but especially now with summer here there's a lot to do; each city has free things to offer if you know where to look. Free movies in the park, beach days, events at the Library, Community Center or City Hall, etc. I guess it will require some creativity.

So maybe a modification for some would be NO spending for two Saturdays (or Sundays) a month?! It requires us to think about what we really need and prioritize our lives.

For myself, I have to cut back on little runs to Starbucks or the drive thru. I wanted a tea today on my way home from the park and I knew I had tea at home, so I made myself go home. It wasn't really that hard, but it saved me a small amount of $.

Just remember every dollar is a seed, where are we going to invest or plant it?

Keep your comments and questions coming, this is good.

Stock up for 2010

2009-06-24T08:23:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post this back on Monday, but I know it still applies.

Just a reminder to stock up on your Father's Day cards for next year. This is when they are 50 - 60% off.

Ties, men's clothing and apparel can usually be found on sale as well. Don't forget to check Best Buy, Circuit City and Fry's for electronics and DVD's that are on sale.

Happy savings!

No Spending...Can you do it?

2009-06-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

A No Spending Challenge:

So here's something I heard on the radio as a way to save money and it actually sounds like a challenge to me.

Spend NO MONEY for two straight days. This includes gas and groceries - nothing. No spending. For many of us that may mean staying home (granted you do not work a 9 - 5 job); Or if you have kids and need to get out, possibly go to the park or the pool where you are removed from the temptation to spend.

I challenge you to try it. I was able to do for one day, but I had an appointment for the next day and had to pay a sitter. So I'm going to do it again in a few days.

Once you get good at two days a week of no spending, gradually increase it to three. The goal would be to get to a week and do that every other month if possible. Think of all the savings!

If you stop and think about it, most of us spend some amount of money every day, whether it's a coffee, snacks for the kids, gas, groceries, etc.- Our society is wired that way.

That's my new frugal goal:
Go two days a week spending ZERO dollars.

If you try it please share your thoughts, tips, challenges and feedback with the rest of us!

2009-06-18T20:41:00.000-07:00

Suze Orman's 5 Smart Money Moves

Live on Half
Stash Your Cash
Make the Stimulus Package Work for You
Make Your Home Affordable
Look at What You Have, Not What You Had

Is saving half our income reasonable? I must look into it and crunch some numbers.....

A Frugal Garden

2009-06-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

Turn old muffin tins into Mini Gardens
Excerpt from Hillbilly Housewife

I thought this was a very frugal and fun idea!

I received some nice, new fancy muffin tins as a gift this Mother’s Day. Of course, I started to get rid of my old tins, but hesitated, and put them back in the cupboard with my new ones. You never know when you might need them.

That’s when it occurred to me that I have the perfect use for them. Out on my back porch, I have an old baker’s rack and kitchen chair. Just a cute little cozy vignette that’s perfect for a quiet sit… and a tray of sweet little “muffin” flowers!

I imagine a muffin tin full of tiny flowers sitting on a baker’s rack will be sort of perfect. Of course, the muffin tin could be placed on any table in your yard or garden. Or even set on the seat of an old chair to create a special colorful corner somewhere.

To read full article, go here.

Household Tips

2009-06-10T13:42:00.000-07:00

Here are a few easy tips that can help
keep your house a little bit cleaner:

Start every morning with an empty Dishwasher! This way as soon as dishes get dirty during the the day, they go straight to the dishwasher. My habit now is to run and empty the dishwasher every other night.

Get a divided dirty clothes hamper (check craigslist or garage sales first, before you buy new). Print out labels onto cardstock or write on an index card and label each section: darks, lights, whites, etc. 1 less step when you have to do your laundry...and yes even a three year old can learn where their clothes go!

Organize your house cleaning into days. Every Monday is vacuuming and dusting. Every Tuesday is bathrooms and floors...etc. Print out your schedule and post it on the fridge!

Give the kids and hubby specific jobs to do on specific days. For the kids you can create a chores list (dtlk-kids or chores tracker) with pictures to help them!

Eco-Friendly Ant Reminder

2009-06-03T15:39:00.001-07:00

So summer's here and so are the ants. A friend of mine FB me and asked if I knew of some natural remedies to get rid of them...my first thought was Vinegar. But I did my research just to make sure and low and behold I was right!

Ants navigate with their antennae by using chemical trails.
When you spray vinegar on the area, it removes the chemical trail.

Here are some great ways to get rid of them.

Spray white vinegar any place you've seen ants
Sprinkle Cinnamon at the site of the ant invasion.
Leave Bay Leaves on your counters and preferably along the trail where they are coming in.
Draw a line outside with white chalk at the place they're coming in they won't cross it.
Mix sunlight liquid dish soap one to one with vinegar and pour on ant hill. The ants die and remainder move. Keep pouring on ant hills soon ants are gone.

Sources: The Frugal Life, Vinegar Tips

Save some $$

2009-06-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

Here are a few ways my family and I save money,
it requires thinking outside the box! Please ad comments or email me of
ways you're saving money in a creative way!

We canceled our Sirius Satellite Radio; instead we use the radio, or our iPods and we listen to Pandora when we're at home or on the computer! Pandora is completely free and creates a "radio station" according to your likes! Give it a try, also has an app. for iPhones!
We're on the mailing lists of all our favorite restaurants or food chains, we get coupons and freebies in the mail or through email!
We check on restraunts.com for amazing coupons and deals!
We shop at Smart and Final instead of Costco, we don't need a membership and we can still get food in bulk at a great price!
We cancelled our Sparklets subscription and take our 5 gallon water jug to the water coolers outside Stater Bros. It's only $1.25, so instead of $20 - $30 a month for water, we pay $5!
We use cash only for gas, groceries and personal money. That way we keep ourselves in a tangible budget that's easy to track!
How do you and your family save money???

Homemade Fingerpaint

2009-05-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

My son loves to paint and just the other day we ran out of paint. I didn't really want to go back to Target and spend another $8 on paint, so I went a-searching online for ways to make my own paint and low and behold I found a few good recipes!!

Kool-Aid Finger Paint

3 cups boiling water
2 cups flour
2 packages unsweetened Kool-Aid
1/2 cup salt
3 tablespoons oil

Mix the Kool-Aid, flour and salt into a glass bowl. Add oil.
Slowly add the boiling water, stirring while you pour.
Once cool you can use as fingerpaint.

Homemade Finger paint Recipe

1 cup Flour
1 cup Water
1 cup Sunlight dish soap
2 TBS Food Coloring

Directions:

Mix all items until there are no lumps and paint is smooth. Keep sealed in an airtight container and refrigerate.
You can divide the batch up into smaller amounts and use a different color of food coloring for each batch.

Easy Finger Paint

2 Tablespoons Sugar
1/3 Cup of cornstarch
2 Cups water
1/4 Cup dishwashing soap
food coloring

Put the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan and then slowly mix in cold water. Then cook the mixture over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until you have a smooth gel. Let cool and then add dishwashing soap. Divide into as many containers as you would like colors and then mix in food coloring drops until you have you desired color. If you have colored dishwashing soap that can influence all the colors you try to create, which isn't always a bad thing.

