Use Reward Cards As A Pot Scrubber

Saturday, May 30, 2009

I got this tip awhile ago from TipNut.com. If you have never been to Tip Nut, there are some great tips, and crafts there that I know you will love. You can use those old rewards cards or even the ones the hard plastic ones you get in the mail to clean the bottom of your pots. You simply scrape the bottom of your pots, pans or casserole dishes with the card. It doesn't scratch or damage the surface.

Making Money While You Search

Some of you may know about sites that you can win prizes or points while you search. If you don't these are great ways to earn points and prizes for things like gift cards or other items that you can use for gifts.

The reason why I like these search engines is because, why shouldn't I earn points for doing something that I already do, search the internet. Another reason why this is great for me is because I work for ChaCha and kgb_ and I search the internet more than the average person would. So, I get points when I work. It is a win, win situation for me.

Right now, I really like using Winzy. The reason is because I think it has a lot more links that I am able to use. Also, I have been able to earn the most points from them. They also have these great little games, I usually get one or two a day, where you can earn extra points. The other two search engines I use are Swagbucks and Blingo. Swagbucks is great, but I really don't like their rewards very much. The search engine is nice, but it doesn't always have the info that I need. Blingo is my least favorite. Most the time when I use the search engine, I have to use another, because I can't find what I am looking for.

If you haven't already done so, sign up for one or all of these sites and tell me what you think. You can click on my links and those are my referral links, or you can simply search the sites and sign up that way.

Back to Basics Cooking

It has been pretty warm up here in the Pacific Northwest and I am not complaining. I am from Southern California and it is really nice to have the warm weather. I really miss it sometimes. Like, when we have had months of rain with no sun in sight.

When it is warm, I don't like to turn on the oven, and I really don't like standing in the kitchen for an hour or so making dinner, so I am always trying to think of some dishes that are quick and easy, that I don't have to turn the oven or stove on.

Today, I started thinking about when I started cooking. When I was younger, my mom worked two jobs and I was left to make dinner for the family. As a teenager, I didn't want to spend time in the kitchen cooking, so I made really quick easy meals. Why don't I do that know? I think it is because I am an adult with my own family that I feel the need to cook a nice dinner every night.

Well, I don't. Why can't I make meals like I made when I was younger. It is OK, and it is also a wonderful and easy way to get my son involved in helping to cook meals. So, I am going back to basics. I am going to start making those meals that I made when I starting cooking. Now, I won't make these every night, but it will be nice and it might give me inspiration to simplify other meals.

For my meal tonight, I am going to make English Muffin Pizza. I am going to toast the english muffins in the toaster, so I don't have to turn the oven on and then melt the cheese in the microwave. Totally Old School cooking.

Other things I use to make were chicken nuggets, corn dogs, sandwiches and actually one of my favorites, cereal for dinner. When did that become wrong to do? I don't feed it to my family every night.

So, if you have back to basic recipes or ideas, please share them with me. I would love to have more suggestions.

Review: Scott Extra Soft Toilet Paper

Friday, May 29, 2009

I know, what a crazy thing to review, toilet paper. I use to be a toilet paper snob. I only liked Cottenelle or Charmin. I didn't care if it was more expensive, that is what I liked, and that is what I bought. For years I did this. But recently, I was in need of toilet paper and went to my local Target. They always have the large packages on sale and I was looking at the prices. The Scott was a lot less and had a lot more paper, so I tried it. And I liked it.

I will admit that it is really not as soft as Cottenelle or Charmin, but the Extra Soft is soft and very durable. And it has more paper on the roll. I do like the Extra Soft more than the regular. The regular Scott toilet paper is not as good. It isn't very soft and there isn't much paper on the roll.

Another great thing that I love about Scott is that it is on sale at Target frequently. There are coupons available at http://www.scottcommonsense.com/Offers.aspx and if you save Box Tops, they are a part of that. To me this is a win, win situation.

Where Have I Been?

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

I just wanted to touch base with you and let you know why I haven't been here. This Memorial Weekend was beautiful. I spent the weekend with my family and it was really nice. It was much needed time together and up here in Oregon it was the first Memorial Weekend in 8 years that we didn't have rain. (Although I have only been here for 3 Memorial Weekends, it was nice to have no rain.) I have also been tired and not feeling very well.

I will return in a few days after some rest and I will bring you some of those deals and steals that you enjoy.

Bookcloseouts.com

Friday, May 22, 2009

Bookcloseouts.com is my all time favorite place to purchase books. They have great prices and deals every month. My husband and son love to read and they read so quickly. They both go through books so fast, it sometimes gets a bit expensive to keep up with their hobby.

I have been purchasing books through them for about 2 years now. I have even passed this information to my sons teachers who have since started purchasing books through Book Closeouts.

Although the books that they have are not usually the newest titles, you will be able to find some wonderful books. Book Closeouts has mostly overstock books and some that have been discountinued and the inventory changes all the time. Sign up for the email and you will be notified of new offers.

