A friend of mine just sent me this site for Still Tasty.com. If you are concerned over the shelf life of an item, you just type it in the search box, selected the most appropriate selection, and get the shelf life. I typed in shelf life of coke, unopened. It is good for 3 months after the shelf life. How handy! A great tip for moms wanting to know if the ketchup is a keeper!
If you want to earn some cash back on your holiday shopping, start with Ebates. Ebates has tons of stores listed and when you click from their site, you get cash back. They even have a daily double site (yesterday was Barnes and Nobel with 8% cash back on your purchases) they double the percentage back. And they list tons of online coupons to help you save more. It just makes sense! Ebay is even one of the stores you can click too! And it is for real! I got a check back for purchases right from the company in a reasonable amount of time. Refer your friends and when they sign up and make a $20 purchase in 90 days, you get $5. Tons of way to make some extra cash all year round.
We took our Christmas card photos on Thanksgiving day so I could get the photo cards started ASAP. I do not like to take pictures too early for Christmas because they look so different in one month when they are young. But if you wait too long, then you can not get them delivered soon enough with some companies (although Walgreens and Walmart do photo cards in one hour). I first checked Walgreens and did not like any of the cards (they had a $10 off coupon). I am a stickler for having "Merry Christmas" on the card, no snowman, and no "Happy Holidays". If I can find a card with some type of Jesus message on it, that is even better.
Thanksgiving night I looked at Shutterfly. I found a REALLY cute card (5 x 7) and got it all set up. I even got 25 free cards but the total was still $163! So I revamped, looked a ton of cute cards on other sites for as much money and went back to Shutterfly. This time I picked a normal 4 x 8 card, with Christmas Blessings and a cross and I was able to add in a Bible verse that I was not able to do on the super cute card AND got 25 free cards for $55 (for 100 cards). That is a deal! AND I got a free 12 month calendar for ordering over $50. Now those are regular deals (and I am not an affliate anymore so I do not even get a percentage for a click) but it is something to look into if you are getting a photo Christmas card. I love sending pictures of the kids at Christmas and this time we even added a family picture since my uncle kept saying he got Christmas cards with orphan children! :) And I forgot- it was even free shipping. So overall, I saved $56.00 for 100 Christmas cards and a great calendar for next year with tons of pictures from this year. What a deal! Needless to say, it took me a few hours on the computer doing the cards and the calendar. And after I had all the pictures for the calendar, I started a photo book I will finish after Christmas for our "Year in Photos." It is a great option since I hardly ever print pictures- I will be so sad if they disappear some day!
My six year old asked for a chess game. He said he played at summer camp. It was at the dollar store, so we bought it. He begged to play. I have never played chess and have always been intimidated by the idea of chess. The rules were not all that complicated for the basic moves. You have to remember what is what and how they are allowed to move, but other than that, playing with a six year old was easy. But I was not sure if we were playing correctly so I went online to an online chess site and read the rules and learned we were not playing right. The site had lots of nice graphics of what pieces could do. Then I went played the computer and got a few more ideas. There are parts I do not get exactly, but I think I have a basic understanding. That is until I play someone other than the computer or a six year old.
By the way, my four year old memorized the set up after one game. Maybe chess does make them smarter. I definitely see a strategist in my son and that is great! It is truly a thinking game, except for the four year old! She just wants to capture the pieces and put them in the jail so they cannot talk to each other! :)
We went to the park this morning in the 90 degree heat... and the kids loved it! They could care less about the heat- I sat in the shade. They loved running and playing. You should always take time to just play- even if it is 90 degrees!
I recently found two well know Food Network shows with money saving meals--- it seems to be a trend, doesn't it. Instead of showing fabulous or fast meals, they also need to include recipes that an average family can afford to fix.
The first is Rachel Ray's budget meals. I did not even know Rachel Ray had her own site off the Food network, but she has so much else going on, how could she not. You can see a great list of some budget friendly meals like this spinach greek pizza. After getting through the advertisements that pop up all over, sign up for her newsletter and get a list of weekly meals on Mondays.