Tip: Use baby food jars to divide and store the paint! They are a perfect size for kids to dip their fingers or brushes into and they can be sealed easily if you have leftover paint.

Make-It-From-Scratch-Mondays - Air Freshner

2009-05-19T13:35:00.000-07:00

Cinnamon Vanilla Air Freshener Spray

1 cup water
1 cup household vinegar
1 TBS vanilla extract
1 cinnamon stick

Directions

Bring all ingredients to a boil then simmer over medium heat for two minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool, about 5 min.
Take out cinnamon stick and pour liquid into spray bottle, shake and use as needed.

Alternatives:

Vanilla & Cloves: Keep above recipe, but replace cinnamon stick with 1 tsp cloves
Raspberry Lavender: Use 2 TBS dried lavender buds and 2 cups red vinegar; follow directions above

Recipes courtesy of tipnut.com

Garage Sale Junkies - Listen up!

2009-05-12T12:10:00.000-07:00

Garage sales are a great place to buy things for cheap - a frugal way of living that is almost a must when it comes to big ticket items!

Here's a great site to help you find local garage sales as well as post the one you're planning!

Garage Sales Tracker

There's links to post or find a local garage sale, coupons, and free items! It's a great site, I hope you get the chance to check it out and use it help you save some money!

Happy shopping!

Make-It-From-Scratch-Mondays - homemade remedy

2009-05-11T07:12:00.000-07:00

Well I know for many of us Spring/Summer can bring up a lot of congestion due to allergies. So let's go to your spice rack to make a very natural remedy to help with congestion brought on by allergies or colds or flu.

We're going to make some tea using the spice Anise!

Steep 1 tsp of anise seeds in a 1 cup of hot water, after about 3 minutes, strain and enjoy!

Anise seed tea can also help with an upset stomach due to gas; and chewing the seeds can also hep bad breath.

A little History on the Seed:

Anise is in the parsley family, It is related to caraway, dill, cumin, and fennel, which is why Anise smell and taste like licorice. It is cultivated for its seedlike fruits as well as the oil obtained from them.

These seeds and oil can be used to flavor foods, teas liqueurs, and candies. Anise originates in the Middle East and has been used as a medicine since prehistoric times. Ancient Romans used Anise to aid digestion and ward off epileptic attacks.

For more info on this powerful herb, go here. Buying cold/flu or Allergy medicine can be costly to our wallets, it's better if we can find remedies with things in our own home! Not only is it better for our wallets, but our bodies will enjoy the natural aids as well!

Cool Summer Snacks

2009-05-07T13:43:00.000-07:00

Since the Summer is just about here I'm reminded of a summer snack that is healthy and cheap for me and the kids!

I buy small individual yogurt cups (gogurts are fine too), take the lids off and put a Popsicle stick in center and freeze them for about an hour. When frozen remove them from the cup and you have a frozen healthy treat that's perfect to cool you down!

If freezing gogurts, I don't freeze them completely, about 30 min. or so. They are then really cold and partly icy; cut the tops off and enjoy or squeeze into a bowl and eat it the way you would ice cream!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I also came across this easy and fun snack from Kraft, Nilla Yogurt Freeze!

2 Reduced Fat NILLA Wafers

2 Tbsp. thawed COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping

2 Tbsp. strawberry low-fat yogurt

PLACE 1 of the wafers on bottom of one paper-lined medium muffin cup; top with combined whipped topping and yogurt.

COVER with remaining wafer.

FREEZE 1 hour or until firm.

Home Made Simple Site

2009-05-06T16:05:00.000-07:00

I found a great site: Home Made Simple. They have wonderful tips from Organizing your life to Recipes to Outside garden tips. A wonderful clean site that is easy to read and full of new ideas!

Cleaning with Essential Oils

2009-05-03T16:17:00.000-07:00

The Budget Ecoist had some great cleaning recipes using Essential Oils!
Here's a excerpt:

Many herbs have antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and even antibiotic properties. Using these herbs in essential oil form (or even dried form, from your garden) allow you to create many natural cleaners inexpensively.

Dishwashing liquid - Fill a 22 ounce squirt bottle with fragrance-free castile soap. Add in 25-30 drops of antibacterial essential oil. Good options: lavender, lemon, lemongrass, orange. Use 1-2 T with each dish load.

Dishwasher powder - Combine 2 cups each of washing soda and borax, followed by 20 drops of antibacterial essential oil. Use 2 T with each dish load.

Antibacterial Oils: Bay, camphor, cardamom

, chamomile, citronella, cypress, eucalyptus, ginger, juniper, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, lemon verbena, lime, marjoram, orange, pine, rosemary, sage, sandalwood, spearmint, tea tree oil, thyme, wintergreen

Go here for the entire post.

Here are some other great sites dealing with buying, storing and caring for your Essential oils:

Heard of No Poo?

2009-05-02T12:27:00.000-07:00

I've blogged about putting baking soda in your hair (go here for original post), and the idea is something I haven't yet tired because I wanted to read more on topic. Well just today, a friend from work sent me an interesting article from Skin and Beauty on MSNBC.
Here's a excerpt:

For most Americans, the idea of skipping shampoo for even a day is enough to make us feel a little itchy. But some hair stylists and dermatologists say going a few extra days between shampoos — or ditching the stuff entirely — could actually benefit your tresses.

In recent years, "no poo" has become something of an underground beauty trend. “When you over-shampoo your hair, your hair is over-secreting oil in order to survive,” says Lorraine Massey, co-owner of Devachan Salon....

Some who've junked shampoo use only hot water to rinse the hair. Others use only conditioner. For Lynch and her like-minded no-pooers, the cleanser of choice is simply a 59-cent box of baking soda: She mixes one teaspoon with one cup of water. “You shake it up real good, and when you get in the shower you pour it on, massage it in and let it sit for a bit, and rinse it out,”

Lynch pushed through an awkward phase of grease and grime — and was rewarded with shinier, healthier-looking hair that had less frizz and more body than ever before. And no, it doesn't smell or itch, she says....

To read the entire article, go here.

.....very interesting, definitely a frugal find that gets us thinking....
:)

5 minute cake - no lie!

2009-04-29T11:24:00.000-07:00

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake
I received this recipe from my husband's Grandma, super easy!

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
1 large microwavable mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil, and mix well.

Add the chocolate chips and vanilla, then mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes on high (1,000 watts)

The cake will rise over the top of the mug, so don't be alarmed!

Slightly cool and tip out onto a plate if desired. Serve warm with ice cream!

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

Restaurant savings!

2009-04-28T15:34:00.000-07:00

Over at Life of a Modern Mom, she had a great Frugal Friday post last week here's a excerpt:

"....If you haven't already tried Restaurant.com, you need to check it out. You can buy a $25 gift certificate to restaurants for only $10. This is a great deal! Some of the restaurants even sell $10 gift certificates for only $3...."

This is definitely a frugal find in my book! Thanks Kim for helping us all save more money, everyone go to restaurant.com and enjoy dinner with your family soon!