Organizing With Office and Kitchen Supplies

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

In this weeks "Quick and Simple" newsletter, there was an article on recycling office and kitchen supplies. There are some interesting uses for common items that you may have in your home. I thought it was worth sharing, so enjoy reading "17 Ingenious Things To Do With Old Office And Kitchen Supplies".

Getting Vitamins for Cheap

Staying healthy is not always inexpensive, but you can get vitamins and herbal supplements for a good price. Puritan's Pride is a great website that offers deals on these items. If you sign up for the newsletter, you will be notified of great deals that will save you even more money. Right now, the deal they have is Buy 1, Get 1 Free or even better, Buy 2, Get 3 Free. So go and check it out and stock up on your vitams.

Shop 4 Freebies

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Shop 4 Freebies is a great site to get all the latest freebies. Just sign up for the newsletter and you will get a daily email that lists new freebies.

Blue Bunny Aspen or Sedona Rebate Form

This was from my email today. If you buy Blue Bunny Aspen or Sedona Frozen Yogurt Granola Novelty, you can try it for free with this rebate form. You need to redeem this by June 10, 2009. I saw these at Walmart today. Sorry, I don't remember how much they cost there. Also, if you sign up for Blue Bunny emails, you can get coupons. They sent me a coupon for the Aspen or Sedona product, last week. I don't think it is available any longer.

25% off at Spirit Halloween Store

In my email today, I received a message from Spirit Halloween Store. If you find a location for them to put a store and they move into that location, they will send you a coupon for 25% off. Now, personally, I think that finding a location is worth a little more than 25% off, but it is still a savings. The details are included in this link Spirit Halloween location info. Good Luck! I hope they pick your location.

Free Coldplay Album

As a Thank You to all their fans, Coldplay has made their new album available to download, for free from their website. You can go here: http://www.coldplay.com/lrlrl/lr.html Enjoy!

Free Gift at The Body Shop

Saturday, May 16, 2009

I received this deal in my email a few days ago. It is valid until May 27th or until supplies last. You can get a free skin care travel kit with a $30 purchase at The Body Shop. The kit is worth $30, and you can choose from three different types. One for sensitive skin, oily and all types. The Body Shop has some great products. I personally love their body butters. Also check out their specials. They change, but right now they have buy 1 get 1 50% off, different product and buy 3 soaps get 1 free. Also, the Peppermint Foot Spray is marked down to $5, it was $10.

Mother's Cookies

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

I am so very excited that Kellogg's has bought Mother's Cookies and is now putting out their products. Today, my husband came home from work with a surprise. Two bags of Mother's Animal Cookies. I was so very upset when I found out that Mother's had gone out of business and I was no longer going to be able to enjoy one of my childhood favorites.

I don't need to worry any longer. If you have been missing those famous animal cookies, just check your local grocery store. They just might be there.

Ireland Vacation

Last year, my family took a vacation to Ireland. This is a vacation that I never would have dreamed we could have taken, much less afford to go on. I was lucky to find a great deal and was able to take this dream vacation. I received and email from Septre Tours and they had a great deal that I could not pass up. A couple of days ago, I receieved another email with a similar offer that I used and I wanted to share with you. The deal is $499, per person for 6 night stay in a townhouse, air and car in Ireland. This is a remarkable price and they have other offers available too.

Ireland is wonderful place to visit. I wish that we had more than a week to visit. I will definitely be visiting again. We stayed in Waterford, which is a beautiful town. Everyone there is so very friendly. I hope that you are as fortunate as I was to take advantage of this offer. If you do, let me know about your trip.

Crock Pot Refried Beans

Sunday, May 10, 2009

This is a very loose recipe. I'm not one who follows recipes. I kind of just make things up as I go along, and I go by my own taste.

Anyway, I use to think that making refried beans would be difficult, boy was I wrong. They are so easy to make. And very inexpensive. You can buy a bag of pinto beans for a little over a dollar at most grocery stores. I use 1/3 of a bag for my family of four. You can use as much or as little as you need.

Put the beans in a bowl full of water. Make sure the water covers all the beans. Soak the beans overnight or for at least 8 hours. This softens the beans and releases some of the gasses.

Drain the beans and place them in the crock pot. Cover the beans with water. Now this is were you add your seasonings. I add different things all the time. You can add whatever your family likes. I always add onion powder and garlic powder. And a few other things that I find in the cabinets. Go crazy and have fun with it.

Turn the crock pot on low and cook for 8 to 10 hours. After the beans are cooked and soft, turn the crock pot off or if it has a warm setting you can choose that. Get a potato masher and mash the beans. You can mash them as little or as much as you like, it is what you prefer.

When you are ready to eat, take the beans and put them in a pan and fry them. That is what makes them refried beans.

You can top them with cheese or put them in your tacos or burritos. Enjoy!

