12-9-09 NEW BED FROM SANTA

The Lord works in mysterious ways.
Tonight we picked up a mattress and box springs off of Freecycle.
This thing looks brand new!
It's a Beauty Rest and has a matching box spring.
Christopher needed another mattress set as he was complaining his was getting uncomfortable to sleep on.
I was thinking about the getting the $90 bed at the thrift store
but decided against it because I didn't need another complete bed.
My friend Kendra was going to give me a mattress but I didn't want her to feel as though she had to help me every time I needed something if I could try to do for myself first. She's a very generous person!
It's when you can't get anywhere without trying first before you ask for help is the way I see it.
So we brought the mattress set home tonight and told Christopher it was an early Christmas present from Santa. Santa dropped it off at one of his helper's homes.
It was too big to fit in the sleigh is why he got it early.
Santa was very generous to give us a nice mattress set for FREE!!

12-9-09 SUPPER & DESSERT

CHICKEN MARSALA WITH MINI FARFALLE

1 box of Macaroni Grill Chicken Marsala with Linguine Dinner Kit
.75 cents
(already used linguine out of box for something else so it's just the seasoning
so I will split the cost of the product in half.
Was $5--Manager special for $2.49--minus $1 coupon made it $1.49)
1 box of Mini Farfalle (bow tie pasta) .50 cents
1/2 package Chicken Thighs $1.80
1/2 package Onion Soup Mix .38 cents
2 cups water
2 pouches Instant Mashed Loaded Baked Potatoes FREE

In crock pot add dry soup mix and 2 cups of water.
Place chicken thighs in water.
Cook on low for about 6 hours.

Remove chicken from bone and
follow directions on package of Macaroni Grill dinner kit.
Boil Farfall pasta according to package direction.

Remove water and soup mixture from crock pot and put into a small pot over medium heat. Whisk in some water and flour to make a gravy.
Make instant potatoes according to directions on package.

Serve pasta and chicken with potatoes and gravy.

TOTAL COST FOR MEAL: $3.43
Makes 6 servings @ .57 cents per serving
(one serving for Tony's lunch on Thursday)

Dessert

COOKIES AND CREAM FUDGE

2 cups broken up chocolate and cream filled cookies .33 cents
(1/3 pkg of cookies from Dollar Tree)
1 bag chocolate-peanut butter chips .99 cents
1 tub cream cheese frosting .50 cents

Melt chips in medium sized bowl in microwave.
Stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth.
Slowly stir in tub of frosting.
Then stir in one cup cookie crumbles.
Spray 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray.
Spread fudge into dish evenly.
Sprinkle remaining cookie crumbles on top of fudge
and lightly press them down into fudge.

Put in refrigerator for a couple hours until firm.
cut 5 squares by 5 squares for 25 total squares.

TOTAL COST FOR FUDGE: $1.82
25 servings @ .07 cents a serving

12-9-09 20 TIPS TO SAVING MONEY ON HEATING BILLS

No school today.
It's getting pretty windy outside as I hear things fall over under the carport.
Supposed to be in the 40's then start dropping this afternoon, brrr, down into the teens.
The next few days with highs in the 20's.
Also add in there that we could have wind gusts up to 55 mph!
BRRRR Wind Chills!
Check out videos from today.
Second video shows small branch coming down out of tree and hitting car trailer.
VIDEO #1
VIDEO #2

So what are some cheap ways to keep the house warm and the gas bill from sky rocketing???

1. Throw rugs down on floors.
I keep a large rug on my tiled kitchen floor and a rug on the bathroom floor.

• 

2. If the sun is shining out open the blinds and curtains to let the sun in during the day.

3. At night close the blinds and drapes to help hold the warm air in.
If it's really cold out I hang blankets up over the main doors and windows.

4. Use blankets to block drafts underneath doors.
Instructions to make your own draft stopper for doors.
You could also use an old pair of panty hose or tights and fill with rice.
Tie ends or use rubber bands.