Sandra Lee also has a money saving meals section on the food network. With some video instructions, she list some family friendly meals like the Hawaiian Pulled Pork Sandwiches. Sandra also has a list of money saving tips for your grocery shopping. My favorite, use a slower cooker at $.02 an hour. Plus it is done and you do not have to think of cooking when you get home from work!
I am sure there are many money saving meal sites available. Let me know your favorites!
I bought the Woman's Day magazine this month specifically for the "Feed Your Family for $99 a Week" article. I was curious to try it. Since my kids hardly eat anything I cook anyway, I really do not need food for a family a four, but I always cook extra anyway. One night, I had my friends over for the Asian Chicken and there really was not enough chicken with 4 thighs. But I was able to buy almost everything for around $99 (see the list here). I did not have to buy all the staples, and I added some organic meat instead of regular meat, and still did okay. I do not have an actual total since I did not follow the rules of not buying anything else (like these peanut butter cookies)- I had to add in food for the kids, plus more fruit. Everything I have cooked so far has been good and easy. I will probably repeat the week every few weeks.
I just bought the Great Value Peanut Butter Cookies from Walmart and they are good- just like the Girl Scout peanut butter Tagalongs... yummy. The other one similar is the mint chocolate chip that my friend tried, they are well worth it- and so much cheaper than the once a year sales (and available all year!). Other stores such as Publix are carrying similar cookies (very similar if you ask me) too.
I have already been through one pedometer because I dropped it too many times--- really, it fell off my pants when I would lean over... so I bought a new one with a safety strap. Today it came off but did not drop since it was attached twice! Yeah! And since I had to buy one, I bought a fancier version with desktop software and a digital display. It is pretty cool.
Omron Pocket Pedometer PC Version
Following my own advice to make it myself (it is good advice, isn't it!)I made up some sugar scrub today. I bought the oils and such last year and need to use them up before they go bad. And I really need a nice scrub for my legs and feet. Here is my unscented recipe (substitute oils as necessary, but these work great):
2 tablespoons baking soda
1/4 c coarse salt
1 c coarse sugar (like raw sugar)
1 tablespoon almond oil
1/4 cup jojoba oil
Mix in the jojoba until the mix is the right consistency--- such a great combination! Even buying the oils will save you money and you know you have quality ingredients. You can get them at health food stores or large healthy grocery stores (like Whole Foods).
While I do not think of myself as crafy, I tend to be crafty--- I can sew a little, do some scrap booking, and make sugar scrubs... and when I saw this $2000 purse, I knew I could make something similar. Now, I did not use the silk taffeta, just cotton, but I did create the same look. It was not too difficult- here are my steps (If I get adventurous, I will do one of those ehow videos...)
1. Cut fabric with pinking shears- I cut mine 1/2 yard by 2 inches wide- I will cut them a little thinner next time- probably 1/2 yard by 1 1/2 inches. Cut both sides with pinking shears to keep your fabric loss to a minimum.
2. Run a long gathering stitch along one long side. Pull to a tight gather and knot both sides.
3. Twist the fabric into a rose beginning with the middle and going out. Hand sew the first few rolls at the bottom of the rosette. Allow the thread to hang loose from the bottom and keep twisting. When you have twisted all of it, hand sew a few times on the bottom to keep the rose intact.
4. I used a clearance purse from a discount store and glued the roses on. If you are really crafty, sew your own purse. This was a leather type vinyl. I used E-6000 Adhesive 3-3/4 oz
Your color combinations can vary. I have a few more I got fabric for this weekend- so I need to get started. It took around 55 roses- 3 yards of fabric- to cover both sides of this purse at the larger measurement. Let me know if you try this out. Overall, with the purse, not including my time and tools (sewing machine, pinking shears), I spent about $18. I think it is cute--- too bad I am giving it to my sister!
We bought these GE® Motion Sensing Switch - 2pk
Over a year ago I signed up to get email tips to help me be more eco-friendly from Ideal Bite. I have learned so much from their tips- from make-up to cleaning to decor, they cover it all, with some interesting tips to follow up the emails. They send 3-5 a week, with a variety of topics, and have a great website too. You can invite your friends and be entered into their giveaway for a summer gift basket. Try it out- you will love it- or you can unsubscribe-- no commitment, but great information.
