Win A Year's Supply of Breakfast!!

Fast Fixin’ and Walmart want to serve you and your family a Holiday Break-Feast. In the interest of saving time and money here are the 7 ways to save!

Sign up for Fanatics to print $5 in Savings coupons

Purchase the January “All You” magazine for $1.50 Savings (Magazine contains $50 in manufacturer’s coupons)

Purchase the Fast Fixin’ Breakfast items and send in the Try Me Free for up to $5 in savings.

Cut out the UPC’s from the products and collect 10 to earn a free product coupon. = $7.99 Savings

Use the coupon inside the box of Fast Fixin’ Breakfast items for a $1 savings.

Use the Coupon in the Breakfast Burrito box for a Savings of $1.50

Use the Coupon in the Fast Classics Country Fried Steak for $2 off any 2 Fast Fixin’ Breakfast Items= $2 Savings.

Total Savings: Up to $24.00

Print the flyer below to take the “7 Ways to Save” with you to the store for your convenience.

**Print Here**

Fast Fixin’ Breakfast products are only available at certain Walmart Locations.

Coupons listed are on a limited availability basis.

**AND THAT’S NOT ALL**

You have the chance to win 1 of 15 Years Supply of Breakfast from Fast Fixin’ and Fast Classics.

Prizes will be awarded as: 24 Free Product Coupons good on any Fast Fixin’ or Fast Classics item up to $7.99 for each family.

15 Family’s Will Win!

For More Details on How To Enter This Contest, Please Visit ConsumerQueen.com

The New Me Challenge 2009

Dh and I were talking about getting back on the excercise wagon a couple of weeks ago. As busy as our lives our with work and our child, it seems like we've backed off on that and put on the weight. This new year I really want to get back in shape. I know I can't make my husband do it but hopefully I can set a good example and get him on track. My goal is to lose 30 pounds. Working out at home to ensure better health....can't get more frugal than that!

My Pledge:
- I will walk at least 3 times a week
- I will work on my Wii Fit at least 3 times a week.
- I will eat smaller portions
- I will sincerely try to eat less sweets
- I will drink more water
- I will post my results good or bad every Sunday

Here's to the new year and a new me! If you would like to join me and others, please click here!

What a Deal!

SteinMart - $39 Nine West Checkbook Wallet
Paid $2.95
(click on picture for larger image)

Free Credit Score Reporting Site

I know we've all seen the "free" credit report advertisements. Usually you get it free for a month, and if you don't cancel, you find a charge of $14.95 on your credit card. I just came across this neat website that offers you a chance to see your credit score for free without even having to post a credit card or debit card! It's called Credit Karma. What's the catch? You just see affiliate offers that fit your demographic. However, you're under no obligation to sign up for any of them.

Prior to signing up for this page I did security research. Nothing bad turned up on Google or with the Better Business Bureau. Actually, all I saw were good reviews. Plus, they have their site TrustE certified, McAfee Secured, and Verisign secured. Just make sure prior to signing up that the URL includes https://...that "S" shows it's secured. This quote is straight from their FAQ:

Is this safe?

Credit Karma is committed to your safety. We follow the latest security precautions to protect your identity and your data. In fact we went a little bit over the top in an attempt to do everything possible to prevent unauthorized access to your information. Our site is registered with VeriSign and Hackersafe. Our office is protected by a 30lb beagle.

I signed up and wow was I impressed. Now remember, you're only seeing your credit score and not the whole report. (If you're looking for a sincerely free report you can request 1 free a year from www.annualcreditreport.com) However, it does explain to you why your score is the way it is. What I thought was totally neat, is the way it allows you to pick different scenarios to see how things can negatively and positively effect your credit score such as paying off all your debt or letting a bill slide into collections. This site also doubles as an answer center. They have many answers to a lot of common questions such as how to close old accounts or why age is so important when it comes to your credit.

Since the security issue was covered, I only had one other concern...and it's probably the same as yours:

Will using Credit Karma lower my credit score?