5. Run humidifiers or vaporizers.

6. When using your oven leave door open when done so warm air can escape into your home.

7. Use electric blankets or heating pads. At night or even the day when lounging.

8. Wear layers of warm clothes, long johns, socks, slippers, shoes or a hat if needed.

9. Use flannel sheets or down comforters on your bed.

10. Keep busy! You'll be less likely to notice the cold.

11. Wall plate insulators.
Drafts can sneak in through the outside walls from your electrical outlets and switches.
Save money by making your own!
I went to the craft store and picked up cheap white foam sheets.
Use white as it is probably cheaper and no one will see them!
Remove the cover and trace the pattern onto the foam sheet.
You want to cut just smaller than the cover itself so it will fit snugly inside the cover.
Screw plate back in place with foam insulator in place.

12. For windows with drafts I have used duct tape along the edges where air could be felt coming in. You could also caulk them.

13. Insulate your hot water tank/ pipes.
I picked up an insulated blanket at a church sale brand new for $2.00!!

13. Keep doors closed to closets and cupboards.
No need to heat that space unless it
gets really cold out then leave cupboard doors open that houses your plumbing.

14. Lower the thermostat a couple degrees to save money on heating.

15. Make sure furnace and filters are clean.

16. Clean vents.

17. Drink warm drinks such as hot chocolate and tea.

18. I use painter's or masking tape and run it along the cracks of closed doors to keep any unwanted drafts out.


19. Don't block vents. I at times rearrange furniture during the Winter months so the furniture such as beds, sofas or tables are not blocking or sitting over top the vents.

20. Get a tax credit for using qualified Energy Star products.

12-8-09

TONIGHT'S SUPPER CHILI MAC

Left over pasta and sauce from last night's supper (free)
1 can Hormel Chili with Beans (.33 cents)
1 can Hormel Chili Without Beans (.33 cents)

TOTAL COST FOR MEAL: .66 cents
6 SERVINGS @ .11 cents a serving
(2 serving will go towards Tony's lunch Wednesday and Thursday)

I forgot to add another deal found today.
It was while shopping with mom at Kroger.
I found her a 5# bag of Kroger flour for .79 cents

After school today the kids hand me a birthday party invitation and asked if they could go.
I'm figuring the party is this weekend.
They just got the invitation today at school and it's tonight at 6:30!!
What is wrong with people these days.
They don't seem to have any consideration for others!
No present, no card and no cash on hand to give.
What the heck do you do when they go to the party in about a half hour!
The kids ran to the basement and got a toy of theirs to give the boy.
We do have a supply of toys in our house so that is good.
And the more that find ways to leave is better if you ask me.
It's now 6:00 and it is sleeting out. Good thing this kid lives only two streets away.
I hope we don't get an ice storm on top of wind gusts tonight as that wouldn't be good.
Then I hear a speeding car go down the street.
Sleet on the road equals slippery roads DUH!
Like I said before what is wrong with people!!

Tonight we have a high wind advisory.
Great just what we need during the cold Winter months is another wind storm.
It says wind gusts could get up to 55 mph.
The last time a wind storm hit the pictures on our walls would rattle!
It's not so bad having power outages during the Summer months but I couldn't imagine one during the cold weather with no heat and what the wind chill might be.
I guess we should consider ourselves lucky as some states are experiencing blizzard conditions.
But hey we had one of those here a couple years ago also.
We lived at Tony's work so that was nice he didn't have to drive but across the parking lot to go clock in and had free access to a snow plow from the company!
I didn't have to worry about him driving in traffic.

