Reviving the F Words

Menu - Sept 14th

2009-09-14T07:47:00.000-07:00

Monday
Ham and Pineapple Kabobs
Seasoned Rice

Tuesday
We have a potluck so I'm toting along these two dishes:
7-Layer Taco Dip and Tortilla Chips
Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins

Wednesday
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Garlic Bread

Thursday
General Tsao's Chicken (Thank you Iron Chef sauce.)
Rice
Steamed Broccoli

Friday
Meatloaf
Baked Potatoes
Corn

Saturday
Homemade Pizza

Sunday
Easy Slowcooker French Dip Sandwiches
Chips

For even more delicious menus, head on over to I'm an Organizing Junkie!

FREE Chocolate Friday

2009-09-04T07:29:00.000-07:00

What better way to celebrate Friday than nabbing yourself some free chocolate? Go here to get a Mars coupon for free chocolate. But hurry, it's only the first 250,000 each Friday!

Free Magazines

2009-09-01T14:49:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Money Saving Mom, I ran across some more great freebie magazines. Now I'm all set to drool over fabulous garden designs while the cold descends upon us here in the Midwest! Enjoy.

September Eating at Home Challenge

2009-08-31T09:17:00.001-07:00

Lately, we've found ourselves wandering into restaurants and passing through drive-thru lanes much too frequently. All the usual excuses - we're too busy, it's easier, we're going to be out all day, etc. - are ever ready. But the truth, I suspect, has more to do with habit than anything else. In an effort to break that habit, we've decided on a challenge: No eating out during the month of September. No exceptions. No drive-thru coffee or oops I forgot my lunch and have to eat something stops. In the first case, we'll have to suffer through a caffeine-free morning if we don't make it ourselves. In the latter, a quick stop at the grocery store to nab an apple and cheese will be just as quick.

Hopefully, this coming month will not only break us of this bad habit, but also pad our savings account a bit and lighten our waistlines. Anyone want to join us in our new September = Eat at Home Month challenge?

Menu - Aug 31

2009-08-31T09:03:00.000-07:00

Monday -
Fierro Chicken (using fresh green chilies)
Seasoned Rice
Green Beans

Tuesday -
Meatball Subs (Using meatballs & sauce from this recipe, I layer provolone cheese over three hot meatballs per brat bun. Spoon a bit of sauce over each. Then toast under broiler until browned and bun is toasted.)
Chips

Wednesday -
Grilled Pork Chops
Home Fries (I throw in diced onion and bell pepper.)
Corn

Thursday -
Taco Salad

Friday -
Steak
Baked Potatoes w/chives
Broccoli

Saturday -
Homemade Pizzas

Sunday -
Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs (This is a new recipe I'm trying out this week.)
Grilled Veggie Kabobs (seasoned zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, and cherry tomatoes)

For even more great menu ideas, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie!

Hy-Vee Coupon Matchups

2009-08-26T09:13:00.000-07:00

As I was browsing Hy-Vee's website for their weekly ad, I stumbled on a new (at least I've never noticed it before) feature: a coupon matchup. Check it out here if you're interested. Very cool!

Menu - Aug 17th

2009-08-17T06:34:00.001-07:00

Monday
Teriyaki Pork Kebabs
White Rice

Tuesday
Grilled Chicken
Fettuccini Alfredo

Wednesday
Shredded Beef Tacos
Mexican Rice

Thursday
Breakfast for Dinner
Waffles
Sausage
Scrambled Eggs

Friday
Bacon Cheeseburgers *
Potato Salad
Honey-Glazed Baby Carrots

Saturday
Tomato Basil Soup
Grilled Turkey/Provolone Sandwiches with Tomato Slices

Sunday
Marinated Steak
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Country Green Beans

* Just a quick note about my new love: bacon cheeseburgers. There's a little joint here in town that makes divine bacon cheeseburgers. Unfortunately, no one else ever wants to eat there because it's 1) a loud sports bar and 2) packed with college kids. So I set out on a mission to recreate that little slice of heaven. The key is Hy-Vee's double-smoked bacon (for perfect bacon, bake in the oven for 20 minutes instead of frying), sauteed onions, and bbq sauce. Keep the ketchup, mustard, and pickles for those ordinary burgers! Yummmm.

For even more delicious menu ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie!

Free Back-to-School Calenadar with Coupons

2009-08-13T10:15:00.001-07:00

Go here to get a free Nestle Back-to-School Calendar with coupons.

Summer Reading Program Wrap-up

2009-08-06T11:56:00.001-07:00

The summer is wrapping up, and school is underway. Hard to believe, isn't it?

In a rare, quiet moment among all the back-to-school hustle, I managed to corral all of the kids' reading loot from their summer reading programs. Although I outlined several programs here, we opted to only participate in two: the public library's program and Half-Price books. But as you'll see from the pictures, both kids made out pretty well! Here's what they got.

My 5-Year-Old's Haul:

from Half-Price Books
17 Books
from the Public Library
1 Book and coupons for the following:
1 Free Book at the Library Book Sale
1 Free Swimming Pass
$5 deposit when you open a child's savings account
1 Free Helium Balloons
1 Free Smoothie
1 Free Quiznos' Kids Meal
1 Free Taco John's Taco
1 Free CiCi's Buffet

*None of the coupons required purchases of any kind to redeem.

My 12-Year-Old's Score:

from Half-Price Books
8 Books
1 VHS Movie (not pictured)
from the Public Library
1 Canvas Bag
1 Book and bookmark and coupons for the following
1 Free Book at the Library Book Sale
1 Free Swimming Pass
1 Free Admission to Paintball Park
1 Free Quiznos' Kids Meal
1 Free Cold Stone Cone
1 Free Giant Cookie

As you can see, my 5-year-old is a bit more of a savvy shopper (and a bit less particular). She hit the clearance racks at Half-Price Books and found a lot of $1.00 books each time. Both kids wound up with a lot of new reading material and several treats. And we didn't even turn in the cards every week at Half-Price Books!

Laundry Room Makeover

2009-07-21T08:40:00.001-07:00

Around here, summer means tackling all those home improvement projects I've spent the winter months plotting. Of course, we only get to a fraction of what I have envisioned, but it's a start.

One of the things we've been gradually working on is re-doing our laundry room. It started out as a "I just want to repaint it honey," and like many of my projects, quickly grew into a whole host of things I wanted to change. Now if I had unlimited money to spend and an ever-ready pool of expert laborers at my beck and call, all those daydreams would be entirely attainable. Trying to accomplish that on a budget, with only one skilled laborer (my sweet husband) and one makes-more-work-for-everyone laborer (that would be me) and it's something of a challenge. But we're both learning as we go, and there's a great deal more satisfaction in a completed project when it's the product of our own sweat equity and bargain-minded innovations.

As you all know, hideous before pictures are an absolute necessity in order to properly appreciate the unveiling of the after pictures. Because the "after" is still a work-in-progress, I'll be posting those as we finish up the room in the next couple weeks. For now, here are a few before shots of what I not-so-fondly recall as the "baby-poop yellow" laundry room I inherited with the house:
Besides the color which made me infinitely crabby just looking at it (did I mention my mother fully embraced the 70s palette of olive green, dull orange, and baby-poop yellow thus triggering a full-out cringe factor whenever I see said colors?), there were several problems with the room.

1. Storage space - although there were a few haphazard shelves, they didn't provide much in the way of storage. And what they did provide was on full display- not the most attractive option in my book.

2. Aesthetics - There was nothing to tie the room together. Instead of looking like a pleasant, finished space, the laundry room looked like precisely what it was: a thrown together closet devoted to piles of dirty clothes. Ick.

3. Lighting - There was one tiny recessed light that, combined with the color, made the room dreary and dark.

4. Wasted Space - Because the door opened into the room, a lot of otherwise useful space was wasted. When you're dealing with a small room, every inch of usable space makes a difference. As you can see in the above picture, half of the wall was taken up by the open door. The other half was used for hanging hats, yes hats. Great use of space there, huh?

Stay tuned to see some of our solutions and the finished laundry room makeover!

Menu - July 20th

2009-07-21T08:36:00.001-07:00

I'm back to my slacker ways, posting my Monday menu on Tuesday. This week, we have a lot of projects we want to get finished up so we're doing easy-peasy meals as much as possible. Here's the plan:

Monday
Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Mexican Rice

Tuesday
Sloppy Joes
Corn on the Cob
Cantaloupe

Wednesday
Spaghetti
Garlic Bread

Thursday
It's my birthday, which means someone else is doing the cooking and the cleanup!

Friday
Breakfast for Dinner
Waffles
Scrambled Eggs
Sausage

Saturday
Caesar Salad with
Grilled Chicken

Sunday
Cube Steaks with Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Country Green Beans

For even more menu ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junki e.

Save $5 off $25 at Walgreens

2009-07-16T10:20:00.001-07:00

Today and tomorrow only, you can save $5 off a $25 purchase at Walgreens by printing this online coupon here.

