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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

1-18-11

I checked out the Virtual Library.
It appears that you can download
ebooks, audio books, eflicks and music.
Some of which can be uploaded to
mp3 players, ipods, electronic books and so on.
Some things you can even burn to cd's
if permission is allowed.
You will need to have a library account/card
to be able to download these items.
You don't have to worry about returning
items borrowed as they automatically expire
and are removed from your account
or you can click on them to return them early.
I don't know how many you can
check out at one time.
You have to put a hold on the items
and they send you an email when they
are available to look at.
You do have to download Adobe Digital Editions
to be able to view items you check out.

I currently have some items on hold
and are waiting for an email.
Will let you know how it turns out.

-----------------------------------

.
Captain D's two-piece fish.
Sign up for Captain D's Club
and receive a printable coupon
in your email for a FREE
2 pc fish & fries OR
chicken & fries.
Includes one regular side and
2 hush puppies!!


You won't be able to print
more than one of each coupon and use on
2 different people so you need
to sign up twice with 2 different emails
and names. Your name will be on the coupon
and Captain D's may ask for your ID
to verify who you are.
We did this once before and I'm
pretty sure they asked for our ID.

This is where me and Tony
are going today for 2 free lunches!!
Drinks are not free and will
have to be purchased at regular price.
Or do like me and Tony do,
share one drink with free refills!!

-------------------------------------------

12:40pm

Lunch was good!
We couldn't eat it all.
Came home with 2 pieces of fish,
and 2 hush puppies.
They didn't ask for an ID
but we did have to put our
signatures on the coupons.

Had to stop in Kroger to get some
trash bags and a couple cans
of broth for my pot roast.

I think our new year's resolution
will be to try to eat better and read
more labels before purchasing food
at the grocery store.
So as I find healthier items
when comparing certain products
I can post them here.
Healthier items can cost more
than your regular items.
Today I got 2 cans of beef broth
and compared all the labels.
Kroger brand was .89 cents for regular beef broth
but I opted for the Swanson brand for $1.39.
Swanson beef broth was 100% fat free
and had 50% less sodium.
And never rely on what the front
of a product says like less fat or lower sugar,
I still compare the nutrition labels.

Calorie Count

is a good place to be able to
review food labels before heading
to the store.

------------------------

1:20pm

I just redeemed some points
from surveys for a free $25
GameStop gift card.
I will collect these throughout the
year to use them at Christmas time!
So in 11-12 months I should have
$100 in free gift cards to use!
So far I've gotten two $25 Gamestop
cards from them (not including this one
I just sent for today)
along with magazine
subscriptions to Martha Stewart
and PC.

------------------------------

I forgot to mention the other
day we found a large decorator tin
of gourmet popcorn at Kroger,
butter, caramel, and cheese flavored.
Was $6 marked down to $1.50.

-----------------------------

Supper
I noted anything that I used
to make supper more healthier.
It's a start :0)

Pot Roast $3.11
(used pot roast from combo pack,
I put the steak and beef cubes back
to use both for a beef stew another day)

Potatoes .33 cents
(1/3rd of a 5 pound bag)

Carrots .50 cents
(1/2 of a bag)
Sprinkled with about
a teaspoon of brown sugar
& a tablespoon butter, see below
for butter used.

1/2 an onion
(leftover from another meal)

2 cans beef broth
$1.39 x's 2 is $2.78

gravy-
beef broth
(fat free, 50% less sodium)
water, flour

Morton's Lite Salt
(1/2 sodium of regular salt)

Mrs Dash
(salt free seasoning)

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
made with Olive Oil
(50% less fat & calories than butter,
no trans fat or hydrogenated oils)

Total cost for meal: $6.72
serves 4 for supper
serves 2 for lunch tomorrow
$1.12 per serving

The greatest part about supper...
I got two kids to actually eat cooked
carrots and ask for seconds!!
I don't think I've ever seen Christopher
eat carrots like that, other than
cut up real tiny in soups!!
It's progress, woo hoo!
I'm trying really hard to get them
to eat more fruits and vegetables
and told them we need to change the way
we eat. It would give us more energy,
a better mind/memory,
better sleep, lose weight, healthier bodies,
healthier skin & hair.