Mom experienced a power outage years ago where she lost power in an ice storm for almost a week.
She came and stayed with us during that time and it was during Christmas.
Gotta love Ohio weather since you get to experience it all in one place!
Can I interest you in a recap of the wind storm with up to 75 mph winds at times.
Constant non stop winds!
It was 9-13/14-09
No stores or gas stations open.
No ice available anywhere.
Had to throw out entire refrigerator contents along with 2 stocked freezers!
When stores did open most of Columbus residents did not have power.
That will be a shopping trip I will always remember.
Try shopping for food to make meals knowing you have no stove, oven, microwave, can openers or any appliances to heat things or open things with. No place to store food that needs chilled because ice was in high demand. It's Summer time and if you wanted something cold to drink you couldn't run down to the convenience store to get a cold pop with no power.
You had water out of the faucet or other things that were room temperature.
It was interesting. The kids just started back to school and had already used up 4 out of 5 school
"snow" days and it was still Summer time.
At least they were able to play outside because they would go crazy not being able to watch tv or have the luxuries that come with electricity.
We would go to bed early because of no lights.
We read books by candle light to entertain ourselves.
We played board games.
Kids now a days are soo spoiled.
You would go to bed in complete silence. No fans or air conditioner running.
You could hear the winds whistling outside and would stay up half the night wondering what tree would fall next and would hope it would miss your house and cars.
Power lines would snap like toothpicks causing fires.
You felt like you were in your own little world fending for yourself.
You had no way to know what was going on around you unless you got out and drove around. I would at noon turn the radio on in the truck to listen to the news.
But now you cannot even do that due to all this digital crap.
It took I think 3 nights and 4 days to get our power restored. The lady directly beside us was without power for a week and had to go stay with her daughter.
Driving at night was fun. You think you know where all the traffic lights are until there is a black out. Try driving with no lights anywhere, street lights, traffic lights, lights from houses, stores, NOTHING.
It was eerie!!
People had no clue.
They didn't not know how to come to a main intersection and treat it as a four way stop. It was literally a challenge to drive anywhere. Plus you had to watch out for downed trees and power lines in or around the roadways.

Last year's videos.
WIND STORM 08VIDEO #1
WIND STORM 08 VIDEO #2
BLIZZARD 08

Everyone should have a list of what to do in case of an emergency.
In this situation of the wind storm from last year
I had a hard time figuring out what to make or buy for us to eat.

SO HERE IS A CHALLENGE FOR YOU:
to figure out a list of meals to buy from the store
when you have no way to heat them,
no hot water,
no can openers,
no ice,
and no way to store leftovers or refrigerated items.
What can you come up with to put on this list???
I would like to keep a list in my one cookbook in case this ever happens again!

bread
peanut butter or nutter butter
canned vienna sausages or other canned meats
that has a pull tab top
ramen noodles soaked in water eaten cold
juice pouches
tuna fish with crackers snack/lunch pack
cold soup from cans with pull tabs
dry cereal
pop tarts
dry milk powder
nuts, crackers, potato chips, cookies (snacks)

12-8-09 DEALS OF THE DAY

Still doing some small Christmas shopping.
Today we visited the dollar type stores like Dollar Tree and General Dollar.

A month and a half after Halloween almost and I am still finding Halloween mark downs!
Dollar General had Halloween items marked down to 90% off!!
I grabbed some things to stock up for next year.
4 plastic creature packs and (.10 cents each)
4 packages of treat bags (20 in each) (.10 cents each)
for next years classroom parties at school.
2 safety Halloween blinking pumpkin light necklaces, (.10 cents each)
2 packs of Skull stakes, (.10 cents each)
2 packs of ghost stakes, (.10 cents each)
2 packs of hanging skulls, (.10 cents each)
a spooky skeleton window cover, (.10 cents)
2 bags of Toy Story candy, (.10 cents each)
1 bag Marvel Heroes candy sticks (.10 cents)
and
3 bags Gummy Body Parts Candy. (.20 cents each)

The candy will be used for stocking stuffers for Christmas.
(a total cost of .90 cents for 6 bags of candy for 3 boys!!)

TOTAL PRICE BEFORE MARKDOWN: $23.00
I PAID: $2.30
A SAVINGS OF $20.70

SUPPER 12-7-09 & DEAL OF THE DAY

My Deal of the Day!
Found a Meijer Catalina coupon I had for $2.00 off your next order
in my purse. It expires tomorrow so figured better use it while I can.
Had to go to post office with mom which is next door to Meijer so stopped in along the way.