Menu - July 13th

2009-07-13T04:48:00.000-07:00

Monday -
Last Baseball Game Pizza Party!
OUT

Tuesday -
Grilled Mozza-Chicken Sandwiches
Tex-Mex Corn on the Cob

Wednesday -
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Garden Salad
Garlic Bread

Thursday -
Hamburgers w/ Grilled Onions & Pepperjack Cheese
Home Fries

Friday -
Meatball Subs
Pasta Salad

Saturday -
Ham & Pineapple Kabobs
Red Onion & Bacon Kabobs (As a certifiable onion enthusiast, I've been drooling over these ever since I saw them posted on $5 Dinners.)

Sunday -
Grilled Pork Chops
Baked Beans

For even more menu ideas, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Friday Fun - A Few Ideas

2009-07-10T06:23:00.001-07:00

Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks Friday = family fun. There is now an initiative, complete with dedicated website, to turn Friday nights into family night. Check out the website here for more information and for some ideas about what to do with all those Friday fun nights. For even more ideas, check out this article on msn today.

One of my favorites from the list is the old standby treasure hunt. With my oldest, we would dress like pirates (bandana and mock earring anyone?) and comb the backyard with my homemade treasure map in hand (tea bags work great to age plain typing paper, and don't forget to burn a hole or two - the best part of making your own map).

If you're looking for something a little more spur-of-the-moment, try digging out those leftover plastic Easter eggs. We've been known to have many an Easter egg hunt in July. Just fill them with pennies, bubblegum, small toys, or even pretty rocks. Any small "treasure" will do. For an even better twist, convince your husband to fork over crisp $10 bills, stuff the eggs, and have the kids hide them for you. Then take your loot and go get that well deserved pedicure!

Frugal Find - $0.99/lb Chicken Breasts

2009-07-07T19:09:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled on Sunday when I spotted boneless, skinless chicken breasts on sale for $0.99/lb at Hy-Vee. It wasn't an advertised special so I double-checked, triple-checked, and then loaded up 10 packages. In fact, I was so excited that I went back today and got 6 more!

Menu - July 6th

2009-07-06T08:18:00.001-07:00

Monday
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Garden Salad

Tuesday
Sloppy Joes
Potato Salad

Wednesday
Teriyaki Pork Kebabs
Grilled Pineapple
Corn on the Cob

Thursday
Corn Dog Muffins (thanks to the new frugal mom for the idea)
Baked Beans

Friday
Chicken Tacos
Mexican Rice

Saturday
Homemade Pizza

Sunday
Pot Roast w/Veggies
Homemade Bread

For even more menu ideas, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie!

FREE Chick-fil-A Meal

2009-07-02T15:22:00.000-07:00

Chick-fil-A is offering a free meal (okay, maybe it'll cost you a wee bit of your pride). All you have to do is show up at a restaurant dressed like a cow on July 10th. How fun is that??? Don't believe me? Check it out, and please snap a picture for me.

Menu - June 29th

2009-06-29T11:26:00.000-07:00

I've been MIA for the past couple weeks, but I'm trying to get back on track. In that spirit, here's this week's menu.

Monday
Shredded Beef Tacos
Mexican Rice

Tuesday
Baseball tonight so super-easy supper rules.
Hot dogs
Chips
Veggies with Dip

Wednesday
Grilled Rosemary-Salmon Spedini
Rice
Fresh Fruit Salad with Pineapple, Kiwi, Strawberries, and Grapes

Thursday
Grilled Chicken
Fettuchini Alfredo
Garden Salad

Friday
Marinated Steak
Baked Red Potatoes with Butter and Chives
Fresh-from-the-farm Corn on the Cob

Saturday
Homemade Pizza

Sunday
Chicken Caesar Salad
Tomato Basil Soup (see below for recipe)

For even more menu ideas, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie!

Tomato Basil Soup

1 small-medium yellow onion, diced
3-4 T. olive oil
4 cups crushed tomatoes (I used Hy-Vee Italian canned)
4 cups chicken broth
14 washed, fresh basil leaves (I cut out stems)
1 cup heavy cream
2 T. butter

First, heat olive oil in stock pot or large saucepan. Saute diced onion until soft (about 10 minutes). Add tomatoes and broth. Simmer for 30 minutes. Using a blender, puree in small batches (about 5), along with basil leaves, until desired consistency. Return to pan. Add cream and butter and heat until hot over low heat, stirring frequently.

This soup is so good! It makes me extremely grateful that I planted basil in my teeny-tiny garden.

Chocolate + Peppermint = Cookie Heaven!

2009-06-28T20:08:00.000-07:00

Anyone remember the bag of peppermint baking chips I picked up awhile back for $0.29? They've been sitting in my cupboard just waiting for the right recipe to come along. Last week, I saw this recipe and saw my opportunity to put them to good use.

I replaced the 1 2/3 cups of mint chocolate chips called for in the recipe with a little over 1 cup of these peppermint chips and 2/3 cup mini-chocolate chips.

They were delicious! In fact, they taste a lot like Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies. I'd like to say they are better for you too, but that would be a blatant lie. Did I mention they were really good though?

Frugal Finds - Groceries

2009-06-28T20:06:00.000-07:00

Since summer started, I've gotten more lax about stocking my pantry. This week, I noticed that things are looking a little bare in the pantry so I picked up duplicates of a few things. Here are my good grocery store deals for the week.

First, up was Hy-Vee:

Bananas - $0.39/lb
Pineapple - $2.77 used $50 off coupon FINAL COST: $2.27
4 Bags Shredded Cheese - $0.99 ea.
3 Cereal - $1.99 ea., used $1/3 coupon FINAL COST: $1.66 ea.

Next was Dillon's where they are having the Daytona 500 event, meaning that if you buy 10 participating items, you get $3 off. I haven't been getting the Sunday paper lately so I didn't have coupons for some of the items. For those of you who do, you'll be able to get some of these even cheaper!

Daytona 500 items (I'm showing the price after the $3 off those 10 items):
3 Cereal - $2.36 ea., used 3 $0.55 coupons doubled to $1 here FINAL COST: $1.36 ea.
3 Kraft BBQ sauce - $0.69 ea.
2 Manwich - $0.70 ea.
1 Ragu Alfredo Sauce - $1.36
1 Hotdogs - $1.49

Other items:
Chex Mix - $2.19 $0.50 cellfire coupon here and $0.50 coupon doubled FINAL COST: $0.69
Yogurt 4-pk - $2.56 used $1 cellfire coupon here and $0.50 coupon FINAL COST: $0.56

FREE Paint

2009-06-26T05:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a great giveaway - the Glidden National Paint Giveaway! Go here, choose a color, and you could get a FREE quart of paint. And while you wait for your free paint, you can start planning those endless summer paint projects.

Experimenting with New Tastes

2009-06-09T07:11:00.000-07:00

For the first time, we are participating in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) this year. For those unfamiliar with CSAs, it is basically a farming cooperative. Traditionally, participants pay for a share of the harvest at the beginning of the growing season, thus sharing both the risks and benefits of the growing season. Ours is a bit different in that the risks are pretty much eliminated. Instead of paying for the share up front, we pay a deposit and then a weekly amount (paid at the beginning of the following month). Our cost is $16/week.

One thing I like about participating is that it forces us out of our routine and into trying new foods. Instead of a steady rotation of a few vegetables that we love, we’re suddenly incorporating a variety of produce, some of which we’re tasting for the first time. The challenge, however, is adapting my menu to accommodate foods I have no idea how to prepare. Or what to pair them with. But I’m working on it.

Last week was our first week participating. As we learned, we’ll receive 6-8 produce items each week. Many of these are presented as a choice. For example, we could pick rhubarb or strawberries, asparagus or radishes. That first visit, I let my son do all the choosing. His strategy seemed to be, if it looks weird and I can’t recognize it, choose that. It’ll be fun watching mom try to figure out what to do with it. This week, I did the choosing. Variety is good, but too much is overwhelming!

This week’s CSA haul, much if which you’ll see incorporated into my dinner menu, included red potatoes, salad greens, lettuce, bok choy, sugar snap peas, radishes, and garlic chives.

Menu - June 8th

2009-06-09T06:47:00.000-07:00

Here's my Monday menu plan on Tuesday!

Monday
Hamburgers
Tator Tots

Tuesday
Grilled Chicken Breasts
Rice
Bok Choy Braised with Garlic

Wednesday
We're packing a picnic so we can enjoy Wednesday night's city band concert in the park.
Tuna Cups (popovers filled with tuna salad)
Bowtie Pasta Salad (bowtie pasta tossed with Italian dressing, diced red onion and red bell pepper, grated carrot and parmesan cheese)
Sugar Snap Peas, Baby Carrots, and Radishes with French Onion Dip
Watermelon Slices

Thursday
Kids' activities make this a dinner on the go night.
Sandwiches
Apple Slices

Friday
Spaghetti
Garlic Bread
Salad Greens tossed with Italian Dressing and Toasted Almonds

Saturday
Out of town for a wedding.