But wait there's more....

Thanks to my wonderful husband I found this awesome deal on Slickdeals.net:

Restaurant.com has a new 80% off code LUCKY available. The $25 gift certificates are $2 with the code. At select restaurants, $10 certificates are only 60 cents each with the code!

Note: Be sure to check restrictions for the certificates before you purchase, as they vary among different venues.

Wow talk about the savings!!!!

Cinco de Mayo

2009-04-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

Hola amigas y amigos!

Just a reminder that stores are stocked up for Cinco de Mayo, and a lot of mexican food will be going on sale if they aren't already. This is a good time to stock up on salsas, hot sauces, enchilada sauces, green chillies,
tortillas, beans (canned and dry).

Most of these products will last awhile unopened
and tortillas can be frozen if left in their original bag.

Adios!

Make-It-From-Scratch-Mondays: Produce Wash

2009-04-26T17:58:00.000-07:00

Buying Organic fruits and vegetables can become expensive;
so here's a spray you can make that will do an excellent job of washing away the pesticides on your food, making them better for you and your family!

1 cup water
1 cup vinegar
2 TBS baking soda
2 TBS lemon juice

Directions: In a deep container, mix ingredients and pour into a spray bottle. Spray fresh vegetables & fruit generously.
Let stand for 5 minutes then rinse well.

Washing Produce Tips:

When washing leeks or spinach, I fill my sink with about two inches of cold water and toss in them in. Leeks I'll generally cut up first and then separate in the water, then I swish the veggies around for a few seconds. Take out and pat or spin dry. The dirt falls to the bottom of your sink and your veggies are clean!!
Before you cut into a melon, be sure to wash the outside of it first. If you don’t, the knife can drag the pesticides, dirt or bacteria from the outside rind into the fruit as you cut. The outside of melons can be very dirty.
Before cutting celery or mushrooms, dampen the corner of a clean kitchen towel and just wipe the produce clean.

In the mood for Granola?

2009-04-23T14:33:00.000-07:00

JoEllyn's Favorite Granola

6 cups regular rolled oats -- Bake alone on a baking sheet for
10 minutes @ 350 degrees
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup nuts (pecans are good in this recipe)
1/2 cup raw wheat germ
1/2 cup dry milk powder
1 tsp cinnamon

MIX DRY INGREDIENTS TOGETHER

Combine the following and mix with dry ingredients

2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup oil ( I've cut down on the oil to 1/3 cup, but try to see what you like)
1 tsp. vanilla

Spray pans with cooking spray and bake @ 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring twice.

It will look undercooked but gets crunchy as it cools.

Variation:

use almonds/walnuts/sesame seeds -- instead of pecans and coconut
use 2 scoops protein powder -- instead of dried milk
nutmeg -- instead of cinnamon, but you may want to use less as nutmeg can be a stronger flavor than cinnamon

Tidy-Up Tuesday: freezing method

2009-04-22T14:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to Albertson's and they had ground beef on sale $2.79 each so I grabbed three! Now I obviously need to freeze this meet but I wouldn't want to freeze it as is because it's not very accessible.

So instead I unwrapped each "log" and divided them into thirds. Took each third, flattened it and covered with saran wrap. Now I have a family serving size available
when I want to make burgers, sloppy joes, etc.

This method can work for bacon, chicken, fish. I also use this freezing method with cookie dough and bananas (cut into slices, freeze on a baking sheet, then dump into a bag - perfect for smoothies!)

Make-It-From-Scratch-Mondays: Kids' Placemats

2009-04-20T11:57:00.001-07:00

Make Placemats Out of Old Holiday Cards

This is a great craft to do with kids this summer! Click on the link above for pictures and step by step directions.

I love to save cards that the kids get from Christmas or their birthdays, but to be honest, they just get stored and we never see them.

What better way to relive memories and read what Great-Grandma wrote than having it on placemats!

Baking Soda in my hair???

2009-04-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

Our guy Baking Soda comes through for us again!
An old friend of mine told me about using Baking Soda in my Shampoo?!
So I looked it up and low and behold, it can do wonders!

Hair Care!

Add some baking soda to your shampoo to help remove residue left from other hair care products and to add a little extra oomph on those days when your hair’s gotten so dirty, it needs some super-strong cleansing. In your hand, pour about a teaspoon of baking soda, then add your usual amount of shampoo and lather up. Work it into your scalp with your fingers for a soothing massage and extra oil-fighting power.

More Hair and Face Care!

If your hair turns green from chlorine in swimming pools, wash it with 1/4 cup baking soda added to your shampoo.

You can also mix baking soda with your face wash for an exfoliating scrub that will eliminate oil and leave your skin feeling extra clean. Simple, natural, and oh-so-cheap.

Homemade Playdough

2009-04-17T16:56:00.001-07:00

I love play dough almost as much as my toddler does! It's so easy to make from scratch, and the best thing about homemade play dough is that it can be all one color if you prefer.

Here are two recipes I just tried, I like the first one better, it uses Cream of Tarter and I like the consistency of it. The second one I tried because I ran out of Cream of Tarter, plus I wanted to compare the two. Both work great and my kids are going to have fun, but the first recipe feels more like store-bought, I hope you get a chance to try it, your kids will love you!

Nature's Playdough

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 pkg of Kool-Aid (any flavor)
Food coloring

Mix flour, salt, tartar, Kool-Aid and oil, and slowly add the water. Cook over medium heat, stirring until dough becomes stiff. Turn out onto wax paper and let cool. Knead the playdough with your hands until of proper consistency. Use as is, or divide into balls and add a few drops of food coloring.

Salt Playdough

Materials

* 1 cup salt
* 1 cup water
* 1/2 cup flour plus additional flour
* Kool-Aid (any flavor) and food coloring

Directions

Mix salt, water, Kool-Aid and flour in saucepan and cook over medium heat.
Add a few drops of food coloring.
Remove from heat when mixture is thick and rubbery.
As the mixture cools, knead in enough flour to make the dough workable.

Reuse and Stock up - Easter 2010

2009-04-16T12:38:00.000-07:00

Many stores right now are trying to get rid of their Easter products, so I'm going to head over to CVS and Target and see what I can get for next year!

Don't forget:

Chocolates can be frozen and used in cookies, cakes, breads, etc. I actually don't have a need to buy chocolate chips because I always have chocolate frozen from Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day and Easter.
Baskets can be reused for basket gifts, holding nick-nacs, organizing, etc.
Plastic Easter eggs can be saved for next year, recycled, refilled with candy or treats and used as party favors for your 2 year olds birthday. I've heard of some people carrying their iPod headphones in a plastic egg - toss them in your gym bag for safe keeping.
Peeps can be used in Smore's, rice crispy treats, fondue.
Check out Peeps Research for more tips!
Look for great recipes to use up eggs, chocolate or peeps, here are a few I found:
Chocolate muffins
Easter Candy Cake
Cooking with Peeps

Tidy-Up Tuesday: gaining more time!