4 two liters of Sprite Zero
$1.00 x's 4 is $4.00
minus the $2.00 catalina coupon
is now $2.00
minus a hang tag coupon for $1.00 off 4 bottles of Sprite
TOTAL: $1.00 for 4 bottles or .25 cents each.
Even the cashier made a comment
"I wish I could buy 2 liters of pop for a quarter each"

Here is an example of not following a recipe exactly and using
what you have on hand.
Tonight's supper was originally called Chicken Parmesana
BUT...
Don't have chicken thawed out only pork chops
Don't have spaghetti only penne pasta.

So I will call it Pork Chop Parmesana!

3 large pork chops (free)
1 large can spaghetti sauce (.99 cents Big Lots)
1/2 package (4 ounces) sliced mushroom (.50 cents manager special)
1/2 large can Hunt's whole tomatoes, cut up (.25 cents Big Lots)
1/4 cup Parmesan grated cheese (.24 cents Kroger)
16 ounces Barilla mini penne pasta (.50 cents)
12 Dinner Rolls 1/2 pack (.50 cents manager special)
(1.5 rolls for each person)

Pour spaghetti sauce in crock pot. Stir in mushrooms
and cut up tomatoes.
Put in pork chops and coat with sauce.
Cook on high for about 4 hours.

Boil pasta in pot according to package directions, drain and add butter.

Place pasta and pork chops on plate.
Spoon sauce over top and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Serve with buttered dinner rolls.

TOTAL COST FOR MEAL: $2.73
makes roughly 4 servings @ .68 cents a serving
(kids each had 1/2 of a pork chop)
With plenty of leftovers on top of the 4 servings to make another supper!

Mixed remaining sauce and pasta and reserved it for tomorrow's supper of
Chili Mac!

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING & MISC. 12-7-09

My head is spinning thinking about spending money for Christmas.
I am trying to choose gifts wisely and be very practical with them.
But shopping can be very stressful and make you tired with many aches and pains.
Kids have so many toys and I told them this year that along with their so called toy wish list they also need to make a practical gift list.
They asked what practical meant and I told them something that gets used almost everyday.

Jonathan would crawl into bed with me in the evenings and watch tv. I don't have an electric blanket but I do use a heating pad at night.
He loves that warm feeling and said it would be great if they could make heated beds.
I came sooo close to finding a heated mattress pad at the thrift store for $5 for him.
But me and mom plugged it in and couldn't get it to heat up.
I was so bummed!
That would have been a perfect gift for him!
I will keep on looking though!

Christopher thinks Santa is bringing him a "new" bed.
So I checked to see if the thrift store still had the twin bed from last week.
It was gone! But in my mind I knew it would be.

Today I felt like I had stuck out twice with two great gifts for Christmas.
Then Kendra calls up to say she has an extra twin mattress that I could have!!
She's a lifesaver because I didn't know where else to look especially before Christmas!
So Christopher will be getting his "new" mattress for Christmas thanks to one of Santa's elves.

I have been thinking about redoing Christopher's room.
I just redid Jonathan's room with a new paint job and border in a baseball and sport's theme.
Cost me all of around $10 to do and it looks more warm and inviting in there with some color on the walls.
I'm including before and after photos of his room.
Jonathan wasn't really using his room before and it became a storage room
during the Summer months as he liked to camp out in the living room or his brother's room.
Now he LOVES his room and uses it all the time!
2 gallons of paint was $8 and 6 wallpaper borders $2 from Habitat for Humanity.
I also picked up some NASCAR border when there for $1.00.
If you bought one roll you got 2 free!

When organizing my storage room I found some NASCAR curtains. And I know we have NASCAR pillows, pillow cases and a comforter somewhere to turn his room into a racing theme. I also have NASCAR wallpaper border.

So maybe another Christmas present for Christopher would be to gather up all this NASCAR stuff and put it in a box as a gift and add a letter to say his room will me next to get a makeover.
Maybe I could find more NASCAR posters and such for decorations and to give him as gifts.

I'm just trying to be creative with the gift giving this year.
Mattress- practical
Bedroom makeover for cheap with bedding and curtains-Practical

I'm not looking forward to painting and wallpaper border again.
But to make things cheap you have to do it yourself!