Here's a tip.
to reduce mashed potatoes in your diet
try mashing up some cauliflower instead.
I might try this to see if the kids
will eat it.
Use natural seasoning for flavoring foods.
Honey is a good to use to
sweeten foods rather than sugar.

---------------------------

I thought these were cute.
I chose the ones I could relate to, lol.
by
Jane Seabrook.









----------------------------------

Recipes & Tips
for healthy, thrifty foods
includes meal menus.

PDF booklet.

--------------------------

7:15pm

Tony's boss just called and told him
to go ahead and take the whole week
off and return to work next Monday.
He was originally going to go
back to work Friday.

-------------------------

I was browsing Facebook and saw
on there where someone posted
that after only 5 years of paying
on their house they had
only $1116 towards the principal.
The principal is the payoff amount on
your home. Typically if you make
regular payments, no added money,
it could take 15 years or more on a 30 year loan
before you would see any significant amount applied to
your principal. So 15 + years of pretty
much paying interest.

So I had to get out my house payment
for next month and check to see
what our payoff amount was
and how much principal has
been applied to the house
in 2 1/2 years of making extra principal payments.
Good news, so far I have applied
$6,330 towards the principal
in just 2.5 years!!
I try to make about 3 extra
house payment a year towards
the principal.
At first I was going to make 2 house
payments in one lump sum at tax time.
And break the other house payment
up between 12 months.
But after doing some research
I realized it was better if I divided those
2 extra payments throughout 12
months time as well.

I guess it would all depend upon
your interest rate as well, as to how
fast you can get your loan paid off.
I think we got a pretty good rate.
So, whatever you can apply to the
principal each month is good
to get that house paid off sooner!

I really would like to quit smoking.
But I don't think anti-depressants
are gonna work for me to quit.
I'm thinking about trying those
nicotine patches in the near future.
I have it in the back of my mind
that if I am able to quit I would
like to apply the money I would have spent
on cigarettes towards the house principal
to get the loan paid off even quicker
than 15-16 years down to
under 10 years.
But it's easier said than done
when it comes to an addiction like nicotine.

---------------------

Tomorrow I might visit the
thrift store. I think Jonathan went
through a little growth spurt recently
since some of his pants look like
high waters. He could also use
another Winter jacket since
his is looking too small on him.

----------------------------

10:45pm

I was watching Cupcake Wars
on the Food channel, lol.
Trying to see if I could
get ideas for the cupcake contest.

I think we've decided we're gonna
sell 2 of our cars in the near future.
So anyone in the market
for a 74 Charger or a
79 Trans Am let me know.
We're gonna need the money
in the bank account more
than we need the vehicles.
Plus it would make our
insurance cheaper.
Might have a buyer for the
Trans Am. An in-law called today
and was asking about it.
So we'll see. It's the second time
they've asked since this past Summer.
I don't get hopes up until I see the cash.
You know how that goes.

American Idol returns tomorrow
at 8pm on channel 28 for 2 hours.
Will have to record my
Ghost Hunters and watch
it Thursday.

This next tip may sound a little crazy but
it works! Saved me a bunch
of money on first aid supplies
and a trip to the store.
I have a bunch of packages of
panty liners I got free with coupons.
I really don't use them for
personal feminine use.
They look like the size a baby
doll could wear!
Instead of buying large bandages
or gauze these can be used over
cuts under clothing.
Not something worn where
everyone else can see it!
Works perfect
and is sterile just like a bandage!

About Me

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My name is Sherry, 39yrs old, from Columbus, Ohio. I am married, a SAHM, and have 3 children ages 9, 10 and 20. I have been frugal/thrifty all my life. I would like to share on this blog how we get by day to day on one income with a family of 5 with a dog and a cat. You will also hear about my everyday gripes about daily life and the cost of living. Hubby says my favorite saying is, "and that is another thing that pisses me off!"

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