Electrasol/Finish

I have been using Electrasol, now called Finish for about a year now. I usually used whatever I had a coupon for, or what was the cheapest product available until I tried Finish. Target always has Finish for a great price, so tried it. I was incredibly impressed. I am one who usually rinses my dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. With Finish, I didn't have to do that. The dishes came out clean. There are no water spots on the glasses when dried. There is no residue left on the dishes. I also like that they are tablets. It makes it much easier to grab a tab and put it in the dishwasher, instead of dealing with the powder or the liquid. Not that I make a mess or it's hard, but the tabs are just easier.

I still use other products if I find a deal on them, but Finish is the best dishwashing detergent I have used so far. You can usually get a box of 36 tabs for $4.99 at Target. If you have a coupon, you can get an even better deal. Finish usually puts out a coupon every couple of months.

Happy Mother's Day

I just wanted to wish all you Mom's out there a Happy Mother's Day. I hope you are able to have a nice relaxing day.

If you do not know the history of Mother's Day, here is bit about our special day.

The tradition of this holiday seems to have stemmed from an English celebration in the 1600's honoring the mothers of England called, "Mothering Sunday." Employees were given the day off to visit their mothers, and many people gave their mothers a special treat called a "Mothering Cake." With Christianity came a different celebration called "Mother Church," which honored the spiritual protection from the church. This holiday eventually combined with "Mothering Sunday" to form one day of celebration.

In 1907, a woman from Philadelphia, named Ana Jarvis, started a campaign for National Mother's Day to be held on the second day of May in honor of her mother. Her mother, also named Ana, died two years earlier in 1905. She gave her daughter the idea after she organized a "Mother's Friendship Day" to heal lingering emotional wounds of the Civil War.

Finally in 1914, Woodrow Wilson made an official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day a national holiday. West Virginia was the first state to recognize the holiday, and today the holiday has spread beyond the USA to countries such as Australia and Denmark, which also celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.

Source: Biography.com, Holidays on the Net

Inexpensive Entertainment

Monday, May 4, 2009

How do I entertain the family on a budget? I think everyone has asked that question at least once. Spending quality time with the family is sometimes hard, and you don't want to spend all your hard earned money on one day trip. I have a few ideas that my family enjoys doing together, and they don't cost much.

Some free family entertainment is watching your local little league games. We are lucky enough to be within walking distance of two fields. These games are a lot of fun to watch and it is great support for our local teams. Another free idea is to take a walk or bike ride around the neighborhood. What a wonderful way to meet your neighbors and get some exercise. You can also pack a lunch and go to the park. On a nice day, this is also great exercise and a fun way to bond with the kids.

A favorite of my family is to have a family game night. We choose a game (usually Monopoly) have some snacks and just enjoy the fun, and each other. Another favorite of ours is movie night. We pick out a couple of movies, pop some popcorn and enjoy our favorite movies. You can all cook together. Make some fun of it. Pick a theme and pretend to be in a restaurant. Let the kids be the servers and the cooks. They can make a menu, take your order and serve the food.

Now, all those suggestions are things that you can do for free. Here are a few that can be low cost. Pick a local attraction in your area and visit it. Pretend to be a tourist. A lot of people live in an area and never get the chance to really explore where they live. Take a drive. I love getting in the car and taking an "adventure". We get in the car and drive. We don't have a particular destination, we just explore. Try a new restaurant. If you find some local coupons, use them. My family has found some great hidden gems, by using coupons at restaurants, that we probably wouldn't have gone to.

This last tip isn't very inexpensive up front, but throughout the year it is good to have. If you live near a museum, zoo or theme park, buy season or yearly passes. If your family has a day together, you take advantage of those passes and have an awesome family outing.

Mother's Day Gifts

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Sorry, I have been away for a few days. I had a little case of writer's block. I wasn't sure what to write about, so I made a list of topics, that I have been adding to. Now I have plenty of topics to choose from. Here is the first.

Mother's Day gifts. I always get questions on what to do for inexpensive gifts. Everyone wants to save money, but are out of ideas of what to do. These are some gift ideas for Mother's Day, but will also work other occasions.

My number one tip, is to make something. You are never too old to make your own gifts. Even if you are not very artistic, grab the crayons and paper and make your own card. As a mother, believe it or not, you never get tired of the homemade gifts. It means so much more that you took the time to create something special.

Another thing you can do is make a special meal. It could be breakfast, lunch or dinner. It doesn't matter. Let Mom have a day off from cooking without worrying about battling the crowds in a restaurant.

Plan a special day for Mom. Get her favorite movies and pop her some popcorn. Let her have a relaxing movie day. You can also treat her to a homemade spa day. Give her a mani/pedi, do her hair and make up. Just pamper her.

Some other wonderful things you can do is clean the house, wash her car, find that list of things that she needs done and do them. The most important thing is to make her feel special. She's your mom and this is her day, she deserves it.

I hope these have helped you and have sparked some ideas of your own. You don't have to spend a lot of money to make your mom feel like a queen.