No. Credit Karma is making the credit score request on your behalf. Inquires made on your behalf will not be shown to creditors and will not affect your credit score

So there ya go. You can pull your credit score as often as you'd like...although you're really not going to see a change day to day. If you're in the market to be buying a car or house soon....or maybe you're just trying to spruce up your credit, Credit Karma is worth checking out.

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There was no monetary compensation received for this review.

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Twitter Moms: The Influential Moms Network

Unintentional Day After Christmas Shopping

The timing of needing dog food came perfectly on the day after Christmas. Knowing that a lot of people would be out for the early door busters I waited until later on in the evening...probably about 6pm. Having that said, I had no intentions of buying anything except the dog food. Oh yeah, and once I decided I was going to town, I decided I was going to get DS a new fitted sheet for his bed. I like Walmart for that because they sell the sheet pieces if you don't wanna buy a whole set.

I stopped by the Dollar General store first to see about the dog food. I got what I needed. I then (just for fun) cruised down the Christmas aisle to see if there was anything insanely on sale. I found boxed tissues on clearance for .50 and I also found tupperware boxes on sale for $1. 4 came to a set so I thought that was a pretty good deal. You can never have enough tupperware...especially when your husband's office is a black hole that loves tupperware. They are red and green with sparkles, but I didn't think that would effect it's food holding capability.


I then went to Walmart. At 6pm it was still a little overwhelming. I went straight to the bedding aisle to get the fitted sheet. For a queen (yes my spoiled 2 yr old sleeps in a queen) it was $9...I could live with that. I again cruised down the Christmas aisle. However I only went down 2. I found DS a frog bath set that looked just like the one I recently had to get rid of. This one came with a puff, a frog wash mit, a set of bath slippers all in a lil froggie bag. It was 1/2 off for $2.50. I then saw the punch bowls on clearance. For the life of me I could not figure out why these were marked Christmas clearance. I mean, don't folks use punch bowls for other occassions? Good for me I guess. I'd been having to borrow my girlfriend's punch bowl for all of my previous parties and I know she was tired of it. I looked it over...16 pieces, all glass. Clearance price: $7.50. Heck yeah, I had no excuse not to get it. It looks nice too. So now I have a punch bowl. I guess it sometimes pays to go check that Christmas clearance out....you never know what you're gonna find.

Free Makeup...Well $3 for Shipping

Seems as though Everyday Minerals wants you to try before you buy. They are offering a custom package of 3 sample sized foundations, a blush, and a concealer for free. All you pay is shipping which is like $3.00.

All you have to do is go to www.everydayminerals.com, click on MAKEUP at the top left, then CUSTOM KITS. Scroll down to Free Sample Makeup Kit. You'll add the kit to your cart and then choose each item individually. Once you find a color you like, you just drag it to your cart.

Normal pricing looks comparable to E.L.F's mineral makeup pricing. I just ordered my free sample so we'll see how quality compares. I have heard good things about this company though...so it's worth a shot!

Merry Christmas!

Here's wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy your families and try to make it a no spend day!

Buying Eyeglasses

If you wear glasses, you know how expensive they can be. You know I was at a Christmas party the other night and I saw this girl with the cutest glasses. The were tan and had butterflies on the arms. I asked her about them and she said, "oh yeah, they're Coach and they were only like $300 for the the frames". At that point I had to drink the rest of my wine very quickly to keep from being offensive. She was satisfied with them and I reckon that's all that matters. Yes they were cute...but you won't see me paying that for a pair of glasses. Sadly enough, you're kind of suckered into it. The place you go for eyeglasses, whether it's somewhere in the mall or a doctor's office, knows you need them and knows you'll pay for them. Not necessarily brand names but even for just a generic pair, I paid $150. I was not happy about it!

I'm sure by now y'all have figured out what an online shopper I am. Well today will be no different. You need to check out www.zennioptical.com. I just got an extra pair of glasses from them for $14.95. That includes frames and lenses. Crazy I know! Their glasses start out at $8 and go up from there. I don't think I saw a pair over $60. I got mine the other day and was rather pleased. I just got a plain black plastic pair with red around the rims. Of course I was tickled pink to know I only paid $14.95. To order, you will need your exact prescription which you can
get from your dr. You will also need to know your Pupillary Distance (the distance between your eyes center to center). Again, you can get your dr to measure you while you are at the office. If you're an existing patient I don't see why
you couldn't just walk in to see if they can measure you. Hey it's totally worth a shot. They even sell kids frames. Which is a total blessing because we all know how kids are and if they break their glasses they're not breaking the bank!