Sunday
Marinated Steak
Roasted Red Potatoes with Garlic and fresh-from-my-garden Thyme
Corn on the Cob

For even more menu ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Frugal Finds

2009-06-06T14:35:00.000-07:00

First, for the usual good deals. This week, I found several good deals at Dillon's as well as a couple more at both Hy-Vee and Target. Here's what I got:

Dillon's
4 Knorr Pasta Sides - sale $0.87 each, used two $0.75/2 Cellfire coupons here FINAL COST: $0.50 ea.
Betty Crocker frosting - $1.59, used $0.50 coupon here (doubled to $1) and $0.50 Cellfire coupon here FINAL COST: $0.09
Betty Crocker Warm Delights - $1.99, used $0.50 coupon here (doubled to $1) and $0.50 Cellfire coupon here FINAL COST: $0.49
6 Yoplait Yogurts - sale $0.50 ea, used $0.45/6 coupon here (doubled to $0.90) and $0.50/6 Cellfire coupon here FINAL COST: $0.27 ea.

Hy-Vee
2 Kraft BBQ Sauce - sale $1, used two $1 coupons here FINAL COST: FREE
2 Kraft Shredded Cheese - sale $1.50, used $1/2 coupon here FINAL COST: $1 ea.

Target
2 Bliss candybars - $0.99, used two $1 off coupons (expired today) FINAL COST: FREE

In addition to the run-of-the-mill grocery deals this week, I also got myself a little pretty for next to nothing. About a week ago, we bought my husband some much needed shorts at Kohl's and got $10 Kohl's cash that was expiring on the 10th.

These pretty flip-flops were on sale for $10.99, which after the Kohl cash, was $0.99 plus tax. Go me!

Nature Journaling

2009-06-05T09:42:00.001-07:00

Gearing Up

When contemplating making a nature journal, the choices can seem endless. Big or small? Buy a tablet or make your own? Lined or unlined paper? There were several factors we considered when making ours.

Cost – Let’s face it, I’m all about the cheap. If I wanted to spend $20, I’m sure I could have found countless beautifully bound journals complete with illustrations and instructions geared toward children. However, half the fun is in the making. Originally, I thought we’d make our own out of typing paper and cardstock, but then I ran across these wonderful drawing pads on clearance for $1. Who could pass that up? A few embellishments, and we had our journals ready to go.
Use – What sets a nature journal apart from an ordinary run-of-the-mill journal is the melding of sensory observations. It’s not just about writing about nature. It’s also about sketching/painting what you see and recreating the textures of the natural world. Lined paper seemed too restrictive so the drawing pads were a perfect alternative.
Durability – To up the durability quotient of our somewhat flimsy drawing pads, we used twine. Although the pages were bound like a tear-off pad, I knew that the binding wouldn’t hold up to rugged outdoor use. Tying them with twine just gave us an insurance plan against wind-scattered pages.
Portability – The size of the journal shouldn’t be so unwieldy that it becomes impractical, particularly for little hands to tote around. And in our case, since we were already adding twine, I figured we might as well add a simple loop so the kids could slip them over their wrists for easy carrying.

Once you’ve got your journal figured out, you need to consider other supplies. Here are some things to consider adding to your journal.

A small tote or backpack to keep everything together and easy to carry
Pencils with erasers
Colored pencils
Pencil sharpener & ziplock bag (for the shavings!)
Watercolor paints & brushes
Magnifying glass &/or binoculars
Camera for capturing wildlife photos
Envelope to store flowers/leaves for later pressing

Aiding Your Child’s Journaling

First, find opportunities to record nature. Hikes and nature walks are obvious choices. But don’t limit yourself to just the obvious. Going on a picnic? The zoo? Take the journal along. Even a morning in the backyard will uncover a wealth of opportunities to record the natural world.

For each entry in the journal, remind your child to first record the date. When your child finds something (an animal, plant, or setting) that he or she wants to record, ask your child questions that prompt full descriptions. What do you see? Hear? Smell? Can you touch it? What does it feel like? Don’t forget to have the child record environmental information also. Where are we? What does the animal or plant’s habitat look like? What is the weather like?

Be sure to allow adequate time for the child to gather information and record observations through drawings and/or descriptions.

Want to really jumpstart your child’s ideas? Be more than a cheerleader; create a nature journal of your own so that you can compare ideas and observations.

Don’t Stop There

Once you get back home, don’t forget to follow up. A huge component of a nature journal is learning. Take a few minutes to research what you’ve found. If you have field guides, you can do this on the spot. But if not, you can find virtually anything courtesy of google these days! Add notes, facts, and interesting tidbits as you uncover them. You’ll not only be teaching your child about that specific plant or animal but also fostering valuable research skills.

Helpful Resources to Get You Started

Websites:

Family Fun - A quick guide to getting started.
Homeschooling About.com – Great tips and ideas.
The Illustrated Nature Journal: A Handbook – Good overview of the nature journal, offering plenty of food for thought.

Books:

Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You by Clare Walker Leslie & Charles E. Roth - We checked this one out of the library, and it’s packed with great information!
Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock - We’re still waiting for this one, but it comes highly recommended.

Free Fishing Weekend

2009-06-04T07:05:00.001-07:00

No fishing license? No problem! Grab your pole, dig up a worm, and enjoy free fishing this weekend. Most states are allowing anglers to fish without a license this coming Saturday and Sunday, June 6 & 7. For more information on Kansas' free fishing weekend, go here. If you're in Missouri, check out this site. For those in other states, a quick google search should tell you if your state is participating.

50 Free Photo Prints at CVS

2009-06-04T06:48:00.000-07:00

Here's yet another great freebie, just in time for capturing all those summer memories. CVS is offering 50 FREE photo prints, 30 for opening a photo account (no charge) and 20 more for adding your Extra Care card number. Happy picture-taking!

National Parks Offer Free Weekends

2009-06-04T06:13:00.001-07:00

A visit to a national park is a great way to enjoy some outdoor family time and can make for a great mini-vacation. Combine that with this summer's fee-free weekends, and you've got a winner. The National Park Service is offering three fee-free weekends in which they waive the entrance fees to over 100 national parks. The dates for the free weekends are:

June 20-21
July 18-19
August 15-16

For more details or to locate a park, go here.

Kids' Nature Journals

2009-06-02T20:19:00.001-07:00

One of my summer goals is to keep both my kids engaged in learning without the trappings of a classroom. Luckily, both are avid readers, but I'm always on the lookout for fun, educational activities. About a week ago, I came across an article about nature journaling and immediately added it to my summer must-do list.

Here's what we did. I found these blank drawing/painting pads today at Halfprice Books for $1 each (thank you, clearance). Now I'm thinking I should have grabbed a couple spares!

To transform the cutesy books into more rustic looking nature journals, we started with a couple paper lunch bags from my stash. I crumpled them to make them more interesting, reflattened and traced a cover, and then glued them onto the fronts. Then I set the kids loose with the two leaf stamps we had and some green and gold paint.

After labeling them (my daughter still confuses the d for a b in her name), I decided to reinforce the binding with some sort of tie to help make them sturdy enough to withstand our outings. We used some jute twine that we already had, and as an added bonus, we created loops the kids could slip over their wrists for easy carrying.

The kids can't wait to take these on a nature walk, and I can't wait to see all the brilliant observations and illustrations sure to come. On Friday, I'll pass along some good sites and tips for nature journaling for anyone interested in trying it.

Strawberry Jam

2009-06-02T20:10:00.000-07:00

And here is the results of our labor. I managed to wrestle enough strawberries out of my 5-year-old's fingers to make 10 jars of strawberry jam. We also froze three small bags of sweetened berries for later shortcake.

It is amazing though how much bigger those berries looked when we were plucking them off the plants than they did halfway through cleaning and cutting the tops off!

Bountiful Berries

2009-06-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

This morning, we all headed out to a nearby strawberry patch and came home with almost 10 pounds of these delectable little beauties. Tomorrow, we'll dig out the canning supplies and make up a batch of strawberry jam. That is, if I can keep enough of them away from my kids! Here's a great site for anyone who wants to find a local farm to go berry picking at. Next up: raspberries. Yummmm.

Menu - June 1st

2009-06-01T04:58:00.001-07:00

Monday
Take me out to the ball game!
- Yup, it's dinner on the go courtesy of a ridiculously timed baseball game tonight.

Tuesday
Chicken Tacos
Easy Mexican Rice
Chips & Salsa

Wednesday
Marinated Steak, Baked Potatoes with sour cream and fresh chives from our garden, & New York Deli Coleslaw

Thursday
Tator Tot Casserole
Fresh Fruit Salad

Friday
Homemade Pizzas

Saturday
Date Night
- Which means sandwiches for the kids and Dave and Buster's for us. Can you tell it was my husband's turn to plan the date? BUT, I did find a coupon for $10 of free game play at least!

Sunday
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
Vanilla Ice Cream w/Grilled Pineapple and Crushed Peanuts
- If you haven't tried grilled pineapple, you should. It's delicious!

For even more menu ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Frugal Finds - Grocery Stores & Target

2009-05-31T11:39:00.000-07:00

This week, I found a few good deals at several stores.