2009-04-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

Ten Tips to Gain 30 Minutes a Day
Courtesy of Buttonedup.com

1. Be Email Fabulous

Set up email filters to keep from wasting precious minutes trying to sift though loads of unwanted emails. Also, cancel your “sign-ups” to daily emails you no longer read or care about.
A good rule of thumb: if you skip over a particular blast almost 3 or more days a week, you really don’t need it clogging up your inbox.

2. Ditch Perfection

Do the bed sheets really need to be tucked in perfectly when you make the bed? No. If you children make their own beds, resist the urge to remake them. Do you have to clean the whole living room before you go to bed? Probably not.

Pick one or two tasks a day that soak up more time than you’d like and “imperfect” them, such as vacuuming quickly instead of making perfect lines in the carpet.

3. Unplug

This sounds simple, but if you have a cell phone, the thought of turning it off for thirty minutes or an hour may cause a little heartburn. But we urge you to try it. Your Blackberry can wait 30 minutes. It’s not a long period of time, but it is long enough for you to regroup and figure out how to tackle the rest of your day. Even turning it on silent during your lunch break is okay. Literally, 30 minutes is not the end of the world, it’s liberating.

4. Do It Alone

Normally we don’t advise this, but if you have something you really want to get off your plate, like scrapbooking pictures or reorganizing the file cabinet, do it alone and when no one else is home if possible. Otherwise you’ll be interrupted and frustrated that a 30-60 minute task takes you all day.

5. Do It With Others

Many hands do make light work. Cleaning the garage, doing laundry, washing & drying the dishes are tasks you should try not to do alone. With your hands washing and your son’s hands rinsing, a 20 minute task can take you 5 minutes instead.

6. Stop Multi-tasking

Focus on one task at a time. If you were trying to do three things at once it would probably take you an extra ten minutes for each task resulting in 30 minutes of wasted time. However, if concentrate on one task, you will get it done faster and more efficiently.

7. Learn to Say No

This one’s simple. You don’t have to do everything and saying no is a great way to get more time back in your day.

8. Get Others to Say Yes

Your kids and spouse are probably really good at finding excuses to say no. First of all use the term “would you please”. “Could you” triggers a thought process of “Well I could, but I am going to make an excuse because I don’t want to” However, the phrase “would you please” triggers that you really need and would appreciate help. Try it.

9. Delegate

Whether it’s a chore board or having your spouse take over more errands will certainly take more tasks off your plate. Just remember to fully relinquish the task at hand. If it isn’t done exactly how you usually do it, that’s okay.

10. Stop Procrastinating

Have a vacation in two weeks? Start packing now. Does your daughter have a long school project due next month? Get cracking. When your mind is always scrambling at the last minute, even your other simple tasks become overwhelming. If you can schedule ahead, you can avoid the overwhelmed rush that wastes all of your free time.

Buttonedup.com is an awesome site,
I urge you to swing by when you have some time,
they have wonderful organizing and time-saving tips
as well as resources you can buy at Target!

Make-It-From-Scratch-Mondays: Strawberry Jam

2009-04-13T12:41:00.001-07:00

Strawberries are on sale right now so STOCK UP!!!!

The best thing to do with them is make Strawberry Jam, and no it's not that hard. I buy Pectin freezer jam, you can find it on the baking isle. There are many brands out there and I've found the Freezer Jam Pectin to be the best -
So easy!

First you wash and cut your strawberries. Then you cut them up, I use my food chopper and just place the strawberries in the bowl and chop away! I like to have a few chunks in my jam so mash them up to your desired consistency!

Squeeze some lemon on the strawberries and add your sugar.
(Exact directions are in the box of Pecitn).

Boil Pectin and water for 3 minutes.

Add dissolved pectin to mashed strawberries and stir.

Spoon into Jelly Jars. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or
Freeze your Jam up to a year!

I'm going to the store to buy more strawberries, they make the best presents for birthdays, get well gifts, thank you presents, ect. and since they can stay frozen up to a year I may have some Christmas gifts already taken care of....that is if I have any left, homemade jam is amazing!!!

Easter Message with Vinegar

2009-04-09T07:51:00.000-07:00

In keeping with my love and use for vinegar, I came across this neat teaching tool to help tell kids some of the story of Easter!

Clean pennies

Your children may have difficulties understanding that Jesus died for their sins. First of all, you may need to explain to them that sin is anything we do that keeps us from being friends with God. Bring out some grimy pennies and tell them the dirt on the pennies represents their sin. Then mix ¼ cup of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Put the pennies in the vinegar mixture for about five minutes. They will come out shiny and clean! Explain that Jesus makes us shiny and clean too.

Cleaning supply Reciepes

2009-04-08T09:50:00.000-07:00

In my previous post I mentioned my everyday-vinegar solution and my window cleaner and since some of you may be new to my blog I wanted to post the recipes again!

Everyday Vinegar Solution:
Half vinegar
Half water

Window/Glass Cleaner:
1 cup strong black tea
3 TBS Vinegar
(use this as your ratio, so if you use 3 cups of tea, you'd add 9 TBS of Vinegar.)

If the smell of vinegar bothers you, you may squeeze some lemon juice in your bottle and it will dilute the smell. Or if you happen to have any Essential oils, you may add a few drops of that as well.

Since I've been cleaning with vinegar I've grow to actually like the smell; it's completely gone within a few min.

Email me or leave a comment with any questions!

Tidy-Up Tuesday: cleaning supplies

2009-04-08T09:24:00.000-07:00

I realize I'm posting Tidy-up-Tuesdays Tip on Wednesday...sorry my Tuesday came and went faster than I could blink.

If you're anything like me, having a clean house is so important but with two small kids, hubby, part time job, cooking, and running errands, I fall behind quite often. So I'm realizing I can't always curb the chaos, instead I need to be creative within my chaos.

Here's a way I'm being creative when it comes to cleaning my bathrooms:

I was at Big Lots this week and they had large spray bottles for $1 each :) So I stocked up! I filled them with my everyday vinegar solution and my window/glass cleaner. Then I put two spray bottles in each bathroom along with a roll of paper towels under the sink; when I have 2 sec. to spare, I spray down my counters, toilets and floor, and wipe my mirror clean!

Since my supplies are right at hand, it takes me literally 2 min. to do everything and then my bathroom is shiny again! When the kids are taking baths, I use that time to clean their bathroom, since I'm in there with them anyways!

I used my Dymo Label maker so the bottles look purdy. :)

Make-It-From-Scratch-Mondays: Oatmeal Pancakes

2009-04-06T12:51:00.000-07:00

Here's my version of oatmeal pancakes, if you've never made these I suggest you try them! The oatmeal makes the pancakes thick, fluffy and hearty! Enjoy these with some homemade syrup and you'll have yourself a delicious frugal breakfast!

1 TBS oil
1 TBS honey
1 TBS sour cream
1 1/2 C milk
1 1/2 C oatmeal
1 C flour
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C brown sugar

Mix oil and honey
Add the egg and sour cream
Mix the dry ingredients and beat until smooth
Heat pan on medium heat
Drop spoonfuls onto pan, cook approx. 1 1/2 min. each side
It's important to leave the heat on medium, any higher and the pancakes will get very dark on the outside but remain undercooked on the inside. The oatmeal makes the pancakes thick, so remember to cook them low and slow!