My First Percussion Instruments

I recently just had the chance to review My First Percussion Instruments made by Little First Act Discovery (age appropriate for 6 months and up). Having a musical background, I can certainly appreciate any toy to further a child’s discovery of music. This toy also furthers the development of coordination which is also important to baby’s development.

This set comes with 3 little instruments: tambourine, castanet, and a maraca. It also came with a great idea book. On one side it shows the instruments and what games you can play with them. On the other side there were several songs that you could sing along with including rhythm patterns. Very cute! I was impressed they were perfectly made to fit tiny hands. The craftsmanship for these toys was good as well. I don’t have any concerns that my son may be able to break them (believe me, my son is a destructor).

Percussion from Rebecca Sprouse on Vimeo.
(Please pardon the newborn puppies you hear in the background)

My son absolutely loooooved this toy and would not put it down. I too liked these toys and found myself playing along. These toys are not loud where it may get to be too much or annoying; which is certainly a plus in my house. I would definitely recommend this toy! This is a toy that will grow with baby and continue to aid in development. Having that said, this is certainly a frugal pick! Check out the whole line at http://littlefirstactdiscovery.com/

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There was no monetary compensation received for this review.
I received these instruments for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of these did not sway my opinion.

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Uses for Vinegar - Personal Use

Continuing the vinegar theme…I will cover several uses of vinegar for your health and beauty purposes.

Treat athlete’s foot – Using apple cider vinegar mix with an equal amount of water. Use a bucket and fill just to cover infected foot. Soak for 15 minutes 2 times a day until it begins to clear up. In addition to this treatment you may wash your socks in the hottest water setting along with a cup of white vinegar to kill any fungus on your socks.

Soothing a sunburn – You may apply white vinegar to a sunburn to help soothe the skin. Apply each time the sting comes back. The vinegar will also help moisturize the dried skin. It may help to put the vinegar in a spray bottle and apply to the face with a cotton ball.

Make your nail polish last longer – Dip your nails in some white vinegar. The vinegar will take away the oils on your fingernails allowing the paint to adhere to the nail better

Homemade aftershave – In a spray bottle, mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar and water. Apply to face. You know that aftershave helps razor burn, moisturizes the skin acts like an antiseptic to clean out any cuts, and closes the pores. The vinegar will provide all of this as well.

Check back again for more uses for vinegar!

Looking for Products to Review

As a part of this blog, I would like to start incorporating product reviews. Being frugal with money doesn't necessarily mean making everything by hand and scraping by. It means being smart with your money. If a family needs to come out some money for an excellent product that serves to be useful and doesn't need to be replaced often, that's ok. I would like to pass along those smart choices to my blog followers. Let me help you. If you have a product that you think would prove useful, that you think families need to have, drop me a line at rebecca dot sprouse at gmail dot com. I am open to all products!





For my followers, the new post regarding uses for vinegar will be posted this evening.

Uses for Vinegar - Cleaning

So I'm at home sick today with this blasted cold that's lasted almost a month. Yeah, yeah, yeah I know I know. I'm going to the Dr. this afternoon. I think that's typical for mommies though. We let ourselves get so run down until we can't go anymore, THEN we do something about it. My husband was getting after me to call the dr. while I was dressing our son for school, but I was too concerned in making sure the leftover sticker magnets I brought home from work made it to school for them to use for crafts. Ah, the things we do. I did make the appointment though

So getting to the case at hand, I was thinking about what to post today. It came to me to post about vinegar. I do find people amazed at what you can do with this simple cheap ingredient. My all purpose cleaner and laundry stain remover both use vinegar. So, for the next couple of days, I'm going to post the uses of vinegar in their specific categories. Today will be using vinegar to clean.