First, at Dillon's, I used a store coupon for a free box of Cheerios (received in the mail from Dillon's), two cans of vegetable soup that were marked down to $0.69 each, and a Kraft dressing for $0.69 (priced $1.69, used $1 coupon). Next, I grabbed up 10 packets of Kool-Aid just in time for the kids' lemonade stands for $0.05 each (on sale 10/$1, used $0.50 off 10 coupon here). Finally, at Target I scored 2 Bliss candybars and a Kraft mayo, all for free (Bliss were priced $1 each, used two $1 off coupons here; Mayo was priced $1.99, used $1 off Target coupon here & $1 off coupon).

I Scream, You Scream

2009-05-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

We all scream for ice cream! And when it's free - even better. If you're out and about in the next few days, be sure to stop in to nab your free ice cream at one (or both) of these places.

Walmart - Try a free ice cream sample from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 30th

Sonic - Get a free 10 oz. rootbeer float on Wednesday, June 3rd from 8 p.m. to midnight

On the Sugar Trail

2009-05-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

Ants, ants, and more ants! Every year, we battle the invading hordes as they come in search of crumbs, trails, and leftover kibbles. Most of the time, we put out some ant bait on the back of the counter when we spot the first scout and a couple days later, they're gone. Well, not this year. We've put it out four, that's right F-O-U-R times and they're still coming back. After doing a little internet research, my husband declared that we have to move the battle outside to prevent them from coming in. Easy right? There are tons of products on the market to sprinkle around the outside of our house.

Except we can't use most of them. Did I mention that we also have a goat masquerading as a beagle? Sophie will eat anything not actually food - grass, sticks, socks, rocks, you name it. So I'm pretty sure if we put out anything poisonous, she'd have her nose to the trail before we finished sprinkling.

Fortunately, we've hit on a solution: cinnamon. Apparently ants hate cinnamon. Of course, being a devotee of Myth Busters, my husband first had to test the theory by sprinkling a circle of cinnamon around an ant on the counter. It actually worked too! The poor little guy frantically searched for a way out without getting too close to the cinnamon. As soon as my husband made an escape route though, that little booger sped out of that circle. Now I'm off to construct a perimeter shield made entirely of sprinkled cinnamon. It's frugal and fragrant. Who can beat that?

Organizing Family Schedules

2009-05-27T10:17:00.000-07:00

Like many busy families, we're busy shuttling between doctor's appointments, kids' activities, and work obligations. Keeping track of who needs to be where when can be a real challenge. A few months ago, I stumbled on a great free tool to help manage our various schedules: Cozi. If you use a smart phone, this would be even better because you could access schedules, photos, and lists anytime, anywhere. But even without mobile access, it's a nice tool. You can even set it up so that it'll send email reminders or text reminders to your cell phone. Very cool.

Menu - May 25th

2009-05-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

Monday
Visiting the Inlaws - No cooking for me!

Tuesday
Meatball Subs
Chips

Wednesday
Chicken Caesar Salad
Mandarin Oranges

Thursday
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Peaches

Friday
Homemade Pizza

Saturday
General Tso's Chicken
Fried Rice
Steamed Broccoli

Sunday
Pot Roast w/Red Potatoes, Carrots, & Onions
Crusty French Bread

For even more menu ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Frugal Finds - CVS

2009-05-24T18:54:00.000-07:00

Here's what I picked up at CVS today

2 Post Trail Mix Crunch Cereals - $4.79 ea., Buy 1/Get 1 Free, used 2 $2 coupons here FINAL COST: $0.40 ea.
Hello Kitty Bandaids - $2.99, used $1 coupon, got $2 ECB FINAL COST: FREE
Colgate Total - $2.99 used $1 coupon here, got $2 ECB FINAL COST: FREE
Revlon Nail Polish - $3.99, got $3 ECB FINAL COST: $0.99
Igloo Cooler - $9.99, used $4 off $20 CVS email coupon FINAL COST: $5.99

Summer Reading Programs

2009-05-22T07:15:00.000-07:00

It’s that time of year again, when school is winding down and the summer stretches endlessly in front of us. For those of us with children, it’s also time to start thinking about encouraging summer reading. In that spirit, I thought I’d pass along some links for several summer reading programs. Whether they have great prizes or are just great fun, the one thing they all have in common is the ability to spark our children’s interest and imagination.

Your Local Library!

Of course, the best summer reading programs are often found at your local library. Ours not only offers the typical read so many books and get a prize incentive, but also has a specifically designed teen reading program complete with designated reading selections, book discussion groups, movies, crafts, and more. And the prizes are usually pretty cool too! Last year, my oldest received a nice t-shirt and a host of coupons from local businesses good for everything from a free ice cream cone to a free game of bowling. Be sure to check to see if your library has scheduled a kick-off event to start the program. Our event includes live music, dancing, collaborative chalk mural, and free snow-cones and popcorn. The kids and I are all looking forward to the fun!

Half Price Books
Feed Your Brain Summer Reading Program

This is a great one! From June 1 – July 31, kids 12 and under can earn a $3 shopping card for each week they read at least 15 minutes per day. If your kids are anything like mine, they can make $3 go a long way at Half Price Books.

Barnes and Noble
2009 Summer Reading Program

Between May 26th and September 7, kids in grades 1-6 can earn a free book by reading 8 books over the summer. Download the Reading Journal here. Once your child has read the 8 books, take the completed journal to any Barnes and Noble store to select your free book.

Borders
Reading Challenge!

Children 12 and under can read 8 books to earn a coupon for 50% off selected items. For more details and to download the form, go here.

Reading Warriors
2009 Challenge

Kids aged 8 or older can take a summer reading journey inspired by the Warrior series by Erin Hunter. To participate, kids read at least 10 books over the course of the summer. Although there isn’t a guaranteed free book waiting at the end of the journey (there is a sweepstakes entry available after completing the reading challenge), what I love about this program is the fun. The website is great and should serve to get kids into the program. And in the words of the site itself, “Reading Warriors find their own rewards in the fun they have reading and the enjoyment of sharing books with others.” Who can argue with that?

Scholastic
Summer Challenge

Kids can score points by logging the minutes read each day and can earn bonus points by taking games, quizzes, and polls. Kids can also win prizes and sweepstakes along the way. What makes this program truly special though is that the winning team gets to vote on which charity receives a special donation from Scholastic at the end of the summer!

Kansas Talking Books
Be Creative @ Your Library

There is an awesome program through the State Library of Kansas’ Talking Books division for Kansas children who have trouble participating in a traditional summer reading program because of visual or physical impairments. Prizes include gift certificates for first and second place based on the number of books read between June 1 and July 31. For more info, go here.

Do you know of a summer reading program I left out? If so, be sure to comment and share the details.

Save on Books

2009-05-21T07:42:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing I love, it's books. But as any book lover knows, getting that paperback fix can get quite expensive. The library, of course, is a great aid for us cost-conscious readers. Sometimes, though, you want a keeper. That's why Half Price Books is one of my favorite stores in all the world. Our local store has a constantly evolving inventory, great regular prices, and fantastic clearance prices and selection. I have picked up many $1 books and movies there over the years.

From now through Monday, you can score some even better deals through their Memorial Day weekend sale. During that time, everything is an extra 20% off! That's 20% off my armfuls of $1-$2 books and movies. Guess who'll be heading to the bookstore right after work today?

Coupon Organizer

2009-05-21T05:59:00.001-07:00

It began with a handful of crumpled coupons stuffed in my back pocket, transitioned into categorized envelopes floating in my purse, and finally graduated to this grownup coupon organizer.

When combing the web for various coupon organizing strategies, I found the binder option appealing for a few reasons. First, it was important to me to have all my coupons visible. The binder method, using baseball card holders found at Target or Walmart, makes it so that I can see each coupon (I do stack multiples of the same product in one card sleeve) without shuffling through envelopes. Another plus of this system for me is that it allows me to take the whole binder with me when grocery shopping without sorting out the coupons I think I'll use, only to have to refile them later when I don't use them or scrounge for a coupon for an item not on my list. Finally, this system looks attractive. Shallow, yes. But I'm not above it when it comes to my coupons!

So here's what I did. I repurposed a zippered three-ring binder I had used once-upon-a-time for a portfolio. It works perfect for coupons because it has pull-out handles for easy carrying, and maybe more importantly, a zipper to keep any stray coupons corralled. It also has spaces for a pen and small scissors (for those sheets of coupons I stuff in the back because I'm too lazy that week to cut them all out) and for store cards, gift cards, etc. There are pockets to stash my grocery lists as well. After I found my binder, I needed category dividers. Using old manilla file folders, I cut them in half, then covered them with scrapbook paper to pretty them up.

Here are the categories I used:

Fresh Foods
Canned
Cereal/Snack
Bread/Baking
Frozen

Each major cateogory is also subdivided into smaller categories. For example, under "Fresh Foods," I have the categories "Dairy," "Meat," and "Produce." To mark these subcategories, I used one of my son's trading cards as a guide and made cards using matching scrapbook paper. I then put those labeled cards in the top right sleeves of individual sheets. For those subcategories needing more than one sheet, I simply place blank sheets behind the labeled one. Yet another advantage of this system is that you can customize and change the number of sheets allocated to a specific category based on your current needs.