Serve warm with butter and homemade syrup!

Freezer power

2009-04-04T08:49:00.000-07:00

There was sale on Oro Wheat bread at Albertson's last week and I happened to have coupons for that particular brand, so I stocked up. When I got home, I put the extra loves in the freezer.
I pulled out a loaf and put on the counter to thaw and it's just as good as the day I bought it!

Don't underestimate the power of your freezer,
if something is on sale - STOCK UP!

A list of foods that freeze well:

Bread - of all kinds: bagels, buns, muffins, english muffins, etc.
Tortillas
Milk
Yogurt
All kinds of Meat
Veggies
Fruit
Soup
Cooked rice/pasta
Egg whites
Salsa/Sauces
Meatballs
All kinds of Stocks (chicken, fish, vegetable)
Baby food

Vinegar and Dishes

2009-04-02T21:46:00.000-07:00

I was washing my dishes tonight and I love how great my soap works now.

What brand am I using you ask?

Any brand will do.

The way to make your dish soap work harder than you when it comes to washing dishes is to add a little power - VINEGAR power that is!!

Add 2 - 3 TBS of Vinegar to your bottle, shake it up and let it work it's powerful strength on your caked on mess.

Food, grease and smells are gone almost instantly....give it a try!

Homemade Fabric Softener

2009-04-01T13:21:00.000-07:00

Check out our friend over at Cents to Get Debt Free, she did her own fabric softener and she posted pics, which helps so much!

Here's the link to her fabric softener recipe, this is definitely up my alley, Thanks Phoebe.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

2009-03-30T14:59:00.000-07:00

A wonderful friend from many years ago sent me this, it's her own version of Taco Seasoning and I can't wait to try it. Thanks again Danelle!

Here's her e-mail:

My family eats tacos probably once a week, so I usually measure out 4 or 5 "packets" of this all at once and keep it in my spice cupboard so it's all ready to go. I really like it because it's not as salty as the packet from the store, but tastes so fresh!

The following measurements are for 2 lbs of meat (I've used it with beef and turkey and chicken...all good!) Just divide in half for 1 lb. of meat.

2 tsp dried minced onion
3 tsp chili powder
1 tsp each oregano leaves & paprika
1/2 tsp ea. dried rosemary, ground cumin & black pepper
1 clove minced garlic
3 Tbs taco sauce (I've used leftover packets from Taco Bell before, too)
4 tsp Worcestershire sauce (I've used steak sauce in a pinch)

Brown meat along with all seasonings and garlic. After meat is cooked through, drain off any fat and return to low heat, add taco sauce and Worcestershire sauce, cook until hot. Ready to go!

Pillowcase Tote

2009-03-26T14:02:00.000-07:00

Last week I had this crazy idea to make reusable grocery bags out of pillowcases; it was a wild thought that I didn't know what to do with.

Then today, Tipnut.com shares a Sewing Tutorial for a Pillowcase Tote! Crazy right?! I'm so excited and can't wait to break out my sewing machine! Here's the sites; I'll probably going to head over to Salvation Army for some cheap pillowcases. :)

tipnut.com

creativekismet.com

10 Ways to Save some Money

2009-03-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

Frugality is a way of thinking that can change our way of living.

When times are hard it can be depressing for some;
but I believe that the way we think can determine our attitude
and eventually our lifestyles.

That living a frugal and pure life requires us to be
poor in spirit and in possessions is so far from the truth.

We CAN live a fabulous frugal life if we begin with our thoughts.

Here are some ways I'm thinking outside the box to save money for our family!

Instead of buying a new book, see if your local library has it!
If you still have a land line, call your server provider and ask them to go over your plan with you, chances are you are paying for things you don't use or need. You'd be surprised at the savings!
Shop at the 99 Cent store! It can be a gold mine if you have the time to search it out!
Organize. Organize. Organize. When there's a place for everything, you're less likely to run out and buy "X" because you know you have extra. Example: Wrapping paper, Birthday Bags and Tissue.
Create a spending plan that allows for occasional eating out, pedicure, new shoes, etc. This is a must even if you're on a tight budget, it will help you feel normal and your urges to splurge will be less since you reward yourself on a regular (or semi regular) basis.
Drink more tea. Not only do you get more anti-oxidants, but it's cheaper at Starbucks!
Learn how to cook! Sounds cliche?! It isn't, check out the cookbooks at your local library and have at it! You're saving money, being healthier and gaining a new skill - it's a win-win!
Plan ahead. This goes for everything: vacations, grocery shopping, play dates!
Leave non-perishable food in the car for snacks. When you and the kids are running around doing errands, you're less likely to stop in at the gas station and buy food. We rotate between goldfish, teddy grams, even cereal, pour in a gallon size zip lock bag!
When doing your grocery shopping look high and low (literally), the most expensive items are right at eye level, in fact they pay to be there. So the cheaper food is either on the top or bottom shelf!

Please Join Amy for more Finer Things!

Homemade Pancake Syrup

2009-03-22T21:49:00.000-07:00

Pancake Syrup is actually very easy to make and most likely you have all the ingredients in your pantry. I just about finished our bottle of Mrs. Buttersworth and instead of buying more, I'm going to make a few batches on my own and pour it in the bottle! Voila - new Pancake Syrup and I paid $0!

2 cups of packed brown sugar (white sugar will work too)
1/2 cup of water
1/2 tsp. of vanilla flavoring

Bring water and sugar to a boil in a pan, stirring occasionally. If boiled too long it will be too thick. Water can be added to obtain the right consistency.
Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes or longer to obtain desired thickness.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla flavoring.
Serve warm. Store unused portion in the refrigerator.

This recipe only makes 2 cups, so I'm going to make 2 batches to fill my empty Syrup bottle!

Original Recipe found here

Homemade Granola Bars

2009-03-20T11:45:00.000-07:00

So I've been wanting granola bars lately and they are seriously so expensive, and I remember reading a recipe by Rachael Ray for no bake Granola Bars. I found the recipe and thought I'd share it with you - so easy, and so cheap. I made 2 batches, wrapped them individually in foil and froze the rest. What a perfect breakfast on the go or a healthy afternoon snack for me and the kids, you have to try these!

No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars
Courtesy of Rachael Ray

4 TBS unsalted butter
1/2 C packed light brown sugar
1/4 C honey
2 C granola
1 C rice cereal
1/2 C raisin (although any dried fruit would work!)
1/2 C thin pretzel sticks
1/2 C chocolate chips (I used leftover Valentine's Day chocolate that I froze and chopped into small chunks)

In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar with the honey and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from the heat.

Add the granola, rice cereal, raisins and pretzels to the saucepan and fold the ingredients to evenly coat the sauce. Transfer the granola mixture to a 9-by-13-inch ungreased baking pan and press firmly to evenly fill. Gently press the chocolate chips onto the top of the granola. Let the mixture set in the refrigerator until firm, about 15 minutes, then cut into 2 1/4-by-3-inch bars.