Cleaning the microwave - Fill a microwave-safe bowl with a mixture of half white vinegar and half water. Put the now filled bowl in the microwave and turn it on for 2 minutes. Once done, dip a sponge into the bowl **BE CAREFUL! LIQUID WILL BE HOT!** and use it to wipe the food off of the walls of the microwave.

Removing crayon from the walls - Use a toothbrush or small scrubber and dip in white vinegar. Then, proceed to scrub the crayon off. As always, spot check first just to make sure the vinegar won't take off any paint or finish.

Freshening the air and other items - Think of vinegar kind of like a cheap febreeze minus the fragrance. You can put white vinegar in a brand new spray bottle and spray it in a room when you notice it needs freshening. The vinegar will neutralize odor. Other items like lunch boxes, trash cans, and your fridge can be wiped down with a sponge soaked in vinegar. No, it's not going to smell like vinegar, once it drys it won't have a scent.

Sanitising sponges - Soak your sponges in white vinegar over night. The next morning wring them out and they'll be ready to use.

Laundry booster - Pour a cup of vinegar to the washer's rinse cycle. The vinegar will make colors brighter, whites whiter, and soften your laundry without having to use a fabric softener.

Removing mineral deposits - Take a ziplock baggy (bag size depends on size of facuet or shower head) fill it up with white vinegar and rubberband it to the faucet or shower head. I would leave it there for about two hours. After two hours, take the baggy off and polish the faucet or shower head with a towel.

Removing mildew - Mix equal parts of water and white vinegar, put in new spray bottle. This will help get rid of the current mildew and help slow it from coming back.

Cleaning the toilet - Take a couple of cups of white vinegar and pour it into the bowl. Scrub the sides with a brush and let sit overnight. You'll wake up to a cleaner toilet.

Cleaning grease from stove top or counters - Dip a sponge in white vinegar and scrub.

Drain cleaner - Do you remember back in school when you'd make the baking soda volcanos? Well now you get to do it in your drain! Pour 1/2 a box of baking soda down the drain. Pour the white vinegar down the drain to create that "eruption". Keep pouring the vinegar until all the baking soda is gone. Let the sink sit unused for about an hour. Then turn the faucet on all the way hot and let it run down the drain to clean out any left over gunk.

Carpet stain remover - You will need water, white vinegar, and baking soda. Make a paste with the vinegar and baking soda. How much you use really depends on how big and how many stains you're working on. Work the paste in on the stain with an old toothbrush. Go ahead and leave the paste to dry on the stain. Once it is totally dry, vacuum it up. The stain should be gone. However, some stains may need following treatments.

Steam cleaner solution - If you have a steam cleaner for your carpet, you can make a simple solution to clean and deodorize your carpet. Just use equal parts of water and white vinegar and fill to the fill line. Use your steam cleaner as usual.

As you can see, vinegar is pretty universal when it comes to cleaning. If you also noticed, a lot of these cleaning tricks only required water and vinegar. So, I would just go ahead and fill a new spray bottle with that solution just to have on hand whenever you may need it.

How To Know If You're Getting The Best Price

I'm sure you've come across something you just had to have either online or in the store. Usually, you find it on sale and you're having an interior conflict with yourself on whether to buy it or not. This conflict might include, "Do I really need it?" or "I know it's on sale, but is it at the best price". The first question is really going to be a judgment call on your part. This could be a difficult task. The most important thing you need to question is, "Do I have enough money for this?" If the answer is no...move on and wait until you do because putting it on a credit card negates all sales prices. If the answer is yes, then mental processing can move on to the question: "Is it at the best price". The answer to that question is Frucall. I came across this website the other day and it is so freakin' nifty. This service (which is free) can tell you comparable prices for the item you're looking at. You can be either at home or at the store! They offer 3 ways of contact: phone call via 800 #, text message, or mobile web on your cell phone. All you have to do is provide the barcode number and Frucall does the rest. Right now it seems to cover hard goods like books, cd, electronics, ect. It is definitely something to look at!

Free Letter From Santa

This is great! I just came across a free printable letter from Santa. You just enter all of your child's information, they email it back to you, and then you print it out! You know me...I loooooooveee the free stuff.