You'll notice that I don't have any household categories in my binder. This is because most household goods including pet food, cleaners, and beauty/health products get purchased at Walgreens, CVS, or Target. Rather than having one giant binder, I choose to divide my coupons according to where I use them. That way, I can take my big binder with me when grocery shopping (a planned, specific outing complete with large cart to perch it on) and use a much smaller coupon organizer that fits in my purse for household purchases. An added advantage of having a purse-size organizer is that it will always be on me when I make those spur of the moment stops at Walgreens or CVS.

So there you have it, my new and improved coupon organizer!

Free Kids' Workshops at Home Depot

2009-05-19T16:33:00.000-07:00

Did you know that Home Depot offers free "How-to" workshops for kids on the first Saturday of each month, from 9 a.m. to noon? I had no idea myself until I noticed a flyer the last time we were in the store. The workshops are for kids aged 5-12. In addition to the project, kids receive a free kid-sized Home Depot apron and an achievement pin. Upcoming projects include a Hardware Sorter on June 6th and a Picnic Caddy on July 4th. We'll definitely be checking out the next one! For more details, check out the website.

I'm going to jump on the Menu Plan Monday bandwagon (admittedly on Tuesday, but I AM a rebel). Here's this week's dinner menu:

Tuesday
Grilled Chicken
Fettuchini Alfredo

Wednesday
Meatloaf
Oven Roasted Red Potatoes with Olive Oil & Thyme
Corn on the Cob

Thursday
Tator Tot Casserole
Fresh Fruit Salad

Friday
Steak
Grilled Veggie Salad, inspiration here
Baked Potatoes

Saturday
"Someone Else is Cooking" Date Night

Sunday
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Garlic Bread

Blogging Schedule

2009-05-19T08:09:00.000-07:00

At our house, summer means more time for family, fun, and hopefully more consistent blog postings as I only work part-time during the next three months. The last couple of months have seen this blog severely neglected, something I hope to remedy starting this week! What better way to kick off the summer than by spending an hour creating a rigid posting schedule that I will undoubtedly abandon before the week is out? You see, I am one of those compulsive list-makers who takes more joy from making said lists than actually following them. So in that spirit, here's my maybe-this-time-I'll-actually-follow-it schedule for the summer:

Mondays - Food (recipes, menus, etc.)
Tuesdays - Creativity Central (anything I can make, repurpose, or recreate)
Wednesdays - Organization (ideas and projects for organizing our busy lives)
Thursdays - Money Saving Ideas (tips and tricks for saving)
Fridays - Fun (family activities, date night ideas, etc.)
Weekends - Frugal Finds (my week's best freebies and deals)

Tune in tonight for installments 1 and 2 because, of course, I'm already a day behind!

Anniversary

2009-05-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

Today is our 7th wedding anniversary. A week ago, I was thrilled that we had actually managed to line up a real live babysitter. For the first time in 7 years, I had visions of nice restaurants with real tablecloths and soft lighting. Fast forward to this week when the babysitter, inevitably, had to cancel. I admit it, I was pretty bummed at first. There would be no uninterrupted eye-gazing, which, in all fairness, usually makes me ask my husband if I have something stuck in my teeth anyway. But I was looking forward to trying. And that sexy skirt and lowcut shirt won't get to come out to play for fear our dinner conversation will become something like this:

5-year-old daughter, "You should pull your shirt up mom. We can see your breasts."
12-year-old son, covering ears because she said the B word, "MOM!!!! Make her stop!"
5-year-old daughter, laughing, "What? They're funny. You should see them!"

At which point, the romance will be officially dead at the table. (No conjecture here, by the way. Slight adaptation of a real conversation.)

So it's on to Plan B for us. After some thought, we decided to keep the dinner plans but move it to a nice Mexican restaurant that has great food but still is kid-friendly. After that, my husband is going to demonstrate his deep and abiding love for me by doing something he would never do for anything less than love: scrapbooking. Yup! I STILL, seven years later, have an unfinished scrapbook I started making of our wedding photos. So tonight we're going to come home, drag out the scissors and glue, and revisit our memories together. Granted, my husband will probably be more company than crafter, but what more could a woman ask for than the good company of a great man while she's knee-deep in pretty paper and flashy stickers? And as a bonus, instead of just watching mom and dad go out, our kids will be part of celebrating our marriage.

Besides, eventually they'll go to bed, and I can break out the sexy.

Send Mom a FREE Card

2009-05-02T11:29:00.000-07:00

The good news? Thanks to Frugal & Fabulous, I've got another great freebie to pass on to you. If you go to Hallmark, they'll send a Mother's Day card for you absolutely FREE, stamp and all. Just type in promo code "CARD4MOM" at checkout. If you hurry, it might just get out in time for Mother's Day.

The bad news? Both my mother-in-law and stepmother occasionally read my blog so they'll now have certifiable proof of my cheapness, ahem, I mean frugality, when they get their free Mother's Day goodies. But it IS the thought that counts, right? Besides, I could hardly resist passing along such a nice freebie to you all.

Make Some Free Crafts for Mom

2009-05-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

Today we stopped into Michael's to pick up some cheap painting supplies (around here, we have to keep our 5-year-old in supplies and ceramic canvases or risk serious withdrawals). One of the highlights of a trip to Michael's on Saturday is the opportunity for the little one to do an in-store craft.

Today's craft was a free keepsake plate for Mother's Day. Here's a picture of my budding Picasso's work.
We still have to put a picture in the center before it's ready to be shipped to Grandma's. Pretty cute for a free craft!

And better yet? They've got free workshops all week long. Here's the lineup of what you can make each day. So if you've got a Michael's near you, stop in and make a gift for one of the mamas in your life.

Frugal Finds

2009-04-26T17:54:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've really done a drug store trip as life has had a way of taking over. This week the deals were tempting enough to get me back to my old coupon-clipping, list-making self. Here are my finds:

Walgreens
3 Suave Kids Shampoos - 3/$5, used $1.75/3 coupon, got $2 Register Rewards (RR) FINAL COST: $0.42 each
2 Listerine Mouthwash - $4 each, got $4 RR FINAL COST: $2.00 each
Nivea Body Wash - $4.99, got $5 RR FINAL COST: FREE
Rembrandt Toothpaste - $5.99, got $6 RR FINAL COST: FREE
Ecotrin Aspirin - $2.00, got $2 RR FINAL COST: FREE
3 Scotch Packaging Tape - $0.99 w/coupon, used 3 $0.50 coupons FINAL COST: $0.24 each

CVS
Zyrtec, 30 ct. - $19.00, used $4 coupon, got $10 ECB FINAL COST: $5.00
Band-Aids, 40 ct. - $3.29, used $1 coupon (ECB w/Zyrtec deal) FINAL COST: $2.29
Crest Kids Toothpaste - $1.99, used $0.75 coupon, got $1.00 ECB FINAL COST: $0.24

All this for under $9 seems like successful shopping to me.

Another FREE Bag

2009-04-22T13:16:00.001-07:00

In celebration of Earth Day, Walgreens is offering a free reusable shopping bag with any purchase as well as 15% off eligible store items. If you're heading to Walgreens, click here to print your coupon before you go. It's only good for today!

Another Site for Free Movies

2009-04-21T07:27:00.000-07:00

Some of you may remember my earlier post about free or cheap movie sources. Since that time, I've stumbled on another, fancast.com. Although I haven't yet watched any, it looks like a nice selection of movies and TV show episodes. Enjoy!

FREE Reusable Shopping Bag

2009-04-15T11:56:00.000-07:00

If you live near a Dillon's grocery store, be sure to take advantage of this offer for a free reusable shopping bag. All you have to do is go to their website, create a quick design for a reusable bag, enter your design & vote, and viola - a coupon for a free bag will be loaded onto your Dillon's Shopper Card for use during your next visit.

Even though I am something of a reusable bag snob when it comes to grocery shopping (I only use my heavy-duty canvas bags because they hold half the store and make my life much easier), I use my collection of odds and ends light-weight bags for other things. And I always keep one folded in my purse for those oops-I-didn't-think-about-it occasions.

Here's just a few examples of their usefulness:

Toting library books home
Carrying things to and from work (lunch included)
Farmer's markets
Quick trips to the drug store or Target

And, of course, perhaps the single most important use:

Kenneling haphazard piles of mail and papers into when company comes

Frugal Find - FREE Ziplocs

2009-04-04T17:26:00.001-07:00

Ever have one of those weeks when nothing seems to go right? I've been having a couple of those weeks back to back. First, some family drama complete with calling circles and raised blood pressure. Then, a car ran a red light and smashed into my car. And, of course, the ensuing insurance hoops - is it totaled or isn't it. Ick!

But today I found a little ray of sunshine in the form of FREE things. While at Hy-Vee, I noticed they had a bunch of Ziploc bags marked down to 2/$1. And I just so happened to have 5 coupons for $0.55 off so I came home with all these for free. Hooray for the little things!