Makes approx. 16 bars :)

Here's a link to the actual recipe with the picture I used above, No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars

Baking Soda in the Kitchen

2009-03-19T08:07:00.000-07:00

Here are places and ways I use Baking Soda in my Kitchen as I clean! I hope you get inspired to use it more, it's a powerful natural tool that is so safe around the kids or pets.

When I'm washing dishes I add 2 - 3 TBLS of Baking Soda (BkSd) to the soapy water. It helps cut any grease and food left on the dishes.
When using my dishwasher, I sprinkle a handful of BkSd on my dishes or in the bottom of my dishwasher to absorb food odors.
When my trash can is smelly but the bag isn't full, one way to get rid of the odor is to sprinkle BkSd in the garbage between layers as they accumulate.
I also wash out my garbage can with water and BkSd about once a month.
BkSd can help in handling minor grease or electric fires. When fire breaks out you can throw handfuls of Baking Soda at the base of the flames to help put the fire out. Then, to be on the safe side, call the Fire Department!
I keep a box of BkSd in my fridge and freezer to help keep my food tasting fresh. I replace my boxes every other month.
When my floors are exceptionally dirty, I use 1/2 cup Baking Soda in a bucket of warm water and wash as usual.

Baking Soda Power

2009-03-18T16:43:00.000-07:00

So as some of you know, vinegar and I are tight! She's my girl, I have vinegar solutions all around my house and I use her on just about everything.

Well she works even better with her friend, Baking Soda! He's also one of a kind, and if you aren't familiar with his power, just read on!!!

I first bought a giant bag of Baking Soda (BkSd) from Smart & Final and was literally carrying it around from bathroom to bathroom cleaning. It was a pain. So I had this bright idea to pour him into a smaller container (duh!). I was just at the end of our Santa Maria Seasoning (it's a large plastic container, much like Parmesan Cheese Containers). So I poured the remaining seasoning in a zip lock bag then filled it up with BkSd. Now I have my vinegar solution and my BkSd sprinkler in a small easy tote as I clean.

Other containers to pour Baking Soda in:

Lowry's Season Salt

Garlic Salt

Bacon Bits

Baking Powder Can (small and round!)

Old containers from your Spice rack (might be small, but easy to store throughout your house!)

Parmesan Cheese

***Be creative, and use what you have at home, no need to buy a separate container!***

Here's the best way I look at Baking Soda, whatever I used to pour Comet or Bleach on when cleaning, I now use Baking Soda. Completely odorless and non-toxic and virtually harmless!

To give you an idea, here are some places I use Baking Soda!

Kitchen
Sink
Stove
Oven
Refrigerator
Counters
Faucets
Floors
Dishwasher
Grout
Trash Can
Disposal
Microwave

Bathroom
Sink
Counter
Faucet
Toilets
Grout
Floor
Tub
Shower
Drains
Trash Cans

More Vinegar Please!

2009-03-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

More great uses for our friend, Vinegar!

Outside:
After picking flowers, add two tablespoons of white vinegar plus three tablespoons of sugar per quart of warm water to the vase. It's ideal to have stems in three to four inches of water.

Got an ant problem? Use a spray bottle filled with a solution of equal parts vinegar and water around door jambs, window sills, water pipes, and foundation cracks.

Occasionally water plants with a mixture of two tablespoons white vinegar to one quart water. Azaleas love acidic soil.

Inside:
If you're in a room with cigarette smoke or paint fumes, leave a small bowl of white vinegar on the counter or table. The odor will dissipate.

To clean toilets: Pour in one cup of white vinegar, let it stand for five minutes, brush clean and flush.

Your body:
Got Dandruff? Believe it or not, vinegar can help! Pour a few tablespoons of vinegar on your hair and massage into your scalp. Wait 3 minutes, then rinse and wash hair like normal. Try this for a few days until you see results. Vinegar restores chemical balance to the skin.

Want softer skin? Add one-half cup of vinegar or so to warm bath water when bathing. Bonus, you get a cleaner bathtub with less work. I know I know you're probably thinking, "Eww, I don't want to smell like vinegar." Trust me you wont because it's such small amount. But when in doubt drop in some essential oils and your skin will be soft and smell great!

Smooth a little vinegar on cracked, dried skin to help it heal.

When summer time comes, and the inevitable sunburn happens to you or your friends, remember to apply undiluted vinegar to the burn. It will sooth and heal your skin quickly!

More great sites to cleaning with vinegar
cleaningwithvinegar.com
vinegartips.com
thenewhomemaker.com
62-little-known-uses-of-vinegar

Coupon list

2009-03-03T14:54:00.000-08:00

Here's a list of some great coupons for your every day use!

Many thanks to Barganist.com, enjoy!

Swiffer Socks

2009-03-01T23:04:00.000-08:00

I have a Swiffer Mop and I love it, it makes cleaning my floors so easy, but the the Mopping Refills can be pretty expensive. My alternative: an old sock!! It actually works really well; And I know we all have spare socks laying around, why not put them to good use!

I later found these helpful hints off Tipnut.com, it's better than paying for something you're just going to throw away!

I then mix up some vinegar and water and enjoy an eco-friendly cleaning, when I'm done I toss it in the washer. Give it a try!

Cart Smarts

2009-02-28T22:02:00.000-08:00

So if you're out shopping, esp. with kids,

I think the best place to park your car is by the cart return stands.

And here's why:

Most likely there's a cart handy so you can

easily plop in your kids and purse and walk to the front door;

Plus after unloading the cart you can return it to it's proper place without walking across the parking lot or trying to lift it up onto those center islands!

To me, it's a win-win. :)

Frugal tips for your home!

2009-02-26T13:59:00.000-08:00

Here are some Helpful Household Tips.

Remember being frugal is a way of thinking
that can change your way of living!

Cheap Chip Clips: Those special clips used to keep food bags closed and fresh aren't really necessary. Instead, keep a jar or bag of clothespins on hand and they do just as great a job!

Hillbilly Ice Chest: Having a party and need a big tub of ice for drinks? Fill your washing machine with ice, then stack cans and bottles inside. Since washing machines are deep, you can layer ice and cans if needed. After the party remove any drinks left over, let ice melt and then turn on the drain cycle. This Hillbilly Ice Cooler provides lots of room, easy cleanup, and lots of comments, lol. (courtesy of tipnut.com)

Remember Coupons: I seem to forget which coupons I have when I go shopping, so I've started writing my list on the back of an envelope. I write the Letter "C" next to the items that I have a coupon for. Then I place all the coupons that I'll be using inside the envelope - so easy; then when I'm shopping, I have my list and coupons in one easy tote!

Plants & Coffee Filters: Jeremiah and I were planting seeds today and a great idea to keep the soil from draining out of the hole when you water is to use a coffee filter. Before filling a plant container with soil, first lay a coffee filter on the bottom inside of the pot and then add the soil on top. If it's a planter for the outside, you may also lay a small layer of pebbles then the soil, this can also help ventilate the pot!

Baby Powder & Rubber Gloves: I don't clean much with gloves anymore, but I when I do I dust my hands lightly with baby powder before putting on rubber gloves (flour works well too). This helps remove the gloves easily!