Click here for your free letter from Santa

Low Priced Last Minute Gifts

Have you gotten your Christmas shopping done yet? I read a report this morning that said 41% of people haven't even started. So...I searched over Walmart.com today to find some cheap last minute gifts for you. Clothing and accessories I think are a biggie so that is what I have posted for you. For a majority of these gifts you can do either free ship to store or pay .97 each for shipping.

Women
Black Athletic Works Track Pants $3.00
Red Athletic Works Track Pants $3.00
Brown Athletic Works Track Pants $3.00
Women's Polar Fleece Velcro Gloves Grey $1.50
Women's Polar Fleece Velcro Gloves Purple $1.50
Women's Polar Fleece Velcro Gloves Black $1.50
Women's Polar Fleece Velcro Gloves Pink $1.50
Women's Polar Fleece Velcro Gloves Red $1.50
Women's Plush Silky Thong Slippers $4.00
Seed Supply Co. Organic Cotton Everyday Caryall Tote $4.00

Men
Black Athletic Works Track Pants $3.00
Red Athletic Works Track Pants $3.00
Brown Athletic Works Track Pants $3.00
Men's Baseball Tee Black/Red $2.00
George - Men's Boxer Shorts $2.00

Faded Glory - Men's Crew Knit Pullover Black $4.00
Faded Glory - Men's V-Neck Knit Pullover Black $4.00
Faded Glory - Men's Suede Moccasin Slippers $4.00
Athletic Works - Men's 1/4-Zip Fleece Pullover Several Colors $4.00

Children
Girls Long Sleeved Turtleneck Turquoise $2.00
Faded Glory - Boys' Long-Sleeve Thermal Crew Tee Black $2.00
Garanimals - Infant Girls' Long-Sleeved Tee Light Blue $2.00
Garanimals - Toddler Girls' Long-Sleeved Tee Purple $2.00
Faded Glory - Boys' Long-Sleeve Thermal Crew Tee Grey $2.00
Faded Glory - Infant Boys' Bubble Jacket Blue and Grey $3.00
Faded Glory - Girls' Heart Thermal Zip Hoodie Pink $4.00
Child of Mine by Carter's - Infant Girls' Purple Fleece Pant Set $4.00
Faded Glory - Toddler Girls' Bubble Jacket Pink $4.00
Disney - Girls' Cinderella Fleece Pullover Hoodie Pink $4.00
Incredible Hulk - Toddlers' Lined-EVA Clogs $4.00
Faded Glory - Infant Boys' Plush Lined Jacket Several Colors $4.00
Faded Glory - Infant Girls' Bubble Jacket Several Colors $4.00
Spider-Man - Boys' Sneakers with Bonus Gifts $4.00

Above are just some items I thought were good deals. You can always surf all of Walmart's apparel clearance here. They say they're still able to ship for Christmas but you might want to go ahead and get on it if you're ordering online. Happy Shopping!

A Chance to Win a $100 Gift Card from Lands End

Want a chance to win a $100 gift card from Lands End? Well, Lands End is looking for some good mommies to give their opinions on summer clothing and summer safety. Let your voice be heard and enter for a chance to win that $100 gift card. All you have to do is take a quicky five minute survey! Click here to enter!

Sweet Stocking Stuffer

I don't know 'bout y'all but I am a slave for some plain glazed Krispy Kreme doughnuts. If you have one local (check here), here's a great extra side gift. For every dozen doughnuts you buy, you get 12 gift labels. Not just any gift labels but ones that have a coupon on the back side for a free doughnut! So really it's getting 24 for the price of 12. You could buy these for your office or if you're having a party, you could serve these in a cute little display. This w0uld be great if you're buying small gifts for the co-workers. Just slap one of these on 'em. I swear, if they're anything like me, they'll love you forever.

Saving Money on Appliances

We had a little crisis this weekend. The washer stopped draining the water. Oh fun times let me tell you. The washer we have is one that my husband's parents gave him when he moved out. Of course this was due to them wanting a new set after many years of use. So I'm guessing this washer is about 20-25 years old. The dryer died about 2 years ago and I've just been waiting on the washer. We ended up having to drain the washer. Bucket after bucket we finally got the washer empty. I know most of you moms can relate to the feeling I had at that moment. It was Saturday, my "do" day, and I had a million loads of laundry to do.