Many blogs and websites giveaway free stuff by doing simple things--- my friend Betsy is giving away ecofriendly cleaning products from Eco Store just for visiting a website and posting a comment. EcoStore is giving away $500 for creating a video of yourself using their lemon cream cleanser and posting it on Facebook. Swapmama is giving away "What It's Like, Living Green" or GADbaby cloth diapers to someone that post a comment in discussion threads. Woman's Day has giveways each month. And that is just in a quick search of sites I have frequented lately! If you really search you will find more! I won a baby sling one time just for posting a comment! You can two- find those giveaways and join (especially Betsy's!).
My 20 year old not-a-mama sister found this site and shared it with me- SwapMamas. The logo- "smarter, greener, and kicking the economy to the curb" explains it all. This social networking site is a free resource for all things made and traded. Typical of social sites, they have a bunch of different groups you can join, join the free forum, and list items for trade or for free. Here is a list of items for consideration of how it works. You can trade "even steven", give an item away, or barter for something you may want. You have a customized page and a profile to give info about yourself. Lots of good things. My sister was impressed with a vinegar draino solution (will need to be a member to see it) she found, she sent me an email right away!
I am not an exerciser! Although I love walking, walking in Florida outside (my favorite place to walk, not on a treadmill) in the summer time is a challenge! Ever since I read the book The Wildwater Walking Club by Claire Cook, I have been in a quest to count my steps. I got my pedometer and lost it in two days (before my trip to Boston when I probably walked 15000 steps a day) and found it again. My goal is 10000 steps a day. In the book, each chapter is a day and begins with the steps walked by the main character that day. I wanted a way to chart my progress too and after some internet searching found a forum called the Walker Tracker. It is free and gives you handy little widgets to track your progress and share it with the world! I am ready to start counting- join me and lets see what we can accomplish!
If you are tired of diets, try this back to basics idea for food consumption- The Food Pyramid. By choosing foods based on the dietary pyramid (updated since I was in school) you can eat the foods you should eat. To start off, you input your weight, height, age, sex, and activity range. Then it tells you if you are at an appropriate weight (if you are, it just goes straight to the recommendations... you can tell how I found out it tells if you weight is "appropriate"!). Then it gives your calorie recommendations . It breaks into food groups and even gives a PDF for you to print and a menu planner (and it saves information for you each time!) that helps you record what you have eaten each day, what you need to add, and subtract (fats and sugars for me!). And you can add members of you family to track their meals too. So many handy resources in one section! It will keep me in line by tallying every day what I eat- and I really need to add in the veggies and fruit!
A great tip to save some money is to not spend it! McDonald's is offering a free "sample" of the iced or hot Mocha on Mondays from 7 am to 7 pm until August 3. I am a coffee drinker (especially espresso drinks) and their coffee is pretty good. Mochas are not usually my thing because they are sweet, but I will be there this coming Monday to try one out. If you like coffee, try it out. It is a great option for those that do not have a Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks or local coffee shop nearby. Now you can get your espresso fix right at Micky D's!
Solar path lights like these are a great addition for outdoor decor. And right now, you can probably find them on sale with summer stock being cleared out. Hubby just found sets of 8 at Lowe's for $20 each (we bought two)(not the ones seen above). That is a deal since they are mostly $20 for 2 lights, not 8. I could not find them online so you will have to stop by your local store. Earlier this season, Big Lots carried them also. I lined one side of the sidewalk path to the front of the house and had three more for the backyard (just around the patio). They do not require wiring, just some simple assembly and stick them in the yard. And in Florida, just a few hours of sunlight keep them lit for hours through the night- at least during the summer time. Lighting times vary according to the amount of sunlight you get, so it may be different in your area.
My friend and coupon blogger Betsy gave me this tip...