Bath & Body Works Freebie

2009-03-24T07:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I got a nice $10 gift card in the mail for Bath & Body Works, thanks to mypoints. Before I head out to spend it, I thought I'd take a few minutes to look for a coupon to maximize my "free stuff" trip and came across this coupon for a free Signature Collection body care item with any $10 purchase. Bingo!

3-in-1 Meals: Part One - Spaghetti & Meatballs

2009-03-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

Around here, we love America's Test Kitchen. Most of our favorite, and almost all our foolproof, recipes have come from the pages of their cookbooks or the web content of their show. Our latest favorite is this Marinara & Meatballs recipe. Although factoring in good ingredients which are essential to the recipe made it seem a little pricey, we found that we can easily get 7 or 8 meals out of one batch, thus reducing the cost to a completely acceptable range. And the taste is divine!

First up was spaghetti and meatballs, of course. A few notes on the recipe:

1. Be sure to buy decent quality, block Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself. It is absolutely worth the splurge - trust me!
2. Use fresh basil and parsley, not dried.
3. Don't skimp on the onions. I used three large yellow onions, which had my kids moaning about too many onions (I am a certified onion lover so it's a common moan around here), but they loved the sauce!
4. Unless you like meatballs the size of hamburger patties, do what I did. Make normal size meatballs (a scant ice cream scooper full works great). I reduced the baking time by 5 minutes for the meatballs and cooked them in two big batches, the first of which I added to the sauce as directed, and the second of which I froze for later use.

Whatever you don't eat, freeze for later. Here's what I got from one batch in addition to that night's meal:

3 ziplocks with enough sauce and meatballs for spaghetti
3 ziplocks with enough sauce (no meatballs) for pizzas
2 snack-size ziplocks with just enough sauce for subs (1/8 - 1/4 c. is plenty)
4 ziplocks with enough meatballs for subs

Coming Soon:
Part Two - Homemade Pizzas
&
Part Three - Amazing Meatball Subs

Frugal Finds

2009-03-14T18:23:00.000-07:00

Here are some of this week's highlights:

At Dillon's
4 bags Iams Puppy Food - $6.39 ea., used 4 $5 coupons
FINAL COST: $1.39 ea.
Peppermint Baking Chips - clearanced to $0.29
FINAL COST: $0.29

At Target
2 Mott's Applesauce (6 pk.) - $1.67 ea., used two $1 Target coupons and two $0.55 coupons
FINAL COST: $0.12 ea.
Dr. Pepper (2 liter) - $1.49 used free item coupon
FINAL COST: FREE
Cat Food - $0.84 used free item coupon
FINAL COST: FREE

At CVS
Crest ProHealth Toothpaste - $2.99, used $1 coupon and got $2 ECB
FINAL COST: FREE

To see even more great weekly deals, check out the posts at Money Saving Mom!

Garden Fever

2009-03-12T17:01:00.000-07:00

Here's a fabulous gardening deal. Every spring, our city gives away the compost made from the curbside yard waste pickups. The giveaway usually lasts 2-3 days and is advertised well ahead of time. Residents can bring shovels and load their own containers/pickups for free or can choose to have a pickup loaded for the absolute bargain price of $10 a load. As you can see, when they say full pickup load, they mean it! So this weekend will see us building up the low spots in our yard and adding to our square foot garden plots and to our flowerbeds. And the best part? My husband unloaded almost the whole thing while I was picking up the kids from school, sparing me from most of the physical labor.

If you're in need of compost, be sure to check your city/area to see if they offer a similar program. Happy planting!

Mail Call

2009-03-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to get my free copies of Martha Steward Living magazine TWO days in a row (March and April issues). When I signed up for a free subscription, I was skeptical that I'd ever actually see them so it was a wonderful surprise! I'll definitely have to keep better track of those free subscription offers now that I know they're legit and pass them on to you.

Of course, my husband raised his eyebrows at my magazine choice, noting that Martha Stewart may not be an aid on the path to frugality. But for the time being, I'm choosing to cover my ears and sing "nah-nah-nah-nah, I can't hear you" in response. Frugal or not, you gotta love pretty easter eggs and elaborate garden scenes, right?

You Might Be Turning Frugal If...

2009-03-06T13:28:00.001-08:00

In true Jeff Foxworthy style, I thought it'd be fun to start a frugal list. Here's my first offering:

You Might Be Turning Frugal If...
You're more excited when your husband brings home extra coupons from the work paper than flowers. (Thanks honey!)

Preparing for Hard Times

2009-03-06T11:42:00.000-08:00

With all the news about climbing unemployment rates and disappearing employer benefits, I've spent my share of time worrying about potential layoffs and hardships. Like most people, we've been tightening the budget and saving where we can. We're set to pay off the last of our nagging credit card debt within the next three months, and we're padding our meager savings as best we can. But today, I've been thinking of other ways that I could "prepare" for the hard times:

Build My Stockpile - Although I started stocking up on our most used food items and toiletries when I can get them at deep discounts, I could focus on building these stores even more. There's something infinitely comforting about knowing you could skip the grocery store for a few weeks if you needed to.

Start Those Seedlings - Last year, we started a couple square-foot garden plots, and we learned a lot about what to do and, more importantly, what NOT to do. We'll be building the beds deeper this year and planting more strategically. Also, there will be no, I repeat no, grape tomatoes this year as my dear husband who insisted on them ate only a handful of the bucket loads they produced(okay, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but not much)!

Take Advantage of Our Medical Insurance - While we still have it! Chances are, our medical coverage isn't going anywhere. However, if my husband were to lose his job (they've already had a few layoffs) or his employer contribution were to change, it would create a huge burden on us. So my plan is to do whatever we can now. For example, my husband has some pricey dental work he needs - a crown and bridge to be exact. Rather than spread the work out, he's going to get it all done now. Likewise, I'll be making dentist, annual physical check up, and eye appointments for the kids over the next few weeks. Because we utilize a flex account for medical, we have already committed the money. We may as well do what we can now, when we're positive that we have insurance.

Are you doing, or contemplating, anything out of the ordinary in anticipation of harder times?

Hooray for Gift Cards!

2009-03-05T09:30:00.000-08:00

The latest addition to our gift card collection is a $25 gift card to a local restaurant courtesy of a raffle at my husband's work. In order to be eligible, you have to answer a safety question via email. Although the raffle is held once a month, only a few employees actually take the 3 minutes to enter, which means those who bother entering usually win a few times a year. It never ceases to amaze me how little effort some people are willing to put forth to put (or keep) money in their pockets. But, we'll gladly benefit from it!

This year, I've started keeping track of all the free gift cards that we receive from various sources. So far, we've already received $95 worth of gift cards! Here's the rundown:

$25 restaurant gift card, courtesy husband's safety raffle
$25 Home Depot gift card, courtesy of mypoints
$25 Walgreens gift card, courtesy of a prescription transfer offer
$10 Ace Hardware gift card, courtesy of rewards account
(which husband earns for work purchases - he was sure to ok with the boss)
$10 Chili's gift card, courtesy of mypoints

Keep an eye out for a forthcoming post outlining several ways to score gift cards for yourself!

Family Fun - Game Night

2009-03-02T12:40:00.000-08:00

Stumbling on a well-used Clue game at the Goodwill Store awhile back had me reminiscing about childhood memories of playing. Ever the drama queen growing up, I was never satisified to simply set up the board game on the kitchen table and play. Instead, I would insist that my siblings and friends join me in getting into character. We'd dig out props, raid our parents' closets, and return to the table in full regalia to play. It was always a blast!

Fingering the dog-eared corners of my secondhand Clue game the other day, I thought why not share that tradition with my own kids? So here's my plan. We're going to institute game night at our house, but rather than settling for an ordinary night of Scrabble, we'll go all out just like I did growing up.

First up: Clue, of course. My husband (who, as of yet, doesn't know he's agreed to this), my two kids, and I will spend some time picking out a character and then helping each other transform into that character. But why stop with wardrobe and makeup? Clearly, the theme needs to be reflected in the food as well. For Clue, we're planning a formal sit-down dinner complete with candlesticks (was there any doubt), china, and tablecloths; all to be enjoyed in costume. After dinner, we can shove the dishes aside for later and get down to this game business.

Hopefully we can make this a regular tradition, alternating games and brainstorming ideas to complete our theme nights. Here are a few additional ideas off the top of my head:

Mouse Trap:
Pin on tails, draw mouse faces with eyeliner, and serve cheese and crackers.

Hi-Ho Cherry-O:
Dress for cherry picking (jeans or overalls if you have them and a wide brimmed hat), and serve cherry pie or desert along with cherry KoolAid.

Battleship:
Dress in uniform and serve homemade MREs. Be sure to talk the talk by checking out some of the lingo here.

Monopoly:
Wear business suits/attire. Be sure to take lots of pictures of your little ones in Daddy's ties! Have a "jail" uniform handy for those frequent stints in the big house by making one from an old white T-shirt and black paint or marker. Be sure to use a shirt big enough to fit all players. Any time a player lands in jail, have that player don the uniform until he or she gets out. For snacks, serve chocolate coins.