Right now, let me point out how important it is to have an emergency fund. Emergencies happen and you have no way to plan for them. i.e. washing machine stops draining water. It can be even bigger than that as I'm sure some of you have experienced. So, sock it away! Even a little bit helps. We have a change sorter on the counter as you walk in from the garage. All change goes in there before you come in the house. This helps 2 problems. 1. We're saving little by little and 2. I'm not finding change in the wash or hearing it clank in the dryer. I'm serious....especially with uncertain times, it is especially important. Most experts say you should have at least 3 months salary saved. However, don't let that intimidate you. Just start with what you can now and try to increase it. Hey, try making the homemade laundry detergent and sock the money you would normally spend on washing detergent.

Ok, getting off my soap box now and back to the case at hand. To get over my frustration, I needed to get out of the house. So, I asked my husband to accompany me to the mall. As I've said before, all of my Christmas shopping is done so that's not why we were going. This is the store I needed to go to:

This is the Sears Outlet store which is a separate store from Sears. Here, they sell scratch and dent appliances. Before you shake your head and go to another website hear me out. Most of these appliances are not damaged beyond all cosmetic relief. Usually, they're either refurbished appliances or appliances that were cosmetically damaged in transit. They also mechanically inspect them before putting them on the floor. Whenever we moved to our house we did not have a refrigerator and we had a broken dryer. That is when we discovered this store. Our fridge had a little dent in the side that faced the wall (no one can see). It was a $1000 fridge we got for just under $300. We also got our dryer $600 with some scuffs on the bottom for $200. We've been in our house now for 2 years and they're still kicking. We bought ourselves a big freezer last year for hunting season. We only paid $280 for it. I can't remember the original price for it but it did have a dent in the side. The freezer was going out to the garage so it didn't really matter to me. Sears offers 30-90 day repair warranties and I think they also offer extended warranties for purchase.

Above was a washer dryer set that I was eyeing. It's almost a 50% discount and they don't look bad at all. If you are in the market for new appliances I would see if you have a scratch and dent store in your area. Some rent to own places may offer repo'ed appliances at discounts as well. I know most do it with furniture. You can buy them out right rather than "renting" them. However, as always, if you can find comparable appliances in the classifieds or Craigslist, for less, by all means go there.

In the end, I did not end up getting that washer and dryer set. My husband ended up taking apart the washer only to find one of my son's socks stuck in the pump. Problem solved.

Coupons for 12/13

Alrighty kiddies. I have put together a list of coupons I have come across. A majority of these are print out coupons while some do offer a chance to have them mailed to you. So, as always, make sure that your store does indeed accept printed out coupons and what their policy is on them. Now for the coupons!

Women’s Degree Clinical Protection $2.00 off coupon
Women’s Degree Ultra Clear .75 off coupon
Men’s Degree Clinical Protection $2.00 off coupon
Sure Deodorant $1.00 off
Dove Coupons
Arm and Hammer Essentials Coupon
Proctor & Gamble $27 in Savings Coupon Book
Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator $2.00 off
If you purchase $50 in Proctor & Gamble products between 12/14 and 1/31 you can sign up for this coupon book. $120 in savings. (Make sure to save your receipts!)
Tide to Go Pen $1.00 off (I swear by these!)
Downy Total Care $1.00 off
Olay Regenerist $5.00 off
Olay Definity $5.00 off

Are You Freezing For A New Coat?

Wilsons Leather is having a sale on EVERYTHING on their website. Everything is marked down up to 70% and you get an additional 30% off your entire order (automatically taken at checkout). Oh yeah, and don't forget free shipping! (also automatically added) Surprisingly enough, they have coats other than leather. I got my husband to get me a leather jacket for Christmas at their last sale like this. $200, got it for $50. I know, right? So today I went back on there and found a dressy wool coat for work. Not as much of a discount, but still a great deal. $180, got it for $55 AND it comes with the brooch. I think they're trying to liquidate inventory since they're going to be closing a big chunk of their stores. Now is the time. Go ahead and get that expensive look for cheap!