The blog Southern Savers hooks up those of you that coupon with the weekly flyer ad and all the coupons you should use to get the best deals. I shop at Publix and hate to try to dig through the coupons, but this blog makes it easy... like this post for the most recent green advantage sale flyer. Even the most reluctant couponer can do this! You just have to save coupons for weeks (until they expire) and sort them well. Then you are ready to go when the flyer comes in (just follow the list given for the best deals). List it all on your free shopping list. It works for the BOGO's too!
I do purchase a lot of organic food- especially milk like Horizon (especially Horizon Organic Reduced Fat Milk, Chocolate, 8-Ounce Aseptic Cartons (Pack of 18)
But it can be expensive ($3.50 a half gallon of milk compared to $2.59 non organic gallon of milk at our local store)- but it is worth it in most cases. There are some great money saving tips on buying organic at Woman's Day magazine. One is to spend on those dirty dozen especially, organic peaches, strawberries, cherries, nectarines, bananas, bell peppers, celery, kale, lettuce and carrots. Save on the "less contaminated"- save on nonorganic pineapples, mangos, kiwis, papayas, watermelons, onions, avocados, asparagus, frozen peas and cabbage. Spend on milk, eggs, beef, poultry, and wild fish.
Also, buy seasonally- especially if you can get to an organic farmers market to buy locally.
It is worth it in some cases to splurge on the organic items list.
I love Gymboree clothes for my kids, but the prices are mostly too steep. Gymboree has a sister company called Crazy 8 that offers lower priced clothes with the same great look. And right now, if you sign up for their email list, you get $10 off! An even better deal for some cute clothes. They also have uniforms, swim suits, etc. Check it out!
I started drying clothes outside over a year and half ago, after my dryer broke. I have since broke one clothesline and got a new one. But there are still those clothes that are too tedious to hang- undies, dresses, etc. I have had a traditional wood drying rack but it broke too (hubby zip tied the side to keep it standing). This weekend on our first trip to IKEA, hubby found this Frost Drying Rack. It holds an entire load of clothes (from my DUET which is a very large capacity) and folds down flat. I love it! It would be great for a porch, patio, or in the bathtub. It will save on your drying, save your delicate, and save money from not running the dryer!
Allrecipes is a great site for recipes, but it is a great site for converting serving sizes for larger groups. I occasionally have to prepare a meal for 30, 50, or even 200 people (for church). The conversion calculator makes it easy to determine how much of the ingredients to buy- at least it gives you a ball park figure and you do not have to do the math.
Here is an example:
I had to make Taco Salad for 200 teen age girls. I used the taco salad recipe, change the 8 people to 200 and clicked "calculate". This changed the 1 pound of ground beef to 25 pounds of ground beef and all the other ingredients. This is super helpful when you are having a gathering!
I stumbled across YouData today. You get paid to check out the sites they refer to you based on your demographics. I found some pretty neat sites too. Check it out- I earned $.75 in just a few minutes my first day. If that trend continues, that is an extra $20 a month! Plus you get paid every Friday with no minimums.
But, just so you know, it is not guaranteed you will get anything any day, but it worth the few minutes to sign up.
Deals are always a good tip for moms.
My first deal to post is courtesy of the Kraft full plate club.
Publix is offering a $10 rebate card if you purchase 4 different type of Kraft products totaling $50. They do not have to have to be purchased at the same time, but do have to be purchased within the eligibility period: 7/13 to 8/9. You can earn up to $30 per household.
After you purchase, you have to complete the rebate form, separate for each $50 you purchased. They can be mailed all together, but must be RECEIVED to Kraft by 8/14.
Here are the qualifying items: (2 oz or larger): Starbucks Coffee, Kraft Mayonnaise, Miracle Whip Dressing, Kraft Good Seasons Salad Dressing, Kraft Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese, Velveeta Shells & Cheese Dinner, Planters Sliced Almonds, Shake 'N Bake Original Chicken Seasoning Mix, Jell-O Pudding, Kraft Grated Parmesan, Oscar Mayer Bacon, Bacon Bits, Deli Fresh Shaved Meats, or Chicken Strips, California Pizza Kitchen Thin Crust Pizza, Kraft 2% Milk Cheese, A-1 Steak Sauce, and Kraft Barbecue Sauce
And here are some coupons from Kraft.
Happy shopping!
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