If you have ideas for a themed game night, I'd love to hear them. I'll be sure to update as we try some of these ideas out so stay posted!

Frugal Finds

2009-02-28T19:15:00.001-08:00

Considering that the better part of the past couple weeks has been spent miserable with the never-ending cold, the best deal of the week had to be my new stockpile of NyQuil at CVS! I had a $5 off $30 purchase coupon that I used at CVS, which came out to about $0.71 off each of 7 items (toothbrush and floss not pictured). Note: If you're using a $5 off $30 coupon, be sure to hand that to the cashier first so that it comes off the pre-coupon total!

Here are a few of my better finds:

CVS
4 NyQuil - 2/$9.98, used 4 $1.50 coupons & received $10 ECB
FINAL COST - $0.29 ea.
Centrum 130 ct. Vitamins - $6.99, used $3 coupon
FINAL COST- $3.28

Dillon's
3 HoneyNut Cheerios - $1.67 ea. w/ $1.50/3 coupon
FINAL COST - $1.17 ea.
3 Cottonelle - $0.99 ea. w/ $0.25 Cellfire, $0.50/2 doubled, & $0.50 doubled
FINAL COST - $0.16 ea.
Warm Delights Cookie - $1.99 w/ $0.50 Cellfire & $0.50 doubled
FINAL COST - $0.49
2 Hormel Chili - $1.00 ea. w/ $0.55/2 doubled to $1
FINAL COST - $0.50 ea.
2 Hunts Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes - $0.92 ea. w/ $0.40/2 doubled
FINAL COST - $0.52 ea.
2 Grands Biscuits - $1.00 ea. w/ $0.50 Cellfire, $0.50 SCuts, & two $0.25 doubled
FINAL COST - FREE
2 Purina One Dog Food - $1.19 w/ 2 free item coupons which rang up $1.45 ea.
FINAL COST - $0.26 PROFIT

Tired of Cooking?

2009-02-26T07:21:00.000-08:00

If you're going to eat out, here are some coupons to help you keep a bit of that hard-earned cash in your pocket.

Free Dollar Menu Item at Wendy's
Sign up for Wendy's emails here and receive a coupon for $1 off any item, including those on the dollar menu!

Buy 1/Get 1 Free at Denny's
Here are some buy one/get one free coupons good at Denny's until this Friday.

Free Chips & Queso at Chili's
Score a coupon here for free chips and queso by signing up for Chili's email club.

(Thanks Money Saving Mom for pointing out these great deals!)

Frugal Find - Free Lumber

2009-02-11T16:09:00.000-08:00

Apparently the frugal bug is catching because my dear husband came home with his pickup bed full of free white pine lumber. The lumber was courtesy of an 11' x 7' pallet used to ship machinery to his employer.

Rather than see all that go to waste, he claimed it with visions of his summer tool shed project. Altogether, he got 58 linear feet of 4x4s and 63 linear feet of 2x12s.

Estimated Value: at least $250!

Frugal Valentine's Day Gifts for Him

2009-02-10T07:51:00.000-08:00

Release Your Inner Bombshell – Have your sister or a friend come over for a pinup-inspired photo shoot. The key to getting a suggestive (yet tasteful) picture you love is variety. Even if you have the perfect outfit that you know will rock his world, don several outfits anyway. And don’t forget to experiment with poses and backdrops. You may luck out and get the perfect shot on the first snap of the camera, but if not, you’ll have enough to choose from to ensure at least one keeper from the bunch. If you're thinking no way am I donning lingerie, try Marliyn Monroe flirty for inspiration. Find a pretty frame, and you’re set!

Let Me Count the Ways – Last year, after my husband’s scoffing at my announcement that I could easily list 100 specific things I loved about him, I took up the challenge and comprised the list in time for Valentine’s Day. Now admittedly, the last 20 were much harder than the first 20, but the look on his face was definitely worth the struggle! If the thought of listing 100 is too overwhelming, try 25 or any other random number that speaks to you. Just be sure to be specific. When you’re done, print it on nice paper and roll up like a scroll, securing it with a bit of leftover ribbon.

Scratch and Win – Here’s a great idea for creating your own scratch and win ticket. All you need is some cardstock or other heavy paper, a black permanent marker, and a red crayon. How easy is that?

Treats and Eats - You might want to test that old adage that the key to a man’s heart is through his stomach. If he has a favorite meal, especially if it’s something you don’t make often because you’re less than fond of it, a home-cooked meal might be the perfect gift. And for a terrific dessert to cap off the night, melt some chocolate and hand-dip some strawberries to feed each other.

Sports Talk - Rose petals and moonlit strolls might top many women’s romantic lists, but to speak your guy’s love language, you might want to break out something comfortable, something salty, and something sweaty. Of course, I’m talking about sports. If your love is fanatical about football, if he never misses a baseball game, or if he’s hooked on racing, why not look online and find some highlight clips of his favorite team. Youtube has a plethora of tribute reels compiled by dedicated fans. Even if he’s seen them a dozen times, throw in your undivided attention to the game, some tasty snack food, and a back rub, and he’ll swear it was the best Valentine’s Day ever.

Family Movie Night - The Frugal Way!

2009-02-09T13:54:00.000-08:00

We’ve started a relatively new tradition of having a family movie night on Sunday nights. The promise of a movie is good incentive for me to get supper on the table early and, more importantly, for the kids to get bathed and don their PJs without a peep of protest. It’s a nice way to make us look forward to the end of the weekend as much as we do the beginning of it. The challenge, however, has become finding free or nearly free family movies to watch each week. Although we’ve done Netflix in the past, we found that we simply didn’t watch enough movies to make it worth it. If you have a service like Netflix or Blockbuster online, you’re already set. But if not, here is a short list of movie sources that you may want to check out if you haven’t already:

1. Your local library – Our library has a modest selection of DVDs for checkout. There are several oldies in the family section (for the sake of simplicity, I’m counting anything more than 2 years old as an oldie). They also have a constant trickle of new titles coming in so it’s worth checking back if we don’t find something we like one particular week.

2. Your TV! – Sounds obvious, right? But if you have even basic cable like we do, you can often find good family movies playing. If you do a quick search at the beginning of the week, you can always record something for later in the week.

3. Online - hulu.com is an excellent site full of current television shows and old favorites, with a few full-length movies thrown in for good measure, all absolutely free for the watching.

4. Redbox – If you’ve got a redbox location nearby, it’s a great source of cheap movies. All the movies are a buck (plus tax), and the boxes are usually located in highly frequented areas like grocery stores, Walmarts, and McDonalds. To make a good deal even sweeter, go online and sign up to get a free movie rental code. Once you sign up, you’ll get regular emails with free movie codes. If you’re willing and able to move movie night to Mondays, you could score a free rental almost every week by doing this!

5. Half-price Books - If you're lucky enough to have a half-price books in your neighborhood like I do, you need to check out their clearance movies. Our store regularly rotates the movies in this section, and I've nabbed countless family movies for $1, cheaper than cost of renting it from most places! Of course, if books are your weakness as they are mine, you might want to bring your kids along to discourage browsing the book aisles...

6. The Great Movie Swap – Why not suggest a movie swap with your friends, family, or neighbors who have kids? Not only will you get to watch movies for free, your kids will love selecting and trading movies with their friends for the night. And while you’re at it, maybe you could invite each other over and share movie night sometime. The more the merrier, right?

Know of another great movie source I’ve left off my list? Be sure to chime in and share your insight!

Frugal Finds

2009-02-08T10:47:00.000-08:00

This week, I spent just under $90 between grocery stores and CVS and Walgreens stops. At Hy-Vee, I loaded up on boneless/skinless chicken breasts that were on sale for $1.59/lb, nabbing almost 20 pounds for my freezer. I also bought 4 pounds of hamburger marked down to $1.69/lb, chocolate ice cream on sale for $0.99 with store coupon, and a 5-lb bag of potatoes on sale for $0.99 with store coupon. And I used a $4 Purina printable coupon on a bag of Friskies cat food, making the final cost $0.58 for the bag!

Here are some of my better scores at Dillon's this week:

4-pk Cottonelle - $0.99 w/$0.50 coupon doubled
FINAL COST: FREE

1 can Del Monte vegetables - $0.95 w/$0.75 off coupon here doubled
FINAL COST: FREE

2 HoneyNut Cheerios - $1.67 w/2 $0.55 coupons doubled to $1 each & $0.50 cellfire coupon
FINAL COST: $0.42 ea.

1 Multi-grain Cheerios - $1.67 w/$0.50 coupon doubled & $0.75 cellfire coupon
FINAL COST: FREE

1 Yoplait Yo-Plus yogurt - $2.00 w/$1 coupon & $1 cellfire coupon
FINAL COST: FREE

6 Gogurt pks - $2.00 w/$0.50 coupons on 4 & $0.35 coupons on other 2, all doubled
FINAL COST: $1.10 ea.

4 Nestle chocolate/butterscotch chips - $1.88 w/2 $0.50 off 2 coupons doubled
FINAL COST: $1.38 ea.

For the Walgreens part, I used a $25 gift card that I earned for a transferred prescription, and I earned $22.46 in rebates from there for the month:

Fructis Conditioner - $3.99 w/$3.99 rebate FINAL COST: FREE
Zucol Cold Medicine - $7.99 w/$2 coupon & $7.99 rebate FINAL COST: Made $2

and not pictured
2 Theraflu Medicine - $5 ea w/2 $2 coupons & $6 rebate FINAL COST: FREE
Thermacare - $2.49 w/$2.49 rebate FINAL COST: FREE
Contact Solution - $1.99 w/$1.99 rebate FINAL COST: FREE

At CVS, I spent $7.99 on an ear rinse and got $7.99 in ECB and bought 2 boxes of Wheat Thins for $1 each and used a $2/2 coupon, making them free also.