Free Samples for 12/10

Today, I have compiled a little list for you of free samples. Free samples come in very handy. Depending on what the sample is, you can use them for travel or to simply get yourself out of a bind when you're out of your normal supply. I love shampoo and deodorant samples. Anyway, go ahead and sign yourself up for these free goodies!

Benefiber
New Dove Hair Therapy System
Kotex Light Days Thin
Always Infinity Pad
Pantene Shampoo
GoodNites Underpants
Tampax Pearl
Stayfree Ultra Thin
Head and Shoulders Shampoo
Prilosec OTC
Puppy Training Kit from Eukanuba (includes $5.00 off coupon)
Charmin Roll Extender
Bounty Family Fridge Calendar Download
Mary Kay Mascara
Degree Men Absolute Protection
Metamucil: Berry Burst
Baby Phat Fabulosity
Colgate Total Advanced Whitening Toothpaste
Glad ForceFlex Trash Bags

Everyone Loves Free Cookbooks!

I just came across this today. I love me a free cookbook. Heck I love free stuff period haha. I already signed up to receive this one. Gooseberry Patch will send free copies of its Fall Favorites with Sun-Maid® Raisins & Dried Fruit and Gooseberry Patch Family Favorite Recipes with Sun-Maid® Raisins & Dried Fruit.

All you have to do is click this link,sign up and make sure at the bottom to check "Please only send me the Gooseberry Patch Fall Favorites with Sun-Maid® Raisins & Dried Fruit". That way you get a free cookbook and don't get suckered into receiving monthly cookbooks for a fee.

Happy Cooking!

The Habit A Lot Of Us Have

Here the past couple of days, things have been totally hectic at work. That's why I didn't get a post in yesterday. Our advertising contract with the local paper ended and it was time to reassess our needs. As we all know, the internet is king and will continue to be. So...we consolidated our newspaper advertising down from 2 full pages to 1/2 a page. Drastic, I know. But you know real estate is struggling these days especially since it's the winter. So our new 1/2 a page ad will only be our web address and our JD Power award. Well, after we made that decision, I had to create the ad. Our corporate guy really liked it so that's a plus. This new ad will start to run this Sunday. In addition to all of that I'm having to create a new website for our brokerage. Needless to say, this has been a lot. But do not take this as complaining...ooooohhhhh nooooooo I'm not complaining. I love being busy...means I still have a job.

Having outed this whole little tangent. I wonder how many of you have caught yourself after a busy day getting the easiest meal possible. Mmmhmm...yeah it's pizza. I am so guilty of this that it's not even funny. Remember my post about the price for convenience? Yup, here it is. It is super convenient and it can be super pricey.

It's inevitable that it's going to happen...and that's ok. Like I said, I'm guilty too...but be smart about it. Plus, don't do it every night! Here are some tips:

1. Go pick it up, don't have it delivered. With these companies charging a delivery fee, plus taxes, plus the tip....it can end up being a lot more than you planned for. An easy solution is to go pick it up. Then, you know you will be paying sticker price. A lot of the pizza places now have online ordering where you can schedule it to be ready at a future time. That's great for me because then I can go pick it up on the way home.

2. Use coupons. Coupling this with picking your pizza up can save you money as well. A lot of these websites have the coupons online and all you have to do is click on it to apply it. Make sure you look at each coupon online though. Also, make sure you sign up at your favorite company's website so you can receive email offers. If you can feed your family for $8 you've done good!

3.Don't order the extras. Have you ever noticed how much a bottle of coke is, or how much the bread sticks are for what they are. It's insane! Stick to ordering only the pizza. It's more cost efficient and healthier.

Of course the most frugal way would be to avoid commercial pizzas all together and make your own. However, as a working mom I know that sometimes it just ain't gonna happen. And like I said before, if you're feeding your whole family with an $8 or even a $10 pizza (family of 4, $2.50 a person), you've done well!

If tonight you find yourself in a situation like mine, order a pizza from Dominos. If you use coupon code BIRTHDAY (today only) you can get a 4 topping large pizza for $8. Make sure you pick it up and the only extra you'll pay will be the tax.