Baby Powder & Beach Sand: When you leave the beach and you or your kids are sandy, the best way to get the sand off is by dusting your arms or legs with baby powder then wiping with a dry towel, the sand (be it wet or dry) comes right off. When the inevitable sand gets in their eyes, I dust a thin layer of baby powder on a dry towel and wipe their face (eyes closed of course)!

Laundry Bag & Sand Toys: Since CA is full of sunny days, we're at the park A LOT! Sand toys are a favorite must-have for our family. The best way I've found to tote them around is with a laundry bag (The 99 Cent Store has them), fill it up with the toys, when you leave give the bag a shake!

Homemade Cleaners

2009-02-24T09:08:00.000-08:00

So I had coffee with a new friend last night and we were talking about au natural cleaners and I realized when I went home that I've never posted much on the topic. so I thought I'd post a few of the recipes I use around the house!

This is the list of natural ingredients I use to clean, all of them can be found in your regular grocery store. Although for some reason, Washing Soda (Arm & Hammer) I usually find at Albertsons, but the rest I buy in bulk at Smart & Final.

White Vinegar
Baking Soda
Lemon Juice
Borax
Washing Soda
Rubbing Alcohol
Cornstarch
Mineral Oil
Coarse Salt - Sea Salt is great
Toothpaste

If I have a good response to this post, I'll add more recipes and tips!
I'll also post some pics if there's an interest!

Quick General Clean Ups: half vinegar and half water solution
Keep a spray bottle in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room.

Disinfectant: 1/2 cup of borax dissolved in one gallon of hot water.
The important part here (that I have had to learn the hard way), is to let it cool completely, and then strain it, before pouring it into a plastic spray bottle (otherwise it clumps).

Floor, Counter, Toilet Cleaner: 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water.
You can also polish linoleum floors with club soda :) The big question here is, "will my house smell like vinegar, and the answer is no." It may temporarily smell like vinegar while you're cleaning, but your house will not smell. Adding lemon juice to vinegar when cleaning can help neutralize the vinegar smell.

Window Cleaner: One cup cold strong black tea with 3 TBS of vinegar
Pour in spray bottle

Stove and oven cleaner: 2 TBS of baking soda and hot water or you can sprinkle the soda on a damp sponge and wipe.
The issue here that I've had to learn the hard way, is that if you just sprinkle Baking Soda on your stove and start wiping, it takes numerous times to wipe completely smooth and clean and not be filmy; so if you sprinkle directly on the stove top - use very little. Otherwise first put on a damp sponge and scrub! It really works!

Carpet Deodorizer: Mix two parts cornmeal with one part borax.
Sprinkle generously over carpet, wait one hour then vacuum

Deodorize & Clean Garbage Disposal: Freeze Distilled Vinegar into ice cubes
Run several cubes down the disposal while flushing with cold water.

Microwave Cleaning Method: 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water
Pour into a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Baked-on food will be loosened, and odors will disappear. Then you just wipe clean - love it!!

Bleaching Clothes: Lemon Juice
Lemon juice can act as a natural bleaching agent. Squeeze fresh lemon juice onto white linens and/or clothing, then allow them to dry in the sun. Stains will be bleached away, wash as usual!

Some of my recipes come from Tipnut.com, vinegartips.com and Arm & Hammer

Shop when the time is right!

2009-02-16T13:13:00.000-08:00

So when it comes to being frugal with our spending, it's best if we buy when the time is right. For example the best time for a winter coat is not in Nov./Dec. when it's the coldest, it's actually in Feb. when stores want to clear things out.
If we want to save money, we have shift our perception of buying.

Here's a quick run down of what is ideal to buy in what months.

Jan.
Winter coats (after Christmas sales)
Christmas items
Furniture
Bikes or outdoor gear
Men's Shirts

Feb.
Winter coats
After Valentine's Day: chocolate, stuffed animals, jewelry

Mar.
Video games
China

April
Vacation packages
TVs and other electronics

May
Paper goods
Strawberries
Towels
Small appliances (after Mother's Day)

June
Tools (after Father's Day

July
School supplies
Furniture

August
National Peach Month - peaches!
Pool toys or equipment
patio furniture
Sandals, flip-flops
Swim suits

September
Summer clothes
Inflatable pools
China

Oct.
National Pizza and Pasta Month
Halloween candy
Lawn mowers

Nov.
Halloween candy
Halloween decoration/costume
Thanksgiving canned foods

Dec.
After Christmas sales
Cars
Wedding Dresses

Excerpt from Teri Gault's book, Shop Smart Save More

Homemade Banana Bread!

2009-02-16T12:11:00.000-08:00

I know there are many banana bread recipes out there but this is one of my favorites that I've spiced up, enjoy!

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup butter/margarine
5 TBS milk
3 smashed very riped bananas
1 semi-ripe banana sliced up
2 TBS sour cream
1 TBS/ea of sugar and cinnamon (for sprinkling on top)

Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt.

In a large bowl, cream sugar, sour cream and butter. Beat the egg slightly and mix into the creamed mixture with the very ripe smashed bananas.

Mix in sifted ingredients until just combined. Stir in the milk and the semi ripe banana slices.

Spread batter into one greased and flowered 9x5 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mix.

Bake at 350 until top is golden brown and there are crack along the top (1 hour 10 min.)

Find those leaks

2009-02-15T15:55:00.001-08:00

Sometimes our money disappears so fast it's astounding. I like to look at our money as liquid in a jar, sometimes our jars have holes in them and it's leaking out. In the same manner, sometimes there's holes in our spending, or habits that is causing our money to leak out.

First you must identify the leak; for example, look for automatic withdrawls on things you no longer use (For us it was Blockbuster. They were taking money out each month regardless of the amount of movies we rented, but I realized we were only watching 1 or 2 movies a month, so I cancelled them).

After you identify the leak, plug it up!

Another leak for many of us is change, didn't realize those annoying shinny coins were leaks did you? As a way to plug up the leak I take the change that is dumped from my husband's pockets and whatever is in my wallet and every few days I put it in our change jar.

Over the last 3 months we've accumulated $40 in change alone. Every 6 months, I'll go deposit it to our savings account! I plugged up a leak and it's now more money in our account!

Cloth Diapers

2009-02-13T15:04:00.000-08:00

So cloth diapers huh? Who uses those any more? Aren't they those messy cloths that you have to safety pin and then cover with a gross plastic bag?

Well you'd be surprised to find out that more and more moms are switching to cloth diapers. And as out dated as many of you may think they are, you'd be surpised how far things have come.

Sure it might be a little messy and yes, you have to wash them out by hand, but it's another great way to save money, plus it's better for the environment.

I bought my Diaper Wraps from diaperaps.com where I spent $37 for 3 wraps, and my mom bought me some cloth diapers from Wal-Mart (yea mom!). So I haven't needed any disposable diapers in 3 months which means I'm now saving money!!

Here's some websites to check out:
Diaperaps, Soft Cloth Bunz, Wild Flower Diapers

Cleaner Car

2009-02-10T07:30:00.000-08:00

What do you do with your plastic bags?