Food - Leftovers to Chicken Noodle Soup

2009-02-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

We took advantage of the rare warm February weather and grilled chicken breasts last night. Since I had all the necessary ingredients on hand, I decided to make good use of the leftover chicken breast and make chicken noodle soup for lunch today. The grilled chicken, seasoned with poultry seasoning and seasoning salt before grilling, really added nice flavor to the soup.

Here's what I used:

1/2 c. sliced baby carrots
1/2 c. sliced celery
1/4 c. diced red onion
2 T. vegetable oil
1 large grilled chicken breast, cubed
3 c. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 c. egg noodles
salt & pepper to taste

First, heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan until shimmering. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and cook on medium-high heat until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add chicken broth, chicken, and thyme. Bring to simmer, turn heat down to medium, and cook for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Add the noodles and cook until tender, about 5 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste and serve!

Family Fun - Kids Valentine's Cards

2009-02-07T09:08:00.001-08:00

This year, the kids and I made Valentine's Day cards for their classmates. We surfed the Family Fun site to come up with J's googly-eyed fish idea. We used some red construction paper from my stash and white cardstock that my husband claimed from work as it was on its way to the trash pile, and we skipped the googly-eyes in favor of drawing the eyes. On the back, we wrote one of the following fish-themed greetings:

I'm hooked on you this Valentine's Day!
Best fishes this Valentine's Day!
You're oceans of fun!
Hope your Valentine's Day doesn't flounder!
You're the catch of the day!

Coming up with a Valentine's Day card idea that passes an 11-year-old boy's inspection was a bit more challenging. We settled on a card theme. First, we sorted out all the hearts from our mismatched decks. Then, with a permanent marker, we wrote messages that had underwent an exhaustive search designed to eradicate any word or phrase that might remotely indicate romantic interest toward a girl. Or a boy. Here's the phrases that passed our 5-point-inspection:

You're a real ace!
From one card to another!
To the King/Queen of hearts! (notice, no "of my heart" here)
I'm lucky we're friends!
You're a trump card!
Betting on a Happy Valentine's Day!
You suit me! (this one was a hard sell, but I managed)

Food - Fast & Easy Mexican Night

2009-01-31T17:37:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite crockpot dishes is Chicken Tacos because they are super easy and very good at the same time. Paired with my lazy version of Mexican rice, they make for a good, hot meal with minimal effort.

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 jar of your favorite salsa (I use medium)
2 tsp. taco seasoning (optional)

Put chicken breasts in the bottom of the crockpot. Pour salsa over chicken and sprinkle with taco seasoning. Cook on low 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. About 1/2 hour before serving, shred chicken inside crockpot and continue cooking. Add flour tortillas, shredded cheese, and your favorite toppings. Viola!

Mexican Rice

1 c. long grain white rice
1 T. vegetable oil
1 c. salsa (I use medium)
1 c. chicken broth

Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add rice and cook until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add salsa and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Stir halfway through cooking time.

Fun - Dinner & A Movie

2009-01-30T18:12:00.000-08:00

There's nothing better on a Friday night than a piping hot pizza, a good movie to curl up on the couch with, and chocolate chip cookies to cap it all off. Mmmm.

For the bargain price of $8.54, we picked up a Hawaiin pizza and a tub of cookie dough from Papa Murphy's. The cookie dough was free with a coupon for completing an online survey for our last pizza, and I had a $2 off coupon for the pizza. On our way home, we stopped at a redbox and picked up Appaloosa. Thanks to a promo code in my email inbox, the rental was free. Comfort food and a shot of Viggo Mortensen, all for under $10. Not bad!

Frugal Finds

2009-01-29T17:30:00.000-08:00

Today I did the bulk of my weekly grocery shopping. Here are a few highlights.

At Walgreens
2 Revlon Colorsilk Hair Color -$1.99 ea. w/$1 off 2 coupon
FINAL COST: $1.49/each

Colgate - $2.99 w/$0.75 coupon & $2 Register Rewards (RR)
FINAL COST: $0.24

Revlon Eyeliner (not pictured)- $9.99 w/Rebate up to $10
FINAL COST: FREE

At Dillon's
(Dillon's had one of its buy 10/Get $5 off sales, which I subtracted to get the first price)

2 Hormel Chili -$0.50 ea. w/$0.55 off 2 coupon doubled to $1
FINAL COST: FREE

RoTel - $0.50 w/$0.30 coupon doubled to $0.60
FINAL COST: FREE

2 Steamers frozen veggies- $1.00 w/two $1 coupons
FINAL COST: FREE

Kids Vitamins - Buy 1/Get 1 FREE (the two averaged $2.50 after two $1 coupons)
FINAL COST: FREE

Altogether I spent about $100 but got $2 RR and will get a $10 rebate back. In addition to the usual groceries, I also stocked up on Pace Salsa (4 for $1.50 each w/two $0.75 off 2 coupons doubled to $1 each = $1 each) and some cereal (2 boxes from Walgreens on sale for $1.99 w/$1.50 off 2 coupon = $1.24 each & 6 boxes from Hy-Vee on sale for $1.68 each w/two $1 off 3 coupons = $1.35 each).

All in all, a good week!

Family Fun - Idol Style

2009-01-28T14:02:00.000-08:00

I admit it. For all eight seasons, I have counted myself among the mindless hordes who tune in to American Idol week after week. I get sucked in every year, hooked on the curious hybrid of you-too-could-win-the-fame-and-fortune lottery and the Springer-esque train wreck of the poor and misguided talentless among us. And no matter how many rants my family and friends subject me to about how mainstream, how completely and utterly uncool the entire premise is, I keep watching. And, luckily for our marital cohesiveness, my husband keeps watching right along with me.

My kids on the other hand, are less enthusiastic viewers. After our oldest broke down in tears after Season 2’s finale, he went into full-on boycott mode. (Okay, so maybe our refusal to vote for Rueben despite his young pleading may have jaded him, but I’m still convinced that we did it for his own good.) Over the years, we’ve tried to coax him back, but our success has been limited to the most atrocious of auditioners. Our youngest, on the other hand is a born music lover. Her attention is riveted to the best singers and the most polished performances, but she snubs that good ol’ American tradition of laughing at those even more talent-challenged than yourself. I suspect that the sole reason she watches at all is because during commercials, she takes the stage to show up the contestants and demand endless applause and accolades as her due.

But still, I’m determined to find a way to make American Idol live up to its family show billing. I’ve decided the key to accomplishing that goal is making the experience both interactive enough to hold a 5-year-old’s attention and yet cynical enough to entertain my cool-conscious preteen. The solution, you ask? American Idol bingo, of course!

A little research uncovered the predecessors to my game. Twenty minutes later, I had four custom bingo cards, half sarcastic fun-poking and half attention-demanding trivia hunt. I plan to test drive the game tonight so we’ll see how it goes. I figure snagging a rootbeer out of the pop machine to offer as the grand prize should be enough to get my pop-deprived kids to perk right up!

Frugal Finds

2009-01-25T15:26:00.001-08:00

Another day, another deal. Today, I got a few. First, I went to Dillon's to get some groceries and picked up four 4-packs of Cottonelle that were each priced $0.99. After doubling four 50 cent coupons, they were all free. Then I stopped at CVS and stocked up on some shampoo and grabbed a deodorant that was on sale. Here was the breakdown:

4 Cottonelle 4-pks - $0.99 (minus doubled $0.50 coupon)
3 Head and Shoulders - $4.99 (minus $1 coupon and $3 ECB)
1 Pert Plus - $1.99 (minus $1 coupon)
1 Sure - $1.99 (minus $1 coupon)

FINAL COST - $4.95 + tax

Frugal Finds - Greeting Cards

2009-01-23T17:39:00.000-08:00

Today I stopped at CVS and took advantage of their Hallmark cards deal. For every 3 cards you buy this week, you get $3 in Extra Care Bucks (ECB) good on a future purchase. I stopped at 2 CVSs and used the first batch of ECBs to pay for the second batch of cards.

Altogether, I got 15 cards, the maximum for the offer. And because I stuck to the $0.99 cards, I paid pennies for the lot. Here's the breakdown:

Cards Total: $14.85
Tax: $0.71
Earned ECB: $15.00

FINAL COST: $0.56 or about $0.04/card