Super Easy Cookies To Make Now and Eat Later

So I just got done making some more cookies and thought "hey, someone else might find these helpful too"...so here we are. I have a really great homemade chocolate chip cookie recipe from this Mennonite cookbook I have. It is called More-with-Less by Doris Janzen Longacre. I got it on Amazon for like $4.00. It's great, I love it, and I would recommend it to anyone. Anyway, here is the recipe:
Cream together:
1 cup margarine or shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar

Add:
2 eggs
2 tablespoons hot water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat until fluffy. Sift together and add:
1 cup white flour
1 1/2 whole wheat flour
2/3 cup soy flour (the recipe calls for this, however I don't use it and it's fine)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda

Add:
2 cup or 12 oz chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Now the recipe says to drop by teaspoons on a greased cookie sheet. I however do not do this. This recipe will yield about 5-6 dozen. Soooo what I do is, I take a 12x18 pan and stretch out tin foil to cover the bottom. (You can use another sized pan, but I found this size accommodates all of the dough.) I then take the cookie dough and spread it to cover the whole pan. I then take a pizza cutter and cut lines in the dough to make the separate cookies. I then freeze the cookie dough while it is still in the pan. I keep the pan in there for about an hour. After that, I take it out and break up the cookies. I then place them in a ziplock bag and back in the freezer they go. Then, whenever anyone wants cookies, just take however many you need and place them on a cookie sheet and cook at 375 for 8-10 minutes or until brown. On my ziplock bag, I write the cooking instructions down so if my husband wants cookies, he can cook them himself.

I got this idea from the Pillsbury Ready to Bake cookies. You know all you have to do is just break the cookies apart from each other and bake them. My husband kept buying them on his way from work for his sweet cravings. I couldn't justify spending that money, so I came up with this solution.

Free DVD Rentals

I just came across this and thought I would pass it along.

FREE RedBox rental every Sunday from now through January 4th (at Wal-mart RedBox only)
Beginning this Sunday (12/7) and through the 4th of January, you’ll be able to get a free Redbox rental at any Walmart Redbox* using one of the exclusive Elevenmoms codes below:

Week 1 – 11moms4uS (good Sunday 12/7 only)
Week 2 – 11moms4uA (good Sunday 12/14 only)
Week 3 – 11moms4uN (good Sunday 12/21 only)
Week 4 – 11moms4uT (good Sunday 12/28 only)
Week 5 – 11moms4uA (good Sunday 1/4 only)


INSTRUCTIONS:

Select “Rent with a Promo Code”. You’ll find this option on the opening touch screen in the lower left corner. Now enter your code, of course.

Select your movie. Redbox always has a great variety of choices. You’re sure to find something appropriate for your family, and new releases are added every Tuesday. You can check out the current releases here.

Complete your transaction. You’ll need to enter a credit card to check out, but you will not be charged unless you do not return your movie by 9:00 p.m. the following evening.

No Spend Day

Probably the most frugal thing you can do is have a no spend day. More than likely, you probably already have these but don't give much credit to them. A no spend day is exactly what it sounds like: you spend a whole day not spending any money. You should probably try to incorporate a couple of these each week for the most frugal result possible.

How we spent our No Spend Day today
Today we put up our Christmas tree. Normally we put it up the Sunday after Thanksgiving but it got delayed. I'm glad to have that done. Finally it can start feeling like Christmas around here. My son is two and he's now starting to grasp the Christmas concept. He was totally stoked about the tree and the lights. I put together dinner this morning. It was another stew. I just threw some stew meat and veggies together. Oh yeah, last night's Buffalo Chicken Soup was very good! I served it over biscuits and it was very filling. Today, I also made a call to our bank about our mortgage. Our property tax fell since our homestead exemption finally went through (we were late filing it so we missed it for our first year here). I called the bank and got them to do an adjustment on our escrow and got our mortgage dropped by $120 a month. I will also be receiving a rebate check as well since we over paid on the escrow. Woohoo! I was totally stoked about that. The new payments will start next month. Now, we are all siting here watching the SEC championship game. Today has been both a peaceful and productive No Spend Day!