Well I keep about two or three in my car and I use them as trash bags. It's amazing how much trash that can accumulate in our cars with cups, lids, wrappers, ect. So I have a trash bag in my car and it makes my car less junkie, plus it's another great way to reuse those bags!

2009-02-09T07:35:00.001-08:00

Cards can be so pricey, can't they? Here's a link to free printable cards, print them out on card stock for more of a firm and durable card! They have cards for all holidays!

Free Printable Cards

Carpet Deodorizer

2009-02-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

What's that smell???

Sometimes our carpets can start to show the evidence of kids, pets and food.

If you have small ones around the house, you probably want to use a deodorizer that's safe and au natural!!!

Well here's an easy recipe you can use to deodorize your carpets safely!

The formula is roughly

1 part Borax to 2 parts Cornmeal.

Mix together and sprinkle on your carpets.

It's best if you wait an hour and then vacuum!

Make-Your-Own-Baby-Wipes

2009-02-04T17:30:00.000-08:00

Making your own baby wipes are very easy to do and are another great way to help your wallet and the environment. Below is the recipe I use. Some people use strong paper towels; first cut the roll of paper towels in half, then take out the core so wipes pull out of the center.
Although when I'm at home I just use wash cloths!

2 TBSP Baby Wash
2 TBSP Olive Oil
2 Drops Tea Tree Oil
2 Cups Water
Mix well in a spray bottle or your wipes box. Spray on wipe before using a spray bottle. Swish solution around over wipes if using a wipey box. Tea Tree Oil is a great disinfectant and also has a wonderful clean smell.

If you want to take your homemade wipes with you, simply dampen some paper towels with your solution and then store in a zip lock bag or a traditional "wipey box".

Find these and other great baby wipe recipes at naturalbirthandbabycare.com

Amazing Blogs

2009-02-04T16:42:00.001-08:00

Here are some amazing blogs on couponing!

jane4girls800dollarannualbudget

katycouponers

hotcouponworld

frugaldrmom

moneysavingmom

Save the Juice!!

2009-02-04T12:22:00.000-08:00

So today I opened a can of mandarin oranges for Jeremiah and I saved the juice from the can to make a vinaigrette for tonight's salad! Here's the recipe for my vinaigrette, sooo easy!

Super Quote Wednesday

2009-02-04T07:28:00.000-08:00

"Count it all joy!"

Life is full of unexpected surprises, some good, some not-so-good. When things don't go the way I planned, something I'm trying to do more of is tell myself to count it all joy.

Doing this works the highest degree of patience in me, and I must be honest, it's not always easy to do. But I'm trying to make joy my standard habitual response to things that don't go according to plan, or when unexpected problems arise. The more I do this, the less overwhelmed and stressed I tend to feel during the day.

Give it a try!

Couch Time

2009-02-03T07:39:00.000-08:00

The couch can quickly become a catch all and really clutter up the living room. Take a few minutes and rearrange the pillows, fold up the blankets, or put toys, shoes, books where they belong, you'll be amazed the difference a clean couch can do for your living room. 1 - 2 min. tops, and things can look and feel cleaner!

Make-It-From-Scratch-Monday

2009-02-02T07:06:00.000-08:00

Salad Dressings can sometimes be costly, but are actually very easy to make.

To make your own vinaigrette, the basic ratio is 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil.

Here's my own recipe for Strawberry Vinaigrette:

1 - 2 cups of strawberries, washed, with tops removed

3/4 cup of balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 to 2 cups of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

(The oil fluctuates depending on your desire of consistency,

obviously the more oil you add, the thinner the dressing will be.)

1 small clove of garlic

3 TBS of Sugar (honey works well too)

pinch of salt and pepper

Pour all ingredients, except the oil, in a food processor and begin pureeing

(a blender works just as well)

Slowly begin adding the oil to your desired consistency.

Add more salt, pepper or sugar to taste

I like to serve this vinaigrette over baby arugula and cut strawberries.

It's an amazing salad!

***Don't care for strawberries?

Try Raspberries, blueberries or blackberries.

Pomegranate juice is also amazing here, same recipe,

just add 1 - 1 1/2 cups of pom juice!

Add some UMPH to your Dish Soap!

2009-01-30T12:16:00.000-08:00

In an attempt to keep your dish soap lasting longer and working harder for you - VINEGAR is your best friend!

When you buy Dish Soap, add 3 - 5 Tablespoons of Vinegar and shake. This adds extra cleaning power, and you will find you don't need to use as much!

Give it a try, let me know if it works!!!

Why pay for someone else to do your laundry?!

2009-01-30T08:54:00.001-08:00

Did you know that Manufacturers slap on a "Dry-Clean Only" tag to carry the least amount of liability for mislaundering....google it! Few fabrics are really damaged by laundering with water. So if you let your common sense be your guide, most items in your closet can be laundered.

Dry cleaning can actually add up annually. Let's say you spend $10 - $20 a month on dry cleaning, that's about $200 a year that could be going into a savings account for the unexpected flat tire or dental work.......so next time you'd rather have someone else wash and iron your husband's shirt, grit your teeth, take a deep breath and do it yourself, you'll be saving money and in the long run, your bank account will thank you!

Free Febreze!

2009-01-28T21:47:00.000-08:00

So when your bottle of Febreze is empty, don't throw it away.

Instead fill it up with water and add 1 cup of fabric softener and voila you've made your very own Febreze.

Super Quote Wednesday

2009-01-28T07:18:00.000-08:00

"This too shall pass!"

When life is crazy and things feel overwhelming I remind myself that, "this too shall pass." Nothing will stay the same forever, everything we experience is seasonal, there will be an end and something new will take its place; that's the wonderful cycle of existence that God has established.

So when your debt seems too high, your child just won't use the potty, your life seems too disorganized for peace, and you can't remember the last time you had a full nights rest, just tell yourself: "This too shall pass!"

Homemade laundry soap

2009-01-26T07:35:00.000-08:00

A great way to be frugal and save a lot of money is by making your own laundry soap. If you've never tried it, I encourage you to make this your week!!! Even if you or your kids have sensitive skin or eczema, you can use their sensitive skin bar soap instead of Ivory (store bought) soap. It will cost you the same amount to buy the ingredients as it will to buy a box of Tide, only instead of 30 -40 loads, you'll have enough to make hundreds!

Here's the recipe I use:

1 quart boiling water

2 cups Bar soap (grated)

2 cups Borax

2 cups Washing Soda (Arm & Hammer)

Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until soap is completely melted (20 min.) You can keep on low heat until soap is melted.
Pour the soap water into a large, clean pail and add the Borax and Washing Soda. Stir well until it has dissolved.
Add 2 gallons of water and stir until well mixed.
Cover pail and use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. Stir the sap each time, as it will gel.

I saved a laundry softener jug and fill it up with my soap, then I use the lid as my measuring cup each time. It also makes it easy to stir - just shake the jug!

The key here is making sure your soap is completely melted, and yes it takes time, but it will save you